GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS AMPHIBIAN PROJECT

Results for 2000, Part II

Statement of Provisional Data
The data you have secured from the USGS database identified as have not received Director's approval and as such are provisional and subject to revision. The data are released on the condition that neither the USGS nor the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use."

USGS-BRD
Twin Creeks Natural Resources Center
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1314 Cherokee Orchard Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone: 865-430-4750
Fax: 865-430-4753

Jeffrey D. Corser (JDC) field team leader (January-December 2000). Field crew (May-September 2000): Jayme Waldron (JLW), Kevin Smith (KGS), and Jamie Barichivich (WJB)

Terrestrial and Streamside Habitats

Habitat/Environmental Data: We installed 5 temperature data loggers at Dr. James Petranka's long-term monitoring plots. They recorded data hourly from mid-May to mid-December.  Two data loggers were placed at Roaring Fork [RF2 (and stream)], one was placed at Beech Flats [BF-M], one was placed at  Clingmans Dome [CD-U], and one was placed at Heintooga [HO-U].  Upon retrieval, the data logger at RF2 (water) was inoperable (it is being sent to the manufacturer for data retrieval; JDC was unable to locate the HO-U device. The field crew reflagged the 27  (30 x 40 m) plots at the 9 permanent plot sites.

Coverage: JDC hiked > 370 miles (January to December) on 55 different trails Park wide, including 28 new trails not covered in 1999.  In addition, several bushwhacking excursions to potential habitats were undertaken (ca. 6 trips).  Several previously unsurveyed and/or remote areas of the Park were covered, including The Raven Gorge area, Rich Mtn , Mt Sterling Ridge, Swallow Fork, Cooper Creek, Forney Creek, Old Settlers, Long Bunk, Chasteen Creek, Wolf Ridge, Dalton Gap, and Chestnut Branch.

KGS and WJB (July-September) hiked another ~150 miles on ~25 different trails including ~15 new trails not previously covered. Long, remote sections of the Appalachian Trail and Balsam Mtn Trail east of Newfound Gap, and in the Gregory Bald area, were covered, as was the entire Lakeshore Trail.  The remote Hazel Creek/Bone Valley, Eagle Creek, Jenkins Ridge, and Welch Ridge trails were covered.

The distribution of terrestrial and streamside salamanders: JDC (30) and the field crew (80) conducted 110 time-constrained searches for 4340 minutes (72 person hours).  Nearly 1200 amphibians from 40 different species (JDC 442, field crew 716) were encountered.  An additional 157 ancillary sightings were added to the database.  A notable behavioral observation was made by KGS and WJB while reflagging BF-M on July 27.  Two Gyrinophilus were observed climbing red spruce trees, to our knowledge the first ever such arboreal observation for this species. On July 17, KGS and WJB photographed a D. quadramaculatus swallowing a crayfish.

Long-term monitoring using coverboards: We continued monthly (June to September) monitoring of both the 4 old growth (Albright Grove, Hannah Mtn, Hurricane Creek, and Greenbrier) and habitat (cove hardwood, northern hardwood, and spruce/fir) coverboard plots. A total of 376 salamanders from 8 different species was captured at the 9 arrays installed by D. Soehn in 1998, compared with 261 individuals in 1999. In 2000, P. jordani was by far the most abundant species (203); 94 D. imitator and 25 D. wrighti also were captured. In general, more salamanders were captured at the higher elevations, and Indian Gap had the most individuals (83) caught. June and July were the most productive months, with captures trailing off significantly by September. The 4 old growth coverboard arrays were less productive (although they have fewer cover objects/array) and only 33 animals were captured.  Subsequent checks of the coverboards may be useful for monitoring P. jordani, D. imitator, and D. wrighti, especially at the higher elevations sites.

Night Searches: JDC undertook two nocturnal road cruises in the Spring.  The first (90 min), on April 24 along the Little River, turned up 8 individuals from 7 different species. Notable was the night of May 20 along RTE 129 and Happy Valley Road (2 hrs): more than 72 individuals from 11 different species were seen, and 1 B. americanus, 1 P. ruber, 2 H. chrysoscelis, 2 R. palustris, and 1 R. catesbeiana (all road killed) were collected and frozen for future contaminant analysis by VPI.

KGS and WJB walked Abrams Creek Rd the night of July 12 (1 hr) and encountered 5 different anuran species, including Gastrophryne.  A new locality for the map turtle Graptemys geographica was found when an individual was photographed laying eggs at night.  JLW & Jeff Humphries confirmed the existence of Crytobranchus in Deep Creek when they observed 3 adults on the night of August 15.

Reptiles: We made 58 reptile sightings from 20 different species.  Notable was Chelydra serpentina at Cane Creek (April 24) and The Sinks (May 16) by JDC.  Graptemys geographica was found in Abrams Creek on August 23 by WJB and KGS as was a second stinkpot (still unverified by a voucher) (Sternotherus odoratus) on June 11. The Soak Ash wetland complex was searched for bog turtles (unsuccessfully) and other amphibians on April 12, April 24, May 5, June 20, and September 25.

The extent of the range and status of Desmognathus wrighti: A total of 32 individuals were found at 16 new localities. We continued to clarify this species' distribution with several observations in the higher elevations on the Park's southwestern side. The apparent lack of records in this area for this species (as well as D. imitator) was probably due to a previous lack of coverage and not the absence of suitable habitat.  This species is absent only from the Ridge and Valley section on the Park´s northwest side (e.g., to the north and west of Parson's Branch Rd.).

The extent of the range and status of Desmognathus aeneus: Six individuals were found at 3 new localities.  Most notable was a new county record (Blount) for Tennessee by JDC on October 3 at Deals' Gap.  KGS and WJB also found 2 individuals in Bone Valley on August 8, and 4 individuals were found along the Eagle Creek Trail several days later.  Because of several further unsuccessful searches in the Forney Creek watershed, we believe that the distribution of this species does not extend east of Welch Ridge.

The extent of the range and status of Eurycea junaluska: We continued to clarify the distribution of this species by finding 4 individuals at 2 new localities. On August 23,  KGS and WJB confirmed the occurrence of  E. junaluska at Panther Creek. On August 15, KGS and WJB made a notable sighting of 4 E. junaluska larvae in deep leaf beds on lower Hazel Creek.  The identification of one of these animals was confirmed by L. Raulerson, and it is currently being kept alive. This record is notable because it significantly extends the range of this narrowly distributed, secretive, habitat specialist on the North Carolina side of the Park, and opens the possibility that it may occur in other watersheds draining the North Carolina side (e.g. Forney, Noland, Deep creeks).  New records for 20-mile Creek also were documented during the larval bag surveys.

Only the second recent specimen of another narrowly distributed Eurycea, E. guttolineata, was found by KGS and WJB above Fontana Reservoir on August 10 (near Glady Branch). We were unable to confirm the occurrence of this species in several other suitable looking habitats, especially at Cooper Creek, Mingus Creek, and in the Cataloochee valley (unable to confirm historical record).

The extent of the range and status of Desmognathus marmoratus: Eight individuals were found from 7 new localities Park-wide. Especially noteworthy was the extent of the distribution of this species at low altitudes along Fontana Lake.

Notable occurrences of other narrowly distributed species: JDC discovered the second recent Park record for P. montanus (a metamorph) in Cattail Creek on April 11, significantly extending its range southwestward from its only other known recent occurrence in the Park (at The Sinks).  This species could not be confirmed from Chestnut Branch (= Mt. Sterling) on August 15, but this locality will be checked again under better conditions in Spring, 2001.  On May 27, JLW, KGS, and WJB saw R.. pipiens on Rabbit Creek Trail but, despite many extensive subsequent searches throughout the Abrams Creek area, we were unable to find and collect another individual. JDC will attempt to confirm its presence in Spring 2001. Besides A. aeneus, this is the only historically occurring amphibian that we have been unable to document.  On July 28 and again on July 29, KGS and WJB found larval Necturus maculosus in leaf beds on Abrams Creek. The only other known locality for this species in the Park is on Little River. On March 21, JDC observed several P. ventralis in hemlock ravines above Bull Cave. Searches of other potential habitats along Rich and Scott Mtns. above Cades Cove suggest that Bull Cave and White Oak Sink are the only places where this species occurs.

Aneides aeneus surveys: Extensive outcrops (without good crevices) above the Little Pigeon River along Old Settlers Trail were thoroughly searched without success on May 11. Perhaps the most promising area of potential A.aeneus habitat occurs in the vicinity of gneiss intrusions (H.L. Moore, 1988.  A Roadside Guide to the Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park) in the Raven Gorge on the North Carolina side.  JDC searched Raven Gorge (bridge) and Enloe Creek on July 25, and Chasteen Creek on July 26, finding very few suitable rock outcrops.  Because the predominant metamorphic bedrock of the Smokies does not crack or weather to produce suitable Aneides crevices, this particularly remote area of gneiss intrusion (see Moore 1988 pg. 32) should be searched again (by bushwhacking/use of aerial photos—JDC covered trailside areas).  The vicinity of the single historical record (Rainbow Falls Trail) was again searched on November 10, as were outcrops along 20-mile trail on November 24.  The possibility remains that Aneides may dwell arboreally in the Park (the single historical record from 1929 was not closely associated with rock). Efforts should be made to enlist ATBI canopy researchers to look for this species during arboreal surveys, especially in old growth stands in the vicinity of Rainbow Falls trail.

Larval Bag surveys: From June to September, JLW, with sporadic help from JDC, KGS, and WJB, conducted an extensive study on the use of mesh larval bags stuffed with leaf litter to survey aquatic salamander larvae. JDC continued monthly sampling through November (Fig. 5). Three transects of 6 bags each (large, medium, small) were placed in small, medium, and large streams in the Little Pigeon, Little River, Tabcat, 20-mile and Abrams Creek watersheds; bags were checked bi-weekly.  A total of 691 individuals from 11 different species were caught; by far the most abundant larvae in the bags were E. wilderae/junaluska (429 individuals).  A total of 41 Gyrinophilus, 11 P. ruber, and 4 E. longicauda also were caught. In general, larger numbers of larvae were captured in medium-sized streams, most captures occurred during June and July surveys, and the capture rate trailed off significantly by October and November. The greatest number of captures (94) occurred in Kingfisher Creek (a tributary of Abrams Creek), whereas captures among all the larger rivers combined only accounted for about 20-30 salamanders.

Preliminary analysis suggests that leaf bags would be a suitable survey/sampling technique for stream-dwelling salamanders in small to medium sized creeks, especially for species that inhabit leaf packs (e.g., 18 E. junaluska were captured in streams where it was known to occur). However, this labor-intensive technique probably would not be efficient for population monitoring due to the high variability in larval salamander abundance.

Ponds and Small Wetland Depressions

Hemidactylium scutatum monitoring: The H. scutatum monitoring was continued in late March  to early April at 11 different vernal pools on the TN-side of the Park. A total of 60 females and 48 unattended nests were counted for an estimate of 108 females.  The estimate in 1999 was 104 females at 10 sites (see attached table). A historical record for this species was confirmed on 4/5 at Meadow Branch.  We recommend that these data continue to be collected (> 6 yr) and analyzed using metapopulation models (e.g., extinction/colonization rates) similar to those used by Corser (in prep) for A. aeneus in the Blue Ridge isolate.  Early (2 yr) evidence for population stability in the Park suggests that large tracts of protected forest are crucial to the species' long-term regional persistence.

Ambystoma maculatum and other pool breeders: Extensive late-winter and early Spring searches on the North Carolina side of the Park failed to reveal the presence of A. maculatum, despite apparently suitable vernal habitats in Cataloochee, Cove Creek Rd., Smokemont, Noland Creek, and Bear Creek.  We feel fairly certain that this species does not occur on the North Carolina side of the Park, but will continue to look for it, especially at the Hazel Creek/Bone Valley beaver wetlands in late winter 2001.  New TN-side localities for this species were found on March 7 at Shell Branch (3 egg masses) and Ace Gap on March 21 (7 masses).  Several more records of R. sylvatica were found, further expanding the known range of this species within the Park. Only the second Park record of Gastrophryne carolinensis, and the first outside Cades Cove, was captured and vouchered by KGS on June 7 at the Abrams Creek Ranger Station. Potentially productive wetlands were found in 2000 prior to optimal times to search for vernal breeders (late winter/early spring) at Cooper Creek, Hazel Creek, Bone Valley, Soak Ash Creek, Chestnut Branch and Metcalf Bottoms. JDC will thoroughly search these areas and others (e.g., Cove Creek Rd, Cataloochee) for wetland-associated species in at the appropriate times in early 2001.

Cane Creek: We added one new species (P. serratus) to the list of amphibians in the Cane Creek watershed for a total of 22 species. On March 29, W. Van Devender confirmed that what JDC thought to be Pseudacris brachyphona from Cane Creek (captured March 16) was P. feriarum.  We now think that it is unlikely that this southern Appalachian endemic occurs within the Park. We also have failed to confirm the historical record of R. pipiens from Cane Creek.  In all likelihood, this is because the forest has undergone succession significantly since the 1940's when the farms in this valley were sold to the NPS. The meadow habitat of R. pipiens no longer occurs in Cane Creek. A similar scenario is likely being repeated for P. feriarum, another open canopy breeder. A testable prediction is that the currently small, isolated P. feriarum population will be extirpated in Cane Creek as the forest canopy thickens.

Contaminant studies: JDC found a larval Gyrinophilus on March 30 in Cane Creek with a bb-sized growth on its head.  The animal was sent to pathologist David Green (USGS/NWHC) and diagnosed as infected by a fungus-like Dermosporidium, which has not been reported in aquatic salamanders for many years in the USA. JDC and Dr. Green will prepare an account of this record. 

Despite the occurrence of diseased amphibians at Gourley Pond (CKD on May 9), JDC searched the Finley Cane sinkholes, Gourley Pond, Cane Creek and The Sinks on May 16 and found no signs of disease or dead/dying amphibians.  The field crew also searched Abrams Creek and Gourley Pond on June 20 after observations of diseased bullfrogs were reported by J. Petranka in nearby Graham Co., NC.  Several individual R. catesbeiana tadpoles were inspected and determined to be visibly healthy.

Ten amphibians with accompanying soil samples were sent to V.P.I. on September 8 for contaminant analysis.  No results are available as yet.