The Effects of Climate Change and Long-term Fire Suppression on Ephemeral Pond Communities in the Southeastern United States

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dc.contributor.authorChandler, Houston Cawthornen
dc.contributor.committeechairHaas, Carola A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberGorman, Thomas A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKarpanty, Sarah M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberVoshell, J. Reese Jr.en
dc.contributor.departmentFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-16T09:00:54Zen
dc.date.available2015-01-16T09:00:54Zen
dc.date.issued2015-01-15en
dc.description.abstractIn the southeastern United States, ephemeral wetlands in pine flatwoods provide important habitat for amphibians and aquatic invertebrates, but extensive deforestation has destroyed or isolated many wetlands and fire suppression has altered vegetation in others. My goals were to identify how wetland hydroperiods have changed through time and to examine the effects of long-term fire suppression on aquatic communities, including Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders (Ambystoma bishopi) and Ornate Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris ornata). Chapter 1 used a modeling approach to relate wetland hydroperiods to current climate conditions and to hindcast historic conditions. Over the past 118 years, hydroperiods were often unfavorable for A. bishopi reproduction, and in recent years hydroperiods were shortened by persistent drought. Chapters 2 and 3 focused on identifying the effects of shifting from an open, grass dominated wetland to a wetland with high canopy cover and little herbaceous vegetation. In Chapter 2, I quantified amphibian and invertebrate communities in several wetlands. A. bishopi and P. ornata tended to occupy wetlands with lower canopy cover and higher herbaceous vegetation cover. Aquatic invertebrate abundance was generally higher in wetlands with lower shrub density and lower canopy cover. In Chapter 3, I examined how a reduction in herbaceous vegetation affected tadpoles when a predatory crayfish was present using two experiments. Crayfish were effective predators of both species across all vegetation treatments and often caused nonlethal tail injury. My results suggest that managers should focus on ensuring that wetland basins regularly burn, and wetlands with longer hydroperiods should be a management priority.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:4224en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/51190en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectamphibiansen
dc.subjectephemeral wetlandsen
dc.subjectfireen
dc.subjectflatwoods salamanderen
dc.subjectpine flatwoodsen
dc.subjectaquatic invertebratesen
dc.titleThe Effects of Climate Change and Long-term Fire Suppression on Ephemeral Pond Communities in the Southeastern United Statesen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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