10.5061/DRYAD.1619515
Haggerty, Christopher J.E.
University of South Florida
Crisman, Thomas L.
University of South Florida
Rohr, Jason R.
University of South Florida
Data from: Effects of forestry-driven changes to groundcover and soil
moisture on amphibian desiccation, dispersal, and survival
Dryad
dataset
2019
2019-01-16T11:14:50Z
2019-01-16T11:14:50Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1870
173617 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Over 80% of amphibian species that are declining are forest dependent.
Forestry practices are a major cause of forest alterations globally, and
it is well documented that clearcutting can contribute to amphibian
declines. However, there might be adverse effects of forestry practices
other than clearcutting. For example, planting overstory trees in rows
(plantations) can change groundcover microhabitats and soil moisture
levels, but the effects of this common practice on amphibian populations
are not well studied. We compared the impacts of common intensive pine
plantation operations to naturally regenerated pine forests on the
desiccation, movement rates, behavior, and survival of > 900
juvenile Southern toads (Anaxyrus terrestris). Pine plantations had
significantly more accumulation of conifer needles and less exposed soil,
herbaceous groundcover, broadleaf litter, and soil moisture than natural
pine forests despite the greater canopy cover at plantations. Litter cover
explained 85% of groundcover microhabitat variance among forest types and
predicted minimum soil moisture levels. When toads were held in small
outdoor enclosures that constrained microhabitat selection, 24-h
desiccation rates and 72-h mortality were significantly greater in pine
plantation than in naturally regenerated pine forest because of lower soil
moisture, especially during low rainfall periods. In large outdoor pens
where juvenile amphibians could select microhabitats, movement was
strongly directed down slope and increased with precipitation. However,
initial speeds were positively associated with pine density, likely
because toads were trying to evacuate from the drier high-pine-density
areas. High-intensity silviculture practices that eliminate herbaceous or
vegetative groundcover, such as roller chopping and scalping, increase
amphibian desiccation because planted conifers dry the upper soil layer.
Our study highlights the importance of prioritizing lower intensity
silviculture practices or lower pine densities to retain groundcover
microhabitat that serves as amphibian refugia from dry conditions that are
predicted to increase in frequency with climate change.
READ_METhis file explains all of the variables in each of the datasets
that accompany the manuscriptabiotic_datas_no_silvi_forestype.csvAbiotic
measurements among forest types at desiccation enclosuresbinary24h and 72h
toad survival at desiccation enclosuresgroundcover_dessiVisual estimates
of groundcover at desiccation enclosures and soil moisture dataloggy24h
water loss from toads among forest types at desiccation
enclosuresmovement_ratesMovement rates of toads captured within runway
experimentrunway_dataProportion of toads captured within runway
experimentAnalysesThis file provides the statistical code used with each
dataset in the manuscript