This is making it difficult to evaluate impacts from our projects as the chemical changes occurring in many of our streams as a result of acid deposition seem to be masking any physical changes resulting from our management activities. Amphibians are becoming recognized by state and federal agencies as important indicators of environmental changes. Along with natural vernal pools, across the Forests, many ponds have been created for wildlife over the last 20 years. These wildlife ponds are important breeding habitats for amphibians since they are often perennial and fishless. Frogs often quickly colonize these wetlands.
Salamanders colonize new wildlife ponds more slowly.
Monitoring these animals away from pools and ponds is very difficult, but since amphibians congregate at discrete breeding sites and larval stages are present for months at a time, focusing monitoring efforts on these pools and ponds is a feasible way of obtaining information on these populations. In addition to amphibian monitoring, water chemistry in the ponds is also being evaluated. No trend data is available at this time. This information can be useful in the forest planning process to determine the effects of management on amphibian populations. For example, we will know the distribution of amphibian species according to geographic location, elevation, and age of the water body, and could potentially be able to predict the biodiversity of a newly created wildlife pond.