Vernal Pools in a Landscape Context
Vernal pools are small, seasonally flooded forest wetlands that provide important breeding habitat for woodland amphibians and a host of invertebrates including several state-listed species. This project focuses on documenting the range of biodiversity in Massachusetts' vernal pools, assessing the influence of habitat characteristics and land-use history on the biological communities of pools, and applying our findings to conservation planning and management. Improved understanding of these important water resources, whose conservation currently depends heavily on identification by citizen volunteers, and development of a classification system that reflects the biological communities of different pools, can contribute to better conservation.
Selected Publications
Colburn, E. A. 2004. Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation. McDonald & Woodward, Granville, OH.