Environmental Studies on the Piedmont

Winter storm Vulcan paid us a visit last night as we set out into the woods to find migrating Jefferson and Spotted salamanders.  We have one of the southeastern most populations of Jefferson salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum), and keep an eye on them as they are outnumbered by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) that have a larger range throughout the east coast.

A male Jefferson Salamander at the C1 vernal pool March 13, 2014

  

Each year we watch for the first cold, rainy night between mid February and early March when the salamanders leave their underground habitat (thus the name "mole" salamanders) and move to vernal pools to breed.  The males typically arrive first, followed a few nights later by females.  Most years on the field station, the Jefferson Salamanders seem to arrive first but the Spotted Salamanders arrive in larger numbers shortly behind.  Today, only Jefferson egg masses were present, although male Spotted Salamanders were in the vernal pools.

newly laid Jefferson Salamander egg masses (March 13)

 The other exciting amphibian visitor this time of year in the vernal pools are the spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) who started their calling this week, and the wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus).  There were about 100 wood frog egg masses early this morning in the ridgetop vernal pool.  They were under about 1 cm of ice on top of the pool, this might be a tough year for survival of these newly developing embryos.

Newly laid Wood Frog eggs in the Ridgetop vernal pool (today)

A very cold Wood Frog

The weather continues to be below freezing tonight, so the ice cover on the pools will continue through tomorrow.   It is amazing how tenacious these frogs and salamanders are in their struggle for life.   When one gets to know them, you can't help but respect them!

The soil temperature was near freezing early this morning at pool C1