Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Correlates of vernal pool occurrence in the Massachusetts, USA landscape

  • Published:
Wetlands Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Vernal pool wetlands are at risk of destruction across the northeast United States, due in part to their diminutive size and short hydroperiolds. These characteristics make it difficult to locate vernal pool habitats in the landscape during much of the year, and no efficient method exists for predicting their occurrence. A logistic regression procedure was used to identify large-scale variables that influence the presence of a potential vernal pool, including surficial geology, land use and land cover, soil classification, topography, precipitation, and surficial hydrologic features. The model was validated with locations of field-verified vernal pools. The model demonstrated that the probability of potential vernal pool occurrence is positively related to slope, negatively related to till/bedrock surficial geology, and negatively related to the proportion of cropland, urban/commercial, and high density residential development in the landscape. The relationship between vernal pool occurrence and large-scale variables suggests that these habitats do not occur at random in the landscape, and thus, protectionin situ should be considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Babbit, K. J. and G. W. Tanner. 2000. Use of temporary wetlands by anurans in a hydrologically modified landscape. Wetlands 20:313–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berven, K. A. 1995. Population regulation in the wood frog,Rana sylvatica, from three diverse geographic localities. Australian Journal of Ecology 20:385–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berven, K. A. and T. A. Grudzien. 1990. Dispersal in the wood frog (Rana sylvatica): implications for genetic population structure. Evolution 44:2047–2056.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. T. 2004. Weather-related effects on woodland vernal pool hydrology and hydroperiod. Wetlands 24:104–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. T., J. Stone and P. Lyons. 1998. An inventory of seasonal forest ponds on the Quabbin Reservoir watershed, Massachusetts. Northeastern Naturalist 5:219–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burne, M. R. 2001. Aerial photo survey of potential vernal pools. Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calhoun, A. J. K., T. E. Walls, S. S. Stockwell and M. McCollough. 2003. Evaluating vernal pools as a basis for conservation strategies: a Maine case study. Wetlands 23:70–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. A., C. A. Cole and R. T. Brooks. 2002. A comparison of created and natural wetlands in Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands Ecology and Management 10:41–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collinson, N. H., J. Biggs, A. Corfield, M. J. Hodson, D. Walker, M. Whitfield, and P. J. Williams. 1995. Temporary and permanent ponds: an assessment of the effects of drying out on the conservation value of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. Biological Conservation 74:125–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, B. J. 2001. Temporary hydrologic connections make “isolated” wetlands function at the landscape scale. Ph.D. Dissertation. The University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • deMaynadier, P. G. and M. L. Hunter, Jr. 1999. Forest canopy closure and juvenile emigration by pool-breeding amphibians in Maine. Journal of Wildlife Management 63:441–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Euliss, N. H., Jr. and D. M. Mushet. 1996. Water-level fluctuation in wetlands as a function of landscape condition in the prairie pothole region. Wetlands 16:587–593.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. P. 1993. Importance of small wetlands for the persistence of local populations of wetland associated animals. Wetlands 13:25–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godwin, K. S., J. P. Shallenberger, D. J. Leopold, and B. L. Bedford. 2002. Linking landscape properties to local hydrogeologic gradients and plant species occurrence in minerotrophic fens of New York state, USA: A hydrogeologic setting (HGS) framework. Wetlands 22:722–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, R. A. 1997. Temporary ponds as amphibian habitats. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 7:119–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, M. J. and R. W. Merritt. 1999. Temporary woodland ponds in Michigan: invertebrate seasonal patterns and trophic relationships. p. 279–298.In D. P. Batzer, R. B. Rader, and S. A. Wissinger (eds.) Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooge, P. N. and B. Eichenlaub. 2000. Animal movement extension for Arc View GIS ver. 2.04. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Science Center, Anchorage, AK, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosmer, D. W. and S. Lemeshow. 2000. Applied Logistic Regression, second edition. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenney, L. P. 1995. Wicked Big Puddles. Vernal Pool Association, Reading Memorial HS, Reading, MA, USA.

  • Lehtinen, R. M. and S. M. Galatowitsch. 2001. Colonization of restored wetlands by amphibians Minnesota. American Midland Naturalist 145:388–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madison, D. M. 1997. The emigration of radio-implanted spotted salamanders,Ambystoma maculatum. Journal of Herpetology 31:542–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MassGIS 2002 and 2003. (Massachusetts Geographic Information System). Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 251 Causeway St., Suite 900, Boston, MA, USA 02114. Available: http:// www.state.ma.us/mgis/massgis.htm. Last accessed 01 November 2003.

  • NRCS 1998. (National Resources Conservation Service). National Soil Data Access Facility: Official Soil Series Description (Soil Attribute Database). Available: http//www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/ nsdaf. Accessed 05 October 2002.

  • OCS 1998. (Oregon Climate Service), 316 Strand Agricultural Hall, Corvalis, OR, USA 97331. Available: http://www.ocs.orst.edu/ prism/prism_new.html. Accessed 05 October 2002.

  • O'Hara, C. G. 2002. Remote sensing and geospatial application for wetland mapping, assessment, and mitigation. p.? ?-??.In S. Morain and A. Budge (ed.) Integrated Remote Sensing at the Global, Regional and Local Scale. Denver, CO, USA. (CD)

    Google Scholar 

  • Palik, B. J., R. Buech and L. Egeland. 2003. Using an ecological land hierarchy to predict seasonal-wetland abundance in upland forests. Ecological Applications 13:1153–1163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pechmann, J. H. K., R. A. Estes, D. E. Scott, and J. W. Gibbons. 2001. Amphibian colonization and use of ponds created for trial mitigation of wetland loss. Wetlands 21:93–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petraka, J. W., C. A. Kennedy, and S. S. Murray. 2003. Response of amphibians to restoration of a southern Appalachian wetland: a long-term analysis of community dynamics. Wetlands 23:1030–1042.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philips, P. J. and R. J. Shedlock. 1993. Hydrology and chemistry of groundwater and seasonal ponds in the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Delaware, USA. Journal of Hydrology 141:157–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. S. and D. C. Jenkins. 2000. Temporary aquatic habitats: constraints and opportunities. Aquatic Ecology 34:3–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Semlitsch, R. D. 1998. Biological delineation of terrestrial buffer zones. Conservation Biology 12:1113–1119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Semlitsch, R. D. and J. R. Bodie. 1998. Are small, isolated wetlands expendable? Conservation Biology 12:1129–1133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shoop, C. R. 1968. Migratory orientation ofAmbystoma maculatum: movements near breeding ponds and displacements of migrating individuals. Biological Bulletin 7:230–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinsch, U. 1990. Migration and orientation in anuran amphibians. Ethology, Ecology, and Evolution 2:65–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snodgrass, J. W., M. J. Komoroski, A. L. J. Bryan, and J. Burger. 2000. Relationships among isolated wetland size, hydroperiod and amphibian species richness: Implications for wetland regulation. Conservation Biology 14:414–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stenhouse, S. L. 1985. Migratory orientation ofAmbystoma maculatum: movements to and from breeding ponds. Science 149:230–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, F. J., T. K. Kratz, N. Caine, and R. G. Woodmansee. 1988. Landform effects on ecosystem patterns and processes. Bio-Science 38:92–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiner, R. W. 2003. Estimated extent of geographically isolated wetlands in selected areas of the United States. Wetlands 23:636–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, P. A. 2001. Mapping seasonal flooding in forested wetlands using multi-temporal Radarsat SAR. Photogramatic Engineering and Remote Sensing. 67:857–864.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Kamp, G., M. Hayashi, and D. Gallén. 2003. Comparing the hydrology of grassed and cultivated catchments in the semiarid Canadian prairies. Hydrological Processes 17:559–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, G. B., M. MacKay, and I. A. Smith. 1980. Evolutionary and ecological strategies of animals in temporary pools. Archives of Hydrobiology/Supplement 58:97–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilbur, H. M. 1980. Complex life cycles. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 11:67–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D. D. 1987. Ecology of Temporary Waters. Blackburn Press, Caldwell, NJ, USA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Geologic Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 12100 Beech Forest Rd., 20708, Laurel, Maryland, USA

    Evan H. Campbell Grant

Authors
  1. Evan H. Campbell Grant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Campbell Grant, E.H. Correlates of vernal pool occurrence in the Massachusetts, USA landscape. Wetlands 25, 480–487 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1672/22

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1672/22

Key Words

Search

Navigation