Transcript vernal pools - Town of Sudbury

THE SCIENCE
THE POLITICS
&
YOU
Presented by: Debbie Dineen
March 25, 2009
Friends of the Assabet River Wildlife Refuge
THE BASICS:
-Wildlife habitats best known for the amphibians and
invertebrate animals who use them to breed (aka ephemeral;
autumnal; temporary woodland pond)
-Depressions in the ground formed by glaciers (kettle ponds),
natural occurrences, agriculture and other human activity;
closed or open canopies
-Typically fill with water in the autumn or winter due to rising
ground water and rainfall; remain ponded through the spring
and into summer
-Free of fish predators
-Used for breeding by obligate and facultative species
Hi. I’m an Obligate!
Me,
Too!
SAME POOL – DIFFERENT SEASONS
Late Winter
Spring
Late Summer
OBLIGATE: VERNAL POOL-ONLY BREEDERS
Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica):
-Adults range from 1.5 to 2.75 inches.
Females are larger than males
-Estimate: total biomass of wood frogs in 50
acres of forest adjacent to a breeding pool to
be over 150 pounds.
-Diet of forest invertebrates
-wood frogs influence decomposition rates
and nutrient cycling in upland forests
-Hibernate at shallow forest depths
-Accumulate high levels of glucose in the
liver and leg muscles which is released into
the bloodstream and tissues to act as a
natural antifreeze
-External fertilization
-communal eggs masses 1000+
Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
-6” t 8” in length
-deciduous, mixed, and softwood forests
-majority of the time is spent below ground, commonly
in small animal burrows
-feed on forest-floor invertebrates (earthworms, snails,
spiders, insects)
-Home ranges vary from one square meter up to 40
square meters
-Congressing and spermataphores (external)
-Number of eggs per mass 100 -150
-attached to twigs or plant stems several inches below
the surface of the water
-color of egg casing clear to milky
white, to green from algae
- The consistency is like old jello
-eggs are dark brown or gray above
and lighter below
Blue-Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale)
-4” – 6” in length
-Upland forests with ample
canopy cover, deep, uncompacted
leaf litter, and coarse woody
debris shading - cool refuge, and
a moist environment are requisite
-Seek winter cover in burrows
-Number of eggs per mass
normally between six and 30
attached to stems and twigs or to
leaves on pool bottoms
-Egg masses smaller than spotted
salamanders
-State-listed Species of Special Concern –
Rare Species Observation form
Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)
Jefferson/Blue Spot Complex)
-Hybrid complex (breeding) with three other
species of mole salamander (blue spot)
-Ice age separation of blue and jefferson
-Hybrids often result in “cloning” of female;
spermatafore only “borrowed” with genetic
information not incorporated; more than 2 sets
of chromosomes
-Temperature factor; higher temps produce
more “clones”
-Embryonic mortality rates of hybrids are much
higher; only 2% of males survive and are sterile
Fairy Shrimp – Eubranchipus (most common)
-1/2” to 1 ½” Crustaceans restricted to vernal
pools
-Temperature tolerance of 40 to 60°F
-Eggs persist to the next favorable period
-Resting egg (actually a developing embryo) has a
dark covering
- Able to survive drying, extreme heat, freezing,
and ingestion by birds
- Re-flooding the following spring stimulates
hatching
-Summer & Winter eggs
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
-Breeds only in dried up pools, ponds, and
ditches in Fall
- Lay eggs under the leaves
-Females remain with eggs to keep them
moist until nests are flooded (fall or spring)
-Eggs hatch after the ponds refill
-early spring larvae is marbled larvae
-MA is northern end of range; none found in
Sudbury; several in Bolton
Importance to the Environment:
Foundation of the Forest Food Web
Coyote
wading bird
Snakes
gopher
Frogs
fairy shrimp
Flatworm
Protozoa
CONSUMERS (80%) (note: predator and prey)
algae
plants/seeds
PRODUCERS
Bacteria
DECOMPOSERS
Detritus
DEAD MATTER
Importance for Humans
-important roles in the organization of many
terrestrial and aquatic communities
-used as indicators of environmental heath
-valuable tools in examining various problems
in disciplines such as evolution, ecology, animal
behavior, physiology, and genetics
-medical research on salamanders to understand
the basis for limb and tissue regeneration in
vertebrates, the study of genetic disorder
inheritance, and research exploring the possible
therapeutic value of toxic skin secretions in
treating human diseases such as cancer
MA REGULATORY PROTECTIONS FOR CERTIFIED VERNAL POOLS
-Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act regulations:
Pool + 100’ jurisdictional IF certified & located within a wetland resource
-Title 5 of the Massachusetts Environmental Code:
Septic leaching area set back 100’ UNLESS groundwater flow is away from
pool
-Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act:
No discharge of fill material into a vernal pool
-Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards -Section 401:
Vernal Pools are Outstanding Resource Waters – same as 404
-Massachusetts Forest Cutting Practices Act:
50’ buffer strip where no more than 50% basal area may be cut every 5 years
-Massachusetts Endangered Species Act
No “take” of state-listed species UNLESS a Conservation Plan is approved
Laws & Regulations DO:
Protect the pool itself from direct impacts in most cases- maintains the breeding
habitat
Laws & Regulations DO NOT:
Protect the species who breed in the pools as well as the overall biological
functions supporting a diverse food chain
Consequences:
-Adjacent upland is destroyed. Obligate species spend 50 weeks a year within 15o0’
of the pool, not many will be left to breed
-Road construction, a major threat, continues
between terrestrial habitats and breeding ponds
-Temperature, light, wind increases
-stormwater runoff, lawn care chemicals
alter pool biology
-ATVs; invasive species; mosquito control; lack of community interest or
knowledge
To Certify or Not to Certify?
Pro:
-Identifies the area as important and has limited value in preventing harm
to species populations
-May provide the data needed to determine the extent of vernal pool
habitat in your Town and encourage the adoption of local protection
bylaws and regulations
Con:
-New certification requirements can result in harm to the pool
-If state-listed species are found, it could lead to their delisting (spotted
turtle)
Natural Heritage Program has certified about 5024 vernal pools as of January 2009.
Top Ten Towns with the most Certified Vernal Pools:
Hubbardston 311
Dracut 196
Westford 102
Boxford 100
Norton 98
Andover 85
Northhampton 73
Groton 67
Middleton 64
Sudbury 60
-------------Kingston 59
N. Falmouth 55
Concord 48
Weston 15
Wayland 13
A) OBLIGATE SPECIES METHOD
Biological Criteria
• Breeding evidence of obligate amphibian
species OR the presence of fairy shrimp
AND
Physical Criteria
• Evidence of a pool with no permanently
flowing outlet (i.e., photo of the pool
holding water).
B) FACULTATIVE AMPHIBIAN
SPECIES METHOD
Biological Criteria
• Breeding evidence of 2 or more
facultative amphibian species
AND
Physical Criteria
• Evidence of a pool with no
permanently flowing outlet (i.e., photo
of the pool holding water).
AND
• Evidence that there is no established,
reproducing fish population (i.e.,
photo of the pool dry).
YOU CAN:
Investigate
-Look at topographic maps for isolated wetland areas
-Review the Potential Vernal Pool maps from Natural Heritage
Identify
With landowner permission, visit probable sites
Certify
-Collect evidence of breeding by Obligate species by photos
Protect
-Submit evidence to NHESP and local Conservation Commission
-Pass Local Wetland Bylaw at Town Meting which protects vernal pools and some
adjacent upland