Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

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Watershed Quality-- The Amphibian Story. A Decade of Review

Dick Nikolai

Since the spring of 1992, an assessment of Lake Winnebago East Watershed has been coordinated, using amphibians as an indicator of habitat quality. Amphibian calling and drift netting surveys are coordinated by volunteers during active breeding times of eleven frogs, one toad and several salamanders through the middle of July. In late August, drift netting occurs again to pick up returning frogs and salamanders leaving wetlands. Toe clipping is used to identify individuals throughout the study period on five subwatersheds and one restoration. Measurements of overall length are taken to give approximate age structure and growth rates.

A comparison with Wisconsin's calling surveys will be made in the future along with comparing the two permanent sites in Calumet county where this survey occurs. Another driftnet station has been established in 1996 outside the watershed to see potential for capturing salamanders.

Location of the project is along the east side of Wisconsin's largest lake, Lake Winnebago in east central Wisconsin. To date no salamanders have been caught. Few species of frogs are present on any of the subwatersheds with the American Toad being the most heard and most often caught species. Approximately 35 individuals have been recaptured with no one individual being captured more than one time.

All subwatersheds are not equal. The site is heavily farmed near the stream. Most of the toads are smaller in size, few in numbers, and heard less often. Pesticides are used causing little vegetation near the drift fence.

This study is meant to evaluate practices on watersheds over a minimum of ten years from the land and water perspective (total environmental health).

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U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Laurel, MD, USA 20708-4038
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp3/naamp3.html
Contact: Sam Droege, email: Sam_Droege@usgs.gov
Last Modified: June 2002