Date of Award

2025

Degree Name

Biological Sciences

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Anne Axel

Second Advisor

Dr. Jayme Waldron

Third Advisor

Chad Landress

Abstract

The addition of large woody debris (LWD) into streams is an increasingly common habitat restoration method used to support brook trout populations and other sensitive freshwater species. Wood jams create localized reductions of water velocity, increase organic matter retention, intensify overbank flows, and promote habitat heterogeneity. These changes enhance interaction between the floodplain and the stream which can influence forest habitat variables such as leaf litter, soil pH, moisture, and invertebrate abundance. Salamander demographics reflect the stability of these forest habitat variables, and population declines can be indicative of environmental disturbance, stress, or change. Evaluating how this trout-targeted management effects salamanders is increasingly important as amphibian populations are facing several challenges such as disease, habitat loss, and changing climate patterns. We quantified the effect of LWD management actions on terrestrial and aquatic-dwelling salamanders. To investigate the influence of LWD management on salamander abundance and species richness, we conducted terrestrial flip-and-search transect surveys and in-stream leaf litter bag sampling in two streams in the central Appalachian Mountains in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. We hypothesized that salamander abundance and species richness would be higher in riparian regions of streams treated with LWD compared to stream regions not treated with LWD. Using data from the summers of 2024 and 2025, we used stacked N-mixture occupancy models and performed an ecological community analysis to evaluate the impact of LWD management on streamside salamander populations. The abundance of Eurycea bislineata, Desmognathus monticola, and Plethodon cinereus was significantly higher when LWD logjams were present. LWD management did not have a significant effect on overall species diversity. This research informs habitat managers on the broader impacts that LWD stream management has on riparian ecosystems, and specifically, on salamander abundance. Incorporating the potential long-term effects that this habitat restoration may have on salamander populations is ecologically significant, as amphibians are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and emerging diseases. It is crucial that management strategies foster stable, resilient habitats that support overall biodiversity and provide support for at risk species.

Subject(s)

Coarse woody debris.

Ecology.

Biotic communities.

Animal populations.

Salamanders.

Salamanders -- Monitoring.

Fresh water.

Amphibians.

Northern two-lined salamander.

Plethodon cinereus.

Monongahela National Forest (W. Va.)

West Virginia.

Appalachian Region.

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