Salamander Surveys - Passage Creek, VA

Salamander Surveys

Passage Creek, Virginia

October 2007

1 of 1

In 2007, Sarah and I received a small grant to do salamander biodiversity surveys at Passage Creek, a small tributary of the Shenandoah River located in central Virginia. Our objectives were to document amphibian and reptile species (focusing on stream salamanders) present within the creek and assess patterns of diversity and abundance along the course of the stream and along the habitat gradient from aquatic to terrestrial. We designed a sampling scheme consisting of time-constrained searches of three habitat types (aquatic, streamside, and terrestrial) at 15 sites along the course of the stream. The stream is at relatively low elevation, but with an abundance of forested habitat and close proximity to the Shenandoah Mountains and Appalachian Plateau, we hoped to encounter some interesting species. I was anxious as a couple of lifers were even possible.

A map of our sampling locations can be seen below.

After waiting out a hot, dry summer, we chose two days in early October for our surveys. On our drive into the site were were pleasantly surprised to find this male Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) crossing the road.

Beginning in the creek's headwaters we started our surveys in promising looking habitat...

Sarah searching for salamanders along the streamside.

It was quickly apparent that salamanders were abundant in the headwaters...

We captured only two species at the first site. These two species would end up being the most abundant stream salamanders in the creek and were abundant at all headwater sites.

Northern Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)

Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)

As we continued downstream, we encountered even more promising habitat...

... and many more dusky and two-lined salamanders...

Sarah with a tiny Desmognathus

Although we only encountered two stream salamanders at the first few sites, terrestrial habitats yielded additional diversity...

As expected, the most abundant terrestrial salamander by far was the Redback Salamander (Phethodon cinereus)

both "redback" and "leadback" forms were common, often with one salamander under every log turned

These impressive salamanders were also common

Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus)

Despite the dry weather, I managed to turn up a single metamoph Spotted Salamander. The poor thing looked like it needed a few more weeks in the wetland.

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) - metamorph

...and a tiny eft.

Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) - eft

When I found a spot with a small, sphagnum-choked seep, my mind immediately jumped to one particular salamander that I had really hoped to find.

However, after flipping all the rocks in the seep and carefully peeking under sphagnum mats, the species had failed to appear. I continued into the upland, flipping logs until...

... one log yielded a flash of white!!! SUCCESS!!!

First lifer of the day...

Four-Toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

This species is a sphagnum specialist that is generally uncommon to rare throughout its range.

Moving downstream, the terrain flattened and agricultural disturbance increased. I suspected that this would mean fewer salamanders. I knew this was an important pattern to document, although it would mean less fun herping. I'm sure scientists out there will sympathize.

My suspicions were soon confirmed. Only a few salamanders were encountered, all Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea bislineata).

A gravid female Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)

These habitats also yielded our first anurans... three flavors...

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)

I was also hoping that the decreased canopy cover and higher fish abundance at these sites might mean that we'd encounter some snakes. This spot looked particularly promising.

Sure enough, the first snake was soon found

Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon)

Not long after, Sarah flipped the second species

Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)

cute little guy

I soon found one of my own...

Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)

We continued on downstream. Generally, these locations had a high degree of anthropogenic impact and few salamanders. One of the most downstream locations, however, had good forest cover and looked good for salamanders.

A started flipping rocks, not yielding much at first, but finally a flash of red caught my eye...

Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)

This was a species I had hoped we'd find... and an especially pretty one at that. Because this species feeds largely on other salamanders and has a long larval period, we interpreted its presence as an indicator of healthy salamander populations at this location.

Not wanting to waste any time in the time-constrained search, I quickly moved on, flipping rocks further down the shore. I couldn't have been more pleased to see another flash of color a few rocks down...

Longtail Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)

This was my second lifer species for the day, and one that I hadn't necessarily expected. What a great end to the day!

Me with my twin prizes.

Sarah liked the Red best.

That night we did some road cruising in hopes of encountering some snakes. Sadly, our only finds were several DOR rat snakes, garters, and ringnecks.

On the way out the following day I spotted the heartbreaker of the trip.

Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) - DOR

This was a species I had really hoped to find alive and was a lifer for me. Guess I'll have to come back to get a live one.

Generally, the surveys went well. We captured a total of 138 individual salamanders of nine species, including a couple that were rare or unexpected. Importantly, we were able to document the decline in salamander diversity and abundance as sites progressed from headwaters to creek mouth. This was an important goal of our study as it establishes the headwaters as critical salamander habitat (many managers, such as those managing for gamefish, consider the headwaters secondary in conservation). Our data also supports the idea that agricultural areas (sites 4 - 7) support reduced salamander populations.

We also documented the expected species-habitat associations.

All in all I think the survey went well. Although the time and budget was limited we documented most of the species that I had expected at the site and encountered a couple that I had not necessarily expected. Hopefully our research will be useful to managers as they make decisions about how to best manage the creek and it's biota.

Salamander Surveys Passage Creek, Virginia	October 2007

1 of 1
In 2007, Sarah and I received a small grant to do salamander biodiversity surveys at Passage Creek, a small tributary of the Shenandoah River located in central Virginia. Our objectives were to document amphibian and reptile species (focusing on stream salamanders) present within the creek and assess patterns of diversity and abundance along the course of the stream and along the habitat gradient from aquatic to terrestrial. We designed a sampling scheme consisting of time-constrained searches of three habitat types (aquatic, streamside, and terrestrial) at 15 sites along the course of the stream. The stream is at relatively low elevation, but with an abundance of forested habitat and close proximity to the Shenandoah Mountains and Appalachian Plateau, we hoped to encounter some interesting species. I was anxious as a couple of lifers were even possible. A map of our sampling locations can be seen below.

After waiting out a hot, dry summer, we chose two days in early October for our surveys. On our drive into the site were were pleasantly surprised to find this male *Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)* crossing the road.


Beginning in the creek's headwaters we started our surveys in promising looking habitat...

Sarah searching for salamanders along the streamside.

It was quickly apparent that salamanders were abundant in the headwaters...

We captured only two species at the first site. These two species would end up being the most abundant stream salamanders in the creek and were abundant at all headwater sites. *Northern Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)*

*Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)*


As we continued downstream, we encountered even more promising habitat...



... and many more dusky and two-lined salamanders...


Sarah with a tiny Desmognathus


Although we only encountered two stream salamanders at the first few sites, terrestrial habitats yielded additional diversity...


As expected, the most abundant terrestrial salamander by far was the *Redback Salamander (Phethodon cinereus)*


both "redback" and "leadback" forms were common, often with one salamander under every log turned

These impressive salamanders were also common *Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus)*

Despite the dry weather, I managed to turn up a single metamoph Spotted Salamander. The poor thing looked like it needed a few more weeks in the wetland. *Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) - metamorph*

...and a tiny eft. *Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) - eft*


When I found a spot with a small, sphagnum-choked seep, my mind immediately jumped to one particular salamander that I had really hoped to find.

However, after flipping all the rocks in the seep and carefully peeking under sphagnum mats, the species had failed to appear. I continued into the upland, flipping logs until...

... one log yielded a flash of white!!! SUCCESS!!!

First lifer of the day... *Four-Toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)*

This species is a sphagnum specialist that is generally uncommon to rare throughout its range.


Moving downstream, the terrain flattened and agricultural disturbance increased. I suspected that this would mean fewer salamanders. I knew this was an important pattern to document, although it would mean less fun herping. I'm sure scientists out there will sympathize.

My suspicions were soon confirmed. Only a few salamanders were encountered, all *Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea bislineata)*.


A gravid female *Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)*

These habitats also yielded our first anurans... three flavors... *Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)*

*Green Frog (Rana clamitans)*

*Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)*

I was also hoping that the decreased canopy cover and higher fish abundance at these sites might mean that we'd encounter some snakes. This spot looked particularly promising.

Sure enough, the first snake was soon found *Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon)*

Not long after, Sarah flipped the second species *Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)*

cute little guy


I soon found one of my own... *Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)*

We continued on downstream. Generally, these locations had a high degree of anthropogenic impact and few salamanders. One of the most downstream locations, however, had good forest cover and looked good for salamanders.

A started flipping rocks, not yielding much at first, but finally a flash of red caught my eye...

*Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)*

This was a species I had hoped we'd find... and an especially pretty one at that. Because this species feeds largely on other salamanders and has a long larval period, we interpreted its presence as an indicator of healthy salamander populations at this location.

Not wanting to waste any time in the time-constrained search, I quickly moved on, flipping rocks further down the shore. I couldn't have been more pleased to see another flash of color a few rocks down...

*Longtail Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)*

This was my second lifer species for the day, and one that I hadn't necessarily expected. What a great end to the day!

Me with my twin prizes.

Sarah liked the Red best.

That night we did some road cruising in hopes of encountering some snakes. Sadly, our only finds were several DOR rat snakes, garters, and ringnecks.

On the way out the following day I spotted the heartbreaker of the trip. *Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) - DOR* This was a species I had really hoped to find alive and was a lifer for me. Guess I'll have to come back to get a live one.

Generally, the surveys went well. We captured a total of 138 individual salamanders of nine species, including a couple that were rare or unexpected. Importantly, we were able to document the decline in salamander diversity and abundance as sites progressed from headwaters to creek mouth. This was an important goal of our study as it establishes the headwaters as critical salamander habitat (many managers, such as those managing for gamefish, consider the headwaters secondary in conservation). Our data also supports the idea that agricultural areas (sites 4 - 7) support reduced salamander populations.

We also documented the expected species-habitat associations.

All in all I think the survey went well. Although the time and budget was limited we documented most of the species that I had expected at the site and encountered a couple that I had not necessarily expected. Hopefully our research will be useful to managers as they make decisions about how to best manage the creek and it's biota.