State of Ohio’s Vernal Pools

Mick MicacchionOhio EPAWetland Ecology Group

Vernal Pools

• Forested and shrub depressions in a forested landscape

• Isolated hydrology –primarily surface and ground water

• Seasonal hydrology –ephemeral – at least late winter (Feb/March) to early summer (June/July)

• Free of predatory fish• Provide important

amphibian breeding habitat

Amphibian Habitat Needs

• Seasonal hydrology - March-June• Fish-free – bass, sunfish, pike, bullheads• Leaf litter/ woody debris• Microtopographic features• Woodlands – especially important within

200m radius• Other breeding pools nearby

Amphibian Monitoring Sites

Spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer

Western chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata

Northern leopard frog, Rana pipiens

Gray treefrog, Hyla versicolor

Wood frog, Rana sylvatica

Smallmouth salamander,Ambystoma texanum

Spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum

Tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum

Marbled salamander, Ambystoma opacum

Jefferson salamander, Ambystoma jeffersonianum

Ambystomatid hybrid

Four-toed salamander and eggs

Photo by Mike Graziano

Eastern red-spotted newtNotophthalmus viridescens

Amphibian Species SensitivitySalamanders:

Smallmouth 4Streamside 5Unisexual hybrids 5Jefferson 6Eastern newt 6Spotted 8Marbled 8Tiger 9Four-toed 10Blue-spotted 10

Frogs and Toads:Green frog 1American bullfrog 2American toad 2Northern spring peeper 3Fowler’s toad 4Western chorus frog 4Northern leopard frog 4Cope’s & Gray treefrogs 4Mountain chorus frog 5Northern cricket frog 7Wood frog 7Pickerel frog 7Eastern spadefoot 10

Amphibian Index of Biotic Integrity Metrics

• Amphibian Quality Assessment Index (AQAI)

• Number of species of pond breeding salamanders

• Relative abundance of sensitive species

• Relative abundance of tolerant species

• Presence of spotted salamanders or wood frogs

• 10pts.each (0, 3, 7, 10), 50 pts. total

Urban Vernal Pools – Central Ohio• Randomly selected 200 urban wetlands – NWI and OWI

(out of 649)– Tree or shrub dominated– Isolated depressions - SW and GW fed– Inundation thru amphibian breeding season– No predatory fish

• Monitored 14 wetlands (vernal pools) for amphibians 14/200 = only 7% of central Ohio wetlands provided amphibian community breeding habitat– 3 – Poor quality – 3/200 = 1.5%– 9 – Fair quality – 9/200 = 4.5%– 2 – Good quality – 2/200 = 1%– 0 – Excellent quality

Urban Vernal Pool

Mitigation Bank Study

Monitored 33 subareas at 12 wetland mitigation banks

Total = 999.2 acres (404.4 hectares)

Amphibian data collected with deployment of 1040 funnel traps (24,960 trap hours)

Species Composition of Wetland Mitigation Banks

• Abundant– Green frog. Rana clamitans

38%– Toads, Bufo sp. 22%– Leopard frog, R. pipiens

19%– Bullfrog, R. catesbeiana

12%– Spring peeper, Pseudacris

crucifer 5%

• Absent or extremely rare– All Ambystomatid

salamander species <1%– Red-spotted newt,

Notophthalmus viridescens– Spotted salamander,

Ambystoma maculatum– Wood frog, R. sylvatica

Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Limitations of Wetland Mitigation Projects to Amphibian Usage

• Landscape placement - narrow or no buffers and intensive surrounding land uses

• Presence of predatory fish – stream hydrology• Permanent vs. seasonal hydrology• Steep slopes and lack of vegetation – vegetation present

is emergent class• Large sizes minimizing edge habitats

Limitations on Amphibian Communities with Urban Vernal Pools

• Intensive surrounding land uses

• Lack of buffers

• Isolation from other patches of habitat

Urban Vernal Pools–Why they are development targets

• Often are present as wetlands in landscapes that are otherwise dominated by uplands

• Generally small• Often are dry much of the year and may not

be recognized as wetlands at those times• Surrounding development has lowered their

quality

State of Vernal Pool Habitat in Ohio

• A habitat that is disappearing at alarming rates

• Many species that rely on this habitat are becoming rare

• Those habitats that are remaining need to be protected

• Development of additional habitat is critically needed to help reverse the trend

Thank You!!!