Amphibian and Reptile Inventory and Monitoring: Greater Yellowstone Network

Authors(s): C. Peterson, D. Patla and C. Corkran

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Publication Date: 0000-00-00

Type: progress report

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Abstract: Objectives 1. Systematic surveys: Survey potential amphibian breeding habitat in randomly-chosen watershed units (7th level Hydrological Units); identify locations of active amphibian breeding sites and presence of amphibian and reptile species. 2. Targeted species surveys: Visit a subset of previously-identified boreal toad breeding sites to determine if toads continue to breed at these sites. 3. Update species lists for amphibians and reptiles documented in GRTE amd YELL. Findings and Status 1. In GRTE/JODR, we worked in 7 watershed units, conducting surveys at 105 sites, 900 m of river shorelines, and 4,000 m of irrigation canals and ditches. At 68 sites with apparent potential amphibian breeding habitat, 22 sites were occupied by breeding amphibians: tiger salamander (4 sites), boreal chorus frog (14 sites), and Columbia spotted frog (9 sites). No breeding sites were found for boreal toads, although a few individuals were noted at 2 sites in one watershed unit. We surveyed 900 m along the Gros Ventre River, finding no amphibians. At a warm spring site in GRTE, bullfrogs of all life stages were present, and bullfrog tadpoles were found downstream along canals and ditches. No native amphibians were found in the warm springs or in the 4,000 m of canals and ditches that we searched in downstream areas. 2. Boreal Toad surveys: We visited 4 previously-identified boreal toad breeding sites in GRTE/JODR. Reproduction occurred at 3 sites, but was absent from the Colter Bay area of Jackson Lake, presumably due to low reservoir water levels. Toad tadpoles were also found on private land within GRTE boundaries, but are likely to have dispersed to this site from an upstream breeding site probably within the park, location unknown. We found few toad metamorphs at any of the occupied sites. 3. Amphibian species found in GRTE/JODR: Blotched Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum), Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas boreas), Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata), Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris), and GRTE only: Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) Reptile species found in GRTE/JODR: Wandering Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans). A database with all amphibian and reptile observations and a report were submitted to the NPS GRYE Inventory Program.

Keywords: animal, breeding, herpetology, amphibian, frog, Anura, Bufonidae, Ranidae, Bufonidae, toad, salamander, Caudata, reptile, Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, lizard, Wyoming, habitat, population, boreal toad, Bufo boreas, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum, Ambystomatidae, boreal chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata, Columbia spotted frog, spotted frog, Rana luteiventris , Gros Ventre River, Teton County, snake, garter snake, wandering garter snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans, warm spring, bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, tadpole, Jackson Lake, Blotched Tiger Salamander , Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum