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Harvard Forest Data Archive

HF038

Salamander Response in Hemlock Removal Experiment at Harvard Forest 2003-2005

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Data

Overview

  • Lead: Brooks Mathewson, Elizabeth Colburn
  • Investigators: David Foster
  • Contact: Information Manager
  • Start date: 2003
  • End date: 2005
  • Status: complete
  • Location: Simes Tract (Harvard Forest)
  • Latitude: +42.466 to +42.480 degrees
  • Longitude: -72.218 to -72.211 degrees
  • Elevation: 225 to 240 meter
  • Datum: WGS84
  • Taxa: Adelges tsugae (hemlock woolly adelgid), Plethodon cinereus (eastern redback salamander)
  • Release date: 2023
  • Language: English
  • EML file: knb-lter-hfr.38.19
  • DOI: digital object identifier
  • EDI: data package
  • DataONE: data package
  • Related links:
  • Study type: short-term measurement
  • Research topic: large experiments and permanent plot studies; physiological ecology, population dynamics and species interactions
  • LTER core area: population studies, disturbance patterns, land use and land cover change
  • Keywords: hemlock, hemlock woolly adelgid, salamanders, timber harvest
  • Abstract:

    Despite reductions in prices, pre-emptive salvage logging of eastern hemlock stands has increased since the arrival of eastern hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae, HWA) into this region. The microenvironmental changes associated with eastern hemlock loss have been found to be even more severe than when stands are lost to logging due to HWA infestation. This study assessed the effects of a commercial logging operation on two 90m x 90m (0.8 ha) plots, conducted in the winter of 2004-2005, on eastern redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus) relative abundance within the Simes tract at Harvard Forest. Over the past seven seasons (fall 2003 - fall 2005; excluding winter) I have been monitoring eastern redback salamander relative abundance using artificial cover objects (ACOs). The objectives of this study were 1) to assess whether logging has an impact on redback relative abundance at a plot level 2) to assess whether logging in isolated plots has an impact on relative abundance throughout the entire Simes tract 3) to assess whether redback relative abundance is stable over two years.

    Redback relative abundance in spring 2005 was 660% lower than in spring 2004 in logged plots, while in unlogged plots there was a 4% increase in redback relative abundance in spring 2005 versus spring 2004 (one-way ANOVA; df = 7, F = 6.21, p less than 0.05). Between fall 2004 and spring 2005 redback relative abundance decreased by 727% in the logged plots, compared to only a 29% decrease in unlogged plots (one-way ANOVA; df = 7, F = 10.51, p less than 0.05). Plots adjacent to logged plots had a significantly higher increase in redback relative abundance in spring 2005 versus spring 2004 than those not adjacent to the logged plots (one-way ANOVA; df = 5, F = 8.64, p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference in redback relative abundance in all plots in spring 2004 versus spring 2005 (one-way ANOVA; df = 15, F = 0.20, p = 0.665), or in fall 2004 versus spring 2005 (one-way ANOVA; df = 15, F = 0.03, p = 0.859). Further, the annual difference in redback relative abundance in the fall over three years indicates that the redback population has been extremely stable during this period (one-way ANOVA; df = 23, F = 0.05, p = 0.954).

  • Methods:

    In each of the eight experimental plots at Simes four artificial cover object (ACO) stations were set up. Each ACO station consists of one rough-cut eastern hemlock board (1m x 0.25m x 2cm) and one asphalt shingle (1m x 0.25m). ACO stations were monitored between two and five times per season.

  • Organization: Harvard Forest. 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA. Phone (978) 724-3302. Fax (978) 724-3595.

  • Project: The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. (ROR).

  • Funding: National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210.

  • Use: This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.

  • License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0)

  • Citation: Mathewson B, Colburn E. 2023. Salamander Response in Hemlock Removal Experiment at Harvard Forest 2003-2005. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF038 (v.19). Environmental Data Initiative: https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/a8494556241091b96db57e58d43dccd7.

Detailed Metadata

hf038-01: salamander data

  1. aco: artificial cover object number
  2. asn: aco station number
  3. plot: plot number
  4. aco.name: original name given to ACO. First two letters are for Simes. Second two letters indicate forest type (TS = hemlock, HW = hardwood or mixed deciduous). First number indicates replicate number of forest type. Following letter indicates which transect ACO is perpendicular to (S = South, N = North, E = East, W = West). Next letter indicates whether ACO is board (B) or shingle (S). Next number indicates position along transect (2 = 20 meters from origin, 7 = 70 meters from origin).
  5. ft: forest type
    • HW: hardwood or mixed deciduous
    • TS: hemlock
  6. treatment: logging treatment
    • Control: control
    • Girdled: girdled
    • Logged: logged
  7. lat: latitude of ACO
  8. long: longitude of ACO
  9. datum: datum for latitude and longitude coordinates
  10. fa03n: number of times ACO was monitored in fall 2003 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  11. fa03avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in fall 2003 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  12. sp04n: number of times ACO was monitored in spring 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  13. sp04avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in spring 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  14. su04n: number of times ACO was monitored in summer 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  15. su04avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in summer 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  16. fa04n: number of times ACO was monitored in fall 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  17. fa04avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in fall 2004 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  18. sp05n: number of redbacks found during ACO searches in spring 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  19. sp05avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in spring 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  20. su05n: number of times ACO was monitored in summer 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  21. su05avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in summer 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  22. fa05n: number of times ACO was monitored in fall 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  23. fa05avg: average number of redbacks found during ACO searches in fall 2005 (unit: number / missing value: NA)