PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #88: Wetland Ecology.
Presiding: K. Ewel
Thursday, August 8. 1:00 PM to 3:45 PM. Gila Meeting Room, TCC.

Amphibian habitat quality is indicated by macroinvertebrates, physical-chemical conditions, and other amphibians.

KIEHL, KATHRYN^*,1, JENKINS, DAVID¹, ¹ University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, Illinois

ABSTRACT- Amphibians are important components of biodiversity and natural resource conservation efforts in our watersheds. Conservation and restoration efforts need to better identify and understand factors that contribute to amphibian habitat quality. We hypothesized that habitat quality for an amphibian species can be indicated by macroinvertebrates, physical-chemical conditions, and of other amphibians. We sampled 17 wetlands biweekly (March-November 2001) that we expected to vary in habitat conditions, based on canopy cover and hydroperiod. A habitat gradient was observed: wetlands differed in amphibian diversity (range: 0-10), breeding activity, and success. Macroinvertebrate taxa richness predicted amphibian richness (R2=0.65), activity (R2=0.61), and success (R2=0.41). Stepwise multiple regression consistently identified variables related to wetland size (mean annual depth, hydroperiod, temperature) and productivity (phosphorus) as significant for amphibian variables. Quantification of canopy cover and logistic regressions of each amphibian species with other variables are expected to provide further insight for indicating amphibian habitat quality.

KEY WORDS: amphibians, habitat