Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
Southeast Region

C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., Steve A. Johnson, William J. Barichivich, Jennifer S. Staiger
USGS Florida Integrated Science Center
7920 N.W. 71^st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653
http://cars.er.usgs.gov/armi/

Presented at the National ARMI Program Year-end Workshop, Austin, Texas. November 10-14, 2003.

Laboratory experiment on the effects of nonindigenous amphibian larvae on native amphibian larvae

ARMI research in the Southeastern Region is conducted from the Florida Integrated Science Center, Gainesville, Florida. Additional ARMI-related research has been conducted by USGS biologists with the Miami-based Center for Water and Restoration Studies, although they have not received ARMI funding. SEARMI is responsible for monitoring the status of 144 species of amphibians in NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, PR, and VI, an area approximately 800 x 1000 linear miles, excluding the Caribbean territories. Within this area, Department of Interior (DOI) land holdings are numerous, ranging in size from "postage stamp" historical sites to extremely large ecosystem-wide parks and preserves. Most DOI lands are administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

click graphic to enlarge

TABLE 1. Status of amphibian inventories by SE ARMI by physiographic
area and major habitat type. GSMNP = Great Smokies;
LSNWR = Lower Suwannee NWR; SMNWR = St. Marks NWR;
ONWR = Okefenokee NWR; TC = time constrained sampling.

There are three major physiographic regions within the continental Southeast: the extensive Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, the Piedmont, and the Southern Appalachian highlands. Most of the amphibian diversity is found in the mountains (for salamanders) and on the Coastal Plain (for frogs). Habitats are extremely varied, from boreal forests to the vast wet prairies of the "River of Grass." In addition to the 144 described amphibians, there are many yet waiting description, particularly among the plethodontid salamanders and within the salamander genus Siren. In this poster, we describe the status of ARMI within the Southeast, point out areas needing further attention, and highlight ongoing research.

click graphic to enlarge

TABLE 2. Status of SEARMI development and testing of I&M
techniques as well as communication with national ARMI
and other partners. KOP = Katharine Ordway Preserve;
FISC = Florida Integrated Science Center

Ambystoma cingulatum

click images to enlarge

Collecting Siren lacertina tissue for trace metals analyses

Pseudacris ornata

click graphic to enlarge

TABLE 3. Where we stand: Assessing the status of Southeastern
amphibians on DOI lands, and stressors which might affect
amphibians, by physiographic region and habitat type.

click graphic to enlarge

Federal lands within the continental Southeastern ARMI region.
DOI lands are in shades of green. Most federal land in the
Southeast is administered by the U.S. Forest Service and the
Department of Defense. Both of these agencies have
sponsored amphibian inventories to some extent.

click graphic to enlarge

TABLE 4. The four main study sites for SE ARMI (1998-2003). Many species
historically reported from some areas have not been recaptured. Some differences
are due to sampling, but others likely represent real changes in species richness.
Only three federally or state protected species occur on these lands:
ACI (Ambystoma cingulatum); NPE (Notophthalmus perstriatus); RCA (Rana capito).

click graphics to enlarge

Map of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, showing locations of SE ARMI sampling sites.

The scourge of Florida: Osteopilus septentrionalis

Map of Lower Suwannee National
Wildlife Refuge, Florida, showing SE ARMI sampling sites.

click graphic to enlarge

TABLE 5. Possible expansion sites for SE ARMI on FWS lands. Several
refuges have expressed strong support for ARMI research. Still, few refuges
contain 'trust' species. The only other federally protected species in the
SE (Red Hills Salamander, Phaeognathus hubrichti) occurs on virtually
no public lands. The Puerto Rican Toad (Peltophryne lemur) may occur in
Virgin Islands National Park. HAN = Hyla andersonii (a state protected species).

Current Southeast ARMI Activities

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (SMNWR)

• Base-level amphibian inventory, documented 29 species of amphibians
• Sampled 44 wetlands (mid-level monitoring sites), detected 23 amphibian species, recorded numerous covariates
• Replicating 1970's USFWS study using drift fence arrays at 12 apex-monitoring sites, 17 amphibian species detected among 1,402 captures
• Prominent among captures at drift fences were 16 Ambystoma cingulatum (Flatwoods Salamander) - a federally listed species
• Through collaboration with D. Green at the National Wildlife Health Center, discovered a Perkinsus-like organism in tadpoles of four species at two breeding ponds

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge (LSNWR)

• Base-level amphibian inventory using drift fences and other techniques, documented 22 species of amphibians
• Assessing short-term demographic effects of prescribed burning on treefrogs using PVC pipe refugia at 2 apex-monitoring sites 

Other Activities

• Effects of nonindigenous species
• Aquatic funnel trap testing
• Database development
• Cuban Treefrog distribution
• Trace metals in aquatic salamanders
• Water quality monitoring
• Disease monitoring
• Outreach
• Sampling bias analysis

For more detail, please the SE ARMI 2003 Annual Report.

SE ARMI field crew, SMNWR

Sun over a smoky salt marsh, SMNWR

ARMI National Website

Acknowledgments

We thank the staff at SMNWR and LSNWR for facilitating our ARMI activities on these refuges. We especially appreciate the efforts of Steve Barlow, LSNWR Biologist, and Thomas Doherty-Bone, SMNWR volunteer, for help collecting data. A special thank you to the good people of Sopchoppy, FL, in particular Nelson, Peggy, and Bill Martin for making us feel at home during our field outings and for loaning us the use of the "Flag Truck" when our GSA truck broke down.