Artificial Cover Board Monitoring for Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP in Vermont, USA (1999-2000)

Study Extent

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, Woodstock, Vermont, USA

Sampling

To compare the distribution and relative abundance of Red-backed Salamanders within 3 different forest cover types, cover board transects were established during early April 1999 in a northern hardwood stand, a hardwood/hemlock stand, and a red pine plantation (Fig. 1). Following the protocol to monitor terrestrial salamanders established by the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (Droege et al. 1997), within each study site 40 white pine cover boards (measuring 25 x 25 x 2.5 cm) were laid out in pairs, 0.5 m apart. Each pair of boards was spaced approximately 10 m apart and, to reduce forest edge effects, at least 50 m from the forest edge. Cover boards were checked approximately each week between April and November during the two-year study, but were not checked during misty or rainy weather when salamanders were more likely to be out foraging in the leaf litter (Jaeger 1979, 1980). Individual salamanders encountered under each board were tallied and handling of salamanders was avoided as much as possible. All Red-backed Salamanders were placed into one of the following size classes: Adult (> 40 mm S-V), Sub-adult (30 – 40 mm S-V), and Juvenile (< 30 mm S-V) (Sayler 1966). During 2000, most adult Redbacks were sexed by visually noting the shape of the snout (squared in males, rounded in females) (Hunter, et. al. 1999).

Method steps

1. see above

Red-backed Salamanders

1. Plethodon cinereus
   common name: Red-backed Salamander rank: species

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, Woodstock, Vermont, USA