Clutch Size in the Great Basin Spadefoot (<i>Spea intermontana</i>), South Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Ashpole, Sara L.; Bishop, Christine A.; Elliott, John E.

doi:10.1898/nwn12-26.1

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…If Great Basin spadefoot movement ranges are similar for our study area, then all ponds within the lower south Okanagan River Valley are bisected by highways and fragmented by multiple land uses. The number of Blotched tiger salamander breeding ponds in the lower valley are few and clustered within restrictive areas [9,40]. We were particularly selective in the locations of ponds that targeted restoring salamander habitat, such as direct adjacency to a known breeding site and without road barriers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, environmental and landscape ques used by the Great Basin spadefoot for stimulating movement to breeding ponds, calling, and subsequent breeding do not follow a clear pattern. The timing of Great Basin spadefoot breeding choruses and subsequent egg laying in existing agricultural ephemeral ponds have been connected to the timing of irrigation and subsequent wetland inundation, versus rain that has been observed in other regional ponds [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reconnecting Amphibian Habitat through Small Pond Construction and Enhancement, South Okanagan River Valley, British Columbia, Canada

2018

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The arid south Okanagan River Valley, British Columbia is a highly-modified landscape; where wetland and riparian habitat loss exceeds 85%, and 88% of remaining wetlands experience at least one harmful anthropogenic stressor. This multi-stressor landscape for amphibian species at risk led to a collaborative stakeholder approach for habitat restoration and species recovery. The main project goal was to increase the quantity and quality of lowland wetland habitat by reconnecting known amphibian-breeding sites with constructed and/or enhanced small ponds. Long-term amphibian monitoring data were used to determine strategic locations for wetland construction and/or enhancement. Habitat enhancement outcomes (Ntotal = 21 sites) since 2006 include 10 newly constructed ponds, enhancement of eight re-contoured ponds after historic infilling, and invasive predatory species removal at three sites. Project ponds were monitored annually (2007 to 2014) for calling frogs, the presence of eggs, and metamorphic emergence. Early signs of colonization and metamorphic success for Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana) (N = 13 sites) and Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) (N = 7 sites) populations have been observed, however no records of Blotched tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium) colonization has been detected. Wetland habitat construction and enhancement have doubled the number of available fishless ponds to support breeding within the study area and engaged landowners through voluntary stewardship. Whether constructed or enhanced ponds have aided species recovery is unclear, though the colonization and successful metamorphosis of some species provides early supporting evidence that it will.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%