Santa Cruz Long- -Toed Salamander Field Studies Toed Salamander - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Santa Cruz Long- -Toed Salamander Field Studies Toed Salamander - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Santa Cruz Long- -Toed Salamander Field Studies Toed Salamander Field Studies Santa Cruz Long 1998- -2009 2009 1998 David Laabs David Laabs Biosearch Associates & Biosearch Associates & Center for Natural Lands Management Center

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SLIDE 1

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander Field Studies

Toed Salamander Field Studies 1998 1998-

  • 2009

2009

David Laabs David Laabs Biosearch Associates & Biosearch Associates & Center for Natural Lands Management Center for Natural Lands Management

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SLIDE 2

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander Field Studies

Toed Salamander Field Studies 1998 1998-

  • 2009 Outline

2009 Outline

I) Seascape Uplands Preserve a. History b. Monitoring Program c. Seascape Uplands Pond 1 d. Bonita Pond (Pond 3) e. Uplands Pond 2 II) Studies at Other Breeding Sites a. Valencia Lagoon b. Buena Vista Pond c. Millsap Pond d. Tucker Pond e. McClusky Slough f. Zmudwoski Pond III) Upland Trapping

  • a. Seascape Uplands
  • b. Willow Canyon

IV) Management and Monitoring Implications

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SLIDE 3

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander

Toed Salamander Life Cycle Life Cycle

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SLIDE 4

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander Range

Toed Salamander Range

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SLIDE 5

Seascape Uplands Pond Seascape Uplands Pond

Seascape Uplands Pond

  • SCLTS discovered in 1974

in permanent pond

  • Berm breached in 1976,

creating seasonal pond

  • Ruth Study 1986-87;

Breeding adult population estimate 1,468 ± 60

  • HCP Approved; CNLM

takes title in 1998

  • Long-Term SCLTS

Monitoring Program

  • Two mitigation ponds; road

tunnels built in 1999

  • Both mitigation ponds

colonized within 3 years

  • Population varied between

~1000 and ~3000 adults

  • ver 10 years
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SLIDE 6

Seascape Uplands SCLTS Long Seascape Uplands SCLTS Long-

  • Term

Term Monitoring Monitoring

  • Track Adult

Population Trends

  • Measure Larval

Growth & Abundance

  • Minimize

impacts of study on SCLTS & other species

  • Minimize Cost
  • Partial enclosure of

pond with drift- fencing (~75%)

  • Traps open only

during rains & 1 night following

  • Traps opened 1st

Fall rains through April – reduced based on results of 1st 6 years

  • Single toe clipped;

Lincoln-Peterson estimator used

  • Study Design

Considerations

  • Drift-Fence/Pitfall

Trapping

  • Aquatic

Sampling

  • First 5 years only
  • Sample every 2

weeks between mid-April and July

  • Measure 25 larvae
  • n each occasion
  • Quantify larvae on

100 ft2 plots

  • Level of effort

reduced after 6 years to presence/ absence

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SLIDE 7

Seascape Uplands Pond Seascape Uplands Pond SCLTS Adult Activity SCLTS Adult Activity

  • Data from 2001-02

– typical of adult SCLTS activity pattern during average or above- average rainfall

  • Males arrive prior to

females; depart after

  • No SCLTS activity

past mid-March, even with rains

  • Fewer outbound

adults than inbound – consistent with

  • ther studies
  • 100
  • 50

50 100 150 200 10/1/2001 11/1/2001 12/1/2001 1/1/2002 2/1/2002 3/1/2002 4/1/2002 Date

# SCLTS Captured

Inbound Females (+) Inbound Males (+) Outbound Females (-) Outbound Males (-) 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 10/1/2001 11/1/2001 12/1/2001 1/1/2002 2/1/2002 3/1/2002 4/1/2002

Precipitation (in.)

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Temperature (F)

Precipitation Maximum Temperature Minimum Temerature

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SLIDE 8

Seascape Uplands Pond Seascape Uplands Pond SCLTS Adult Activity 1998 SCLTS Adult Activity 1998-

  • 2008

2008

  • Males arrive prior

to Females

  • Males active at

pond for longer period (Males Avg. 34 days; Females

  • Avg. = 17 days

(Ruth 1989)

  • Most SCLTS

activity at pond between 1 December – 15 March

50 100 150 200 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May # Adult SCLTS Captured Inbound Females Outbound Females 50 100 150 200 250 300 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May # Adult SCLTS Captured Inbound Males Outbound Males

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SLIDE 9

Seascape Uplands Pond Population Seascape Uplands Pond Population Monitoring 1998 Monitoring 1998-

  • 2008

2008

250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Breeding Season Estimated SCLTS Breeding Population Females Males Error Bars indicate 95 Confidence Interval

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SLIDE 10

Seascape Uplands Pond Seascape Uplands Pond -

  • Effect of Rainfall

Effect of Rainfall

  • n Breeding Migration
  • n Breeding Migration

5 10 15 20 25 30 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Breeding Season Precipitation Non-Jan (in) 500 1000 1500 2000 Estimated # Adult Female SCLTS Precipitation Nov-Jan Adult Female SCLTS

  • Rainfall between

November and January most critical for SCLTS breeding migration

  • Females more

likely than males to forego breeding in below-average rain years

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SLIDE 11

Seascape Uplands Pond SCLTS Measurement Seascape Uplands Pond SCLTS Measurement Data Data -

  • Inbound Versus Outbound Adults

Inbound Versus Outbound Adults

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 Breeding Season Average Weight (g) Inbound Females Outbound Females Inbound Males Outbound Males Bars indicate 1 standard deviation

  • Both sexes lose

significant mass while at pond; especially females

  • Effect is

consistent year to year

  • Need to

distinguish when providing measurement data

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SLIDE 12

Seascape Uplands SCLTS Measurement Data Seascape Uplands SCLTS Measurement Data 1998 1998-

  • 2008

2008

  • Little year-to-year

change in mass (or length) of adults

  • Significant year-to-

year variation in mass (and length) of emerging juveniles

  • Lower size at

transformation = lower survivorship?

  • Years with lowest

juvenile mass were years with highest numbers of juveniles

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 1998- 1999 1999- 2000 2000- 2001 2001- 2002 2002- 2003 2003- 2004 2004- 2005 2005- 2006 2006- 2007 2007- 2008

Weight (g)

Inbound Females Inbound Males Bars indicate 1 standard deviation 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 1998- 1999 1999- 2000 2000- 2001 2001- 2002 2002- 2003 2003- 2004 2004- 2005 2005- 2006 2006- 2007 2007- 2008

Weight (g)

Outbound Juveniles Bars indicate 1 standard deviation

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SLIDE 13

SCLTS Larval Monitoring SCLTS Larval Monitoring Seascape Uplands Pond Seascape Uplands Pond

  • Larval density

greatest in April & May

  • Larvae can persist

through July if water available; but usually transform by end

  • f June
  • Vegetation

changes over time (and between sites) affect rate of capture

  • Time-constrained

sampling probably better

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 90 120 150 180 210 240 Day of Year Average # SCLTS Larvae/100 sq ft Plot 1999 2000 2002 2003

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SLIDE 14

Bonita Pond (Seascape Uplands Pond 3) Bonita Pond (Seascape Uplands Pond 3)

  • Constructed in 1999
  • Designed to be

ephemeral; holds water year-round

  • Colonized by SCLTS in

1999-2000

  • Estimated population

increased steadily from 311 ± 50 in 2002-03 to 1,242 ± 186 in 2007-08

  • Adjacent high-quality
  • ver-summering habitat
  • Bonita Road source of

mortality

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SLIDE 15

Seascape Uplands Pond 2 Seascape Uplands Pond 2

  • Constructed in 1999
  • Designed to be

seasonal; holds water year-round

  • SCLTS colonized in

2001-2002

  • Population estimate

in 2007-08 was 351 + 124

  • Relatively low larval

abundance – some unhealthy

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SLIDE 16

Valencia Lagoon Valencia Lagoon

  • Type locality for

subspecies (1954)

  • Originally 1.1 acre

freshwater wetland

  • Drained in 1969 for

Highway 1

  • Population estimate in

1977-78 (Reed 1979) was 2,583 ± 120

  • Population estimate in

2007-08 (Biosearch 2008) was 734 ± 149

  • SCLTS breeding in

both mitigation pond and drainage channel

  • Highway 1 barrier to

movements; Bonita Road source of mortality

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SLIDE 17

Millsap Pond Millsap Pond

Millsap Pond

  • In Calabasas Complex
  • Population Estimate

2000-2001 = 197 ± 16

  • SCLTS found up to

~200 m from pond in upland traps in 2004- 05 (Bland 05)

  • Suitable uplands in

vicinity

  • Pond size is limiting

factor

  • Effects of Eucalyptus

canopy?

  • California red-legged

frog also present

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SLIDE 18

Tucker Pond Tucker Pond

  • In Calabasas Complex
  • Population Estimate

(Bland 2001) 1,062 ± 38

  • HCP approved 2007
  • Conservation Easement

granted to CNLM

  • No SCLTS larvae present

in 2007 (goldfish) or 2008 (drought)

  • Bullfrogs & rough-skinned

newts present

  • Pond drained past 2 years
  • SCLS larvae in 2009
  • Population estimate will

be repeated in 2010-11

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SLIDE 19

Buena Vista Pond Buena Vista Pond

  • In Ellicott-Buena Vista

Complex

  • Managed by USFWS
  • California tiger

salamander also present

  • 2008-09 SCLTS

Breeding Adult Population Estimate was 775 ± 380; study done in below- average rain year

  • Pond not holding

water well even in wet years

  • Monterey Pine,

Eucalyptus

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SLIDE 20

McClusky McClusky Slough Slough

  • In McClusky Slough

Complex

  • Only ~15% of slough

perimeter trapped – methods not comparable to other sites.

  • 2001-2002: 33 adult &

53 juvenile SCLTS trapped; few recaptures

  • Adults significantly

smaller than other populations

  • Upland habitat is

limiting factor

  • California red-legged

frog also present

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SLIDE 21

Zmudowski Zmudowski Pond Pond

  • In McClusky Slough

Complex

  • 2001-2002: 10 adult &

6 juvenile SCLTS trapped; no recaptures

  • Most captured in

southeast corner near

  • nly available willow

habitat

  • Adults significantly

smaller than other populations

  • Upland habitat is

limiting factor

  • Salinity 0.5 ppt
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SLIDE 22

Upland Trapping Upland Trapping -

  • Seascape Uplands

Seascape Uplands

  • Ruth (1989)

demonstrated SCLTS move >1000 meters

  • New road built across

known migratory route in 1998 – documented source of take

  • 6 road tunnels built -

untested for SCLTS

  • Migrating SCLTS

marked along fence in 2000-01

  • Only 4 of 44 (9%)

marked adults passed through tunnels

  • Need to test again to

see if population has adapted

Tunnel 6 Tunnel 5 Drift-fence

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SLIDE 23

Upland Trapping Upland Trapping -

  • Willow Canyon

Willow Canyon

Trap 1 Trap 17

  • Drift-fence ¼ mile from

Seascape Uplands Pond to investigate use

  • f Willow Canyon
  • Willow Canyon Upland

Fence 2001-2002 Estimated Adult Population = 886 ± 51

  • Seascape Uplands

Pond 2001-2002 Estimated Adult Population = 2,927 ± 289

  • ~ 26-36 % of Seascape

Uplands Pond Adults Migrated from/to Willow Canyon in 2001-2002

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SLIDE 24

Valencia Valencia-

  • Seascape Complex

Seascape Complex

Valencia Lagoon Willow Canyon Seascape Uplands

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SLIDE 25

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander

Toed Salamander Population Studies Summary Population Studies Summary

Breeding Complex % Permiter Date Peak Date Peak

  • Est. #

95%

  • Est. #

95%

  • Est. #

95% Sex Ratio Breeding Pond Source Year Sampled Male Arrival Female Arrival Females CI Males CI Adults CI M:F Valencia-Seascape Complex Valencia Lagoon1 1977-78 100 2583 120 1.01 Valencia Lagoon1 1978-79 100 1355 98 0.99 Valencia Lagoon4 2007-08 80 4-Jan 26-Jan 405 100 327 117 734 149 0.67 Seascape Pond2 1986-87 100 2-Jan 13-Feb 1468 60 2.00 Seascape Pond4 1998-99 66 19-Jan 20-Jan 833 130 1052 83 1833 131 1.26 Seascape Pond4 1999-00 66 18-Dec 24-Jan 907 137 1126 136 2041 193 1.24 Seascape Pond4 2000-01 66 11-Jan 24-Jan 682 202 1630 245 2310 310 2.39 Seascape Pond4 2001-02 66 6-Dec 29-Dec 1454 264 1530 180 2927 289 1.05 Seascape Pond4 2002-03 75 14-Dec 28-Dec 982 122 1247 130 2234 178 1.27 Seascape Pond4 2003-04 75 20-Dec 30-Dec 818 129 1158 172 1983 214 1.42 Seascape Pond4 2004-05 75 9-Dec 31-Dec 681 104 1119 174 1794 195 1.64 Seascape Pond4 2005-06 75 19-Dec 23-Dec 742 204 929 207 1683 290 1.25 Seascape Pond4 2006-07 75 13-Dec 11-Feb 241 51 745 169 950 152 3.09 Seascape Pond4 2007-08 75 4-Jan 26-Jan 1087 152 961 132 2074 204 0.88 Bonita Pond4 2002-03 75 14-Dec 10-Jan 152 37 156 33 311 50 1.03 Bonita Pond4 2003-04 75 20-Dec 30-Dec 159 34 261 90 399 76 1.64 Bonita Pond4 2004-05 75 9-Dec 1-Jan 233 62 358 86 597 105 1.54 Bonita Pond4 2005-06 75 19-Dec 23-Dec 241 82 441 92 686 122 1.83 Bonita Pond4 2006-07 75 13-Dec 27-Dec 273 84 396 105 674 135 1.45 Bonita Pond4 2007-08 75 4-Jan 4-Jan 584 130 637 129 1242 186 1.09 Seascape Pond 24 2007-08 75 4-Jan 26-Jan 128 58 205 122 351 124 1.60 Calabasas Complex Millsap Pond4 2000-01 80 11-Jan 11-Feb 37 11 61 11 98 16 1.65 Tucker Pond3 2000-01 100 465 22 506 37 1062 38 1.23 Ellicott-Buena Vista Complex Buena Vista Pond4 2008-09 80 22-Jan 16-Feb 403 263 345 254 775 380 0.85 McClusky Slough Complex McClusky Slough4 2001-02 15 na na 16* na 16* na 32* na 1.00 Zmudowski Pond4 2001-02 50 na na 6* na 4* na 10* na 0.67 Source: 1 - Reed, 1981 * - number captured, too few recaptures for population estimate 2 - Ruth, 1989 3 - Bland, 2001 4 - Laabs & Allaback, 1998-2009

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SLIDE 26

Santa Cruz Long Santa Cruz Long-

  • Toed Salamander Field Studies

Toed Salamander Field Studies 1998 1998-

  • 2009

2009

Management and Monitoring Implications Management and Monitoring Implications 1. 1. Both aquatic and upland habitats need protection Both aquatic and upland habitats need protection 2. 2. Variety of upland habitats used; large Variety of upland habitats used; large-

  • scale movements across

scale movements across grassland & scrub habitats grassland & scrub habitats 3. 3. Both seasonal and permanent wetlands used; Permanent ponds Both seasonal and permanent wetlands used; Permanent ponds have potential for introduced predators & other factors have potential for introduced predators & other factors 4. 4. Natural variability in population size Natural variability in population size -

  • Seascape Uplands Pond

Seascape Uplands Pond SCLTS population ranged between ~1,000 and ~3,000 breeding SCLTS population ranged between ~1,000 and ~3,000 breeding adults over 10 adults over 10-

  • year period

year period 5. 5. Few natural breeding sites remain; most sites modified Few natural breeding sites remain; most sites modified 6. 6. Mitigation Ponds can be successful Mitigation Ponds can be successful – – ideally seasonal and adjacent ideally seasonal and adjacent to upland habitat to upland habitat 7. 7. Rainfall total important for SCLTS breeding migration, but timin Rainfall total important for SCLTS breeding migration, but timing g equally important; November to January rainfall critical equally important; November to January rainfall critical 8. 8. Pitfall trapping studies should extend from 1 December to 15 Mar Pitfall trapping studies should extend from 1 December to 15 March ch