Speaker information and abstracts

The 2nd North Carolina Congress of Herpetology
NCPARC/NCHS Joint Meeting
Speaker Abstracts
PLENARY SPEAKERS
AMPHIBIAN POPULATION DECLINES: INVASIVE DISEASES AND CONSEQUENCES FOR
GLOBAL SALAMANDER BIODIVERSITY. Karen Lips, University of Maryland.
We live in a time of unprecedented environmental change. Every day more species go
extinct, climate change alters the flora and fauna, and new infectious diseases affect wildlife,
forests, our food, and ourselves. While some species are decimated by disease, or disappear
under global warming, not all species of wildlife respond equally to these threats. In my
laboratory, we determine why species of amphibians differ in their response to global threats
such as emerging infectious disease or global climate change, how those changes affect other
parts of the ecosystem, and how we might use this information to prioritize conservation
decisions. Broadly, through field studies, experimentation and modeling we study the biology of
amphibians at population, community and ecosystem levels as they are affected by disease and
climate change. We have begun working on salamanders in North America to describe and
understand patterns of decline among species, habitats, and regions. In the Appalachians we are
interested in quantifying changes in the size, abundance, and distribution of terrestrial and
aquatic salamanders and whether those changes are a result of global warming, disease, or both.
We are interested in knowing how different species have changed in distribution and abundance
over time, and to identify the underlying mechanisms.
I am an amphibian ecologist who studies the effects of global change on amphibian
populations. My lab primarily studies disease ecology and how pathogenic chytrid fungi affect
amphibian species, populations, and their ecosystems. More recently we have begun to work in
the Appalachians on disease and climate change as drivers of distributional changes and declines
in salamander biodiversity and abundance. In addition to the scientific aspects of disease and
climate change, I am interested in using social media to communicate science and have become
involved with policy issues related to wildlife disease including how they relate to trade.
THE SECRET LIVES OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SNAKES IN THE NEW JERSEY
PINE BARRENS. Bob Zappalorti, Herpetological Associates.
The Endangered and Nongame Species Program, of the New Jersey DEP lists the Timber
Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), as endangered, the Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus), as
endangered and the Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus), as threatened. In order to
protect these rare species the NJDEP needed specific information on the ecology, behavior, home
range and identification of critical habitat for these species. Over a 30-year period these snakes
were studied using various techniques including drift fence trapping, monitoring nesting and
rookery habitat and radio-tracking. Discovering winter hibernacula locations and the distance
traveled from dens was crucial for developing conservation and management plans. Foraging
behavior, identifying prey types and abundance was also an important aspect of the research.
The various methods used to monitor these snake populations and interesting results will be
presented. Examples of conservation programs now being used by the Endangered and
Nongame Species Program (NJDEP), for the management of these rare snakes will also be
presented.
Between 1964 and 1977, Bob Zappalorti worked as a herpetologist at the Staten Island
Zoo under the tutorledge of the late Carl Kauffeld. He founded an environmental consulting
company, Herpetological Associates, Inc. in 1977, that specializes in endangered and threatened
plant and wildlife species. Robert has studied the ecology and behavior of reptiles and
amphibians for over 50-years. His main research interests involve the conservation and
management of Bog Turtles, Wood Turtles, Gopher Tortoises, Timber Rattlesnakes, Pine Snakes,
Corn Snakes, Indigo Snakes, King Snakes, Tiger Salamanders and other reptiles and amphibians.
In 1981, he was the first person to successfully design artificial hibernacula for rare snakes. He
also built artificial breeding ponds for Tiger Salamanders and other amphibians. His consulting
company, Herpetological Associates specializes in wildlife inventories, adverse impacts of
development projects, and venomous snake and turtle monitoring on construction projects. Most
of his published research was focused on snakes of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, although he
conducted projects in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida. He has served as an expert consultant to the Endangered and Nongame
Species Program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Division of
Coastal Resources, the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, The Pinelands Preservation Alliance,
the Trust for Public Land, The New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the Nature Conservancy.
He has given oral presentations or provided expert advise to numerous organizations including
New York University, Rutgers University, the Orianne Society, as well as zoological institutions,
such as Staten Island Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, Cape May Zoo, Smithsonian National
Zoo, Taipei Zoo, the Taiwan National Museum, and the Taiwan Forestry Bureau, Republic of
China (HerpetologicalAssociates.com).
SPEAKER ABSTRACTS:
RAPID EVOLUTION OF MIMICRY FOLLOWING LOCAL MODEL EXTINCTION. Chris
Akcali, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Batesian mimicry evolves when individuals of a palatable species gain the selective
advantage of reduced predation because they resemble a toxic species that predators avoid.
Here, we evaluated whether––and in which direction––Batesian mimicry has evolved in a natural
population of mimics following extirpation of their model. We specifically asked if the precision of
coral snake mimicry has evolved among kingsnakes from a region where coral snakes recently
(1960) went locally extinct. We found that these kingsnakes have evolved more precise mimicry;
by contrast, no such change occurred in a sympatric non-mimetic species or in conspecifics from
a region where coral snakes remain abundant. Presumably, more precise mimicry has continued
to evolve after model extirpation because relatively few predator generations have passed, and
the fitness costs incurred by predators that mistook a deadly coral snake for a kingsnake were
historically much greater than those incurred by predators that mistook a kingsnake for a coral
snake. Indeed, these results are consistent with prior theoretical and empirical studies, which
revealed that only the most precise mimics are favored as their model becomes increasingly rare.
Thus, highly noxious models can generate an ‘evolutionary momentum’ that drives the further
evolution of more precise mimicry––even after models go extinct.
Chris Akcali is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the UNC at Chapel Hill Program in Evolution,
Ecology, and Organismal Biology. He has a B.A. in Biology from Hendrix College. His research
interests are in the evolution, zoogeography, and natural history of coral snakes and their look
alikes. Much of his research has focused on the tricolor snakes of the southeastern United States.
He has a particular interest in using museum specimens and field experiments to understand the
evolution of coloration in coral snakes and their mimics.
HERPETOLOGICAL SURVEY TECHNIQUES: AN OVERVIEW. Jeff Beane, North Carolina
State Museum of Natural Sciences.
Amphibians and reptiles are not always easy organisms to survey for. Many species are
secretive, cryptic, fossorial, rare, or seasonally active. Even some very common species may
easily evade detection. Some survey methods can be effective for a wide range of species, but
certain species may require special techniques. Herpetofaunal surveys should always be
conducted lawfully and ethically, with careful consideration given to purpose, objectives, budget
and other resources, and environmental impact. Results should always justify methods. This
presentation will provide an overview of a variety of survey techniques, including natural and
artificial cover, road surveys, various traps, drift fences, aquatic surveys, special techniques for
particular species, and the pros and cons of different techniques.
Jeff Beane is Herpetology Collections Manager for the North Carolina State Museum of
Natural Sciences in Raleigh. He has been employed with the Museum since 1985. Jeff holds a
B.S. in Zoology from North Carolina State University (1982). Active in NCHS since 1982, he has
served as its newsletter editor since 1986, and in many other capacities. Involved in NCPARC
since its inception, he has served on the Steering Committee and is active in all three working
groups. He is a frequent contributor to Wildlife in North Carolina magazine, and has authored
many other popular and scientific publications. His interests include virtually anything pertaining
to natural history or conservation, especially sandhills ecology and the natural history,
zoogeography, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles in North Carolina and the Southeast.
“DANCE IN THE RAIN!” 2015, NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS YEAR OF THE
AMPHIBIAN. Sharon Becker, North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation.
Since 2010, North Carolina State Parks has celebrated an annual theme to bring focus to
our efforts in education, research and conservation. Amphibians have been selected as our 2015
theme. With this designation comes many educational products, public programs, festivals,
monitoring efforts, and opportunities to develop new or rekindle old partnerships. We will
discuss some of these initiatives occurring across the state during 2015, resources available to
you, and ways to join in our celebration.
Sharon Becker is the West District Interpretation and Education Specialist for the North
Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. She has a B. Sc. in Zoology from North Carolina State
University and a M. Sc. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State
University. She joined state parks in 2012, where she has responsibility for environmental
education across 12 state park units and four state natural areas in the western Piedmont and
Mountain regions. Her interests have always included herps, snakes being her first love. With
time, she grew to appreciate the inherent value of all herps and now eagerly promotes herps at
every opportunity.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES UNDERLYING ALTERNATIVE RESOURCE SPECIALISTS
IN SPADEFOOT TADPOLES. Sofia de la Serna Buzon, University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill.
Alternative resource-use phenotypes within a species––resource polymorphisms—are
generally characterized by striking morphological differences. Yet, whether these alternative
phenotypes also possess distinct underlying physiology is less clear. Because such ‘ecomorphs’
specialize on distinct resources, they could exhibit different physiological adaptations that
underlie resource metabolism and storage. We evaluated this possibility by comparing the
presence of fat bodies and liver size between ecomorphs in spadefoot toads, Spea. As tadpoles,
Spea express both an omnivore morph that generally feeds on detritus and a carnivore morph
that specializes on invertebrate and vertebrate prey. We found that the two morphs differ in
energy storage. Whereas omnivores have larger fat bodies, carnivores have denser livers
consisting of vacuoles for energy storage. We further found evidence of a trade-off between
overall body condition and whether energy was stored in the liver versus fat bodies: individuals in
poorer body condition had denser livers whereas those in better condition had larger fat bodies.
These differences become more pronounced as the tadpoles approach metamorphosis. Moreover,
these findings were mirrored in adult differences between Spea species that differ in the
frequency with which they produce the alternative ecomorphs. Our results suggest that ecological
specialization is accompanied by physiological differences that could explain fitness and
performance beyond the context of resource use.
Sofia de la Serna Buzon is a first year graduate student at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill in Dr. Karin Pfennig's lab. She has a BS in Biology from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research interest are broad but center on mate choice
mediating character displacement, physiological consequences of specialization and gut microbial
communities of different ecomorphs of spadefoot toads.
AGGRESSION AFFECTS SPECIES DISTRIBUTIONS AND HYBRID EXPANSION IN
MONTANE PLETHODON SALAMANDERS. Jeffrey Drummond, Western Carolina University.
Ecologists have long been interested in the mechanisms that drive the distribution of
closely related species. Often overlapping congeneric species do not differ enough in their uses of
space and food resources to prevent competition. Over time, insufficient resource partitioning can
result in the evolution of an interference mechanisms such as aggression. Aggressive behavior,
competitive interactions, and their combined influence on species distributions has been well
studied in montane Plethodon salamanders. The Nantahala Mountain range of western North
Carolina is the site of contact between P. shermani and P. teyahalee along an elevational
gradient. Hybridization occurs between these two species at intermediate elevations, increasing
the complexity of overall behavioral interactions. A long-term study suggests that the hybrid zone
is expanding at the expense of both parentals’ ranges.
The research presented here used field enclosures and laboratory behavioral trials to
investigate whether elevation dependent competition and aggressive behavior are influential in
delineating the vertical distributions of the parental species and/or provides a mechanism driving
hybrid expansion. Our findings suggest that aggressive behavior has maintained the distribution
of P. shermani at high elevations. Hybrids exhibited aggressiveness that is intermediate to the
parentals and are also competitively superior to P. teyahalee. Therefore, we submit competitive
exclusion as the primary mechanism driving the downward hybrid expansion. Furthermore, we
offer an alternative hypothesis that sexual selection acting on female hybrid mate choice for the
more aggressive parental is driving the hybrid genotype up the elevational gradient.
Jeffrey Drummond, Jr. is a M.S. candidate for graduation in May, 2015. He has a B.S.,
with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, from Western Carolina University. His
primary research interest is to investigate how human perturbations and climate change affect
behavior, habitat use, and evolutionary trajectories of North American fauna.
TALLYING TERRAPINS IN NORTH CAROLINA USING CITIZEN SCIENCE AND
SMARTPHONES. Sarah Finn*, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Marie Davis,
Hope Sutton, North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve; Jeff Brown, University of North
Carolina at Wilmington.
In North Carolina, diamondback terrapins ( Malaclemys terrapin) are listed as a state
Species of Concern, yet distribution throughout the state’s large estuarine system is not well
known. In an effort to identify areas of terrapin presence and relative abundance, a citizenscience project was developed. During the spring of 2014, the project was advertised to the
public as the “Terrapin Tally” event, soliciting the help of experienced paddlers to conduct
terrapin head-count surveys. A total of 73 volunteers used a Google Maps application to follow
one of 12 pre-mapped routes on their smartphones and to record observations. These pilot
surveys resulted in 144 total terrapin observations throughout the 12 routes. Morning surveys
conducted on a rising tide resulted in higher average observations. This is likely due to
increasing winds in the afternoons that create choppy water conditions, which reduced terrapin
visibility.
These surveys will be repeated within the Masonboro Island reserve during the spring of
2015. In addition, we plan to expand the project to encompass other sites within the Coastal
Reserve system during the 2015 surveys (e.g. Rachel Carson reserve, Carteret County; Zeke’s
Island reserve, New Hanover County). The long-term goals of the project are to grow a network
of citizen volunteers and to complete surveys along the entire NC coast within the next 5 years.
After statewide surveys are completed, results will be analyzed to identify areas of high terrapin
presence that may be ideal for more intensive study (e.g. population size estimation through
mark-recapture).
Sarah Finn is Coastal Wildlife Diversity Biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission’s Division of Wildlife Management. She serves as the Stranding Coordinator for the
North Carolina Sea Turtle Program and assists with the sea turtle nest monitoring program as
well as other ongoing herp projects along the NC coast. Sarah has a B.A. in Zoology from Ohio
Wesleyan University and an M.E.M. in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University’s
Nicholas School of the Environment.
A CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR THE RECOVERY OF
RETICULATED FLATWOODS SALAMANDERS. Thomas A. Gorman, Houston C. Chandler, and
Carola A. Haas, Virginia Tech.
The Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander ( Ambystoma bishopi) is a federally endangered
species that has experienced steady population declines across its range even since its listing in
1999. In collaboration with land managers, zoos, and researchers, we are working to understand
these population declines and develop strategies to stabilize salamander populations on Eglin Air
Force Base, which is potentially the last remaining stronghold for this species. Flatwoods
salamanders occur in the fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystem and breed in ephemeral
wetlands that are embedded within longleaf pine forests. Little is known about the role of fire or
other disturbances in these wetlands, which are critical for successful reproduction and
recruitment. We are currently evaluating a suite of management tools including prescribed fire
and fire surrogates (mechanical removal and herbicidal control of woody species) that can create
appropriate habitat conditions for this species. Further, we are investigating the effect of
precipitation patterns, primarily winter droughts, on wetland hydroperiod and assessing the
influence of hydroperiod and vegetative cover on larval occupancy and adult abundance. Our
research suggests that flatwoods salamanders are less likely to breed in wetlands with high
canopy cover and low herbaceous groundcover, conditions that often occur from fire exclusion.
Mechanical treatments in ephemeral wetlands reduced canopy cover to similar levels as highquality sites, but the response of herbaceous vegetation, an important component for several life
stages, lags behind the immediate canopy reduction. Further, winter droughts shorten wetland
hydroperiods leading to decreased recruitment, adult abundance, and larval occupancy. Longterm modeling suggests that winter precipitation has declined and thus wetland hydroperiods
have been shorter during the last 15 years than at any other time over the last 100 years.
Identifying the challenges associated with managing flatwoods salamander populations and
designing conservation actions to improve both population viability and habitat suitability are
important steps for the recovery of this species.
Thomas Gorman is a Research Scientist in the Department of Fish and Wildlife
Conservation at Virginia Tech. He received his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of
Maine, M.S. in Biology from Minnesota State University, and Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife
Sciences from Virginia Tech.
His interests include wildlife-habitat relationships, habitat
management, and conservation of herpetofauna. His current research is primarily focused on the
conservation and ecology of Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders, Florida Bog Frogs, and Gopher
Tortoises.
DIVERSITY IN A GROUP OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN FANGED FROGS. David McLeod, James
Madison University.
For nearly 200 years the Southeast Asian stream frog, Limnonectes kuhlii, has been
considered a single species with a wide ranging distribution. Recent studies using molecular data
have revealed that what was thought to be a single species may really be more than 30 distinct
evolutionary lineages. A closer examination of these frogs has demonstrated that the molecular
diversity is corroborated by morphological diversity. This underestimation of species diversity is
not limited to the Limnonectes kuhlii complex, and is likely more common than anticipated.
Recognizing this diversity is a critical first step in the conservation of these frogs.
David McLeod is an assistant professor of Biology at James Madison University in
Harrisonburg, Virginia. He studied biology and secondary education at Emporia State University
(BSEd; 1995), earned his MS in biology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1999) studying
amphibian declines, and was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas (2010) where he
used molecular and morphological approaches to resolving cryptic species complexes. David has
taught secondary and post-secondary biology in the US, Taiwan, and Thailand. His research has
focused on the morphology, systematics, diversity, and conservation of Southeast Asian
amphibians. He has a particular interest in tadpoles and has been using 3D imaging to
understand larval morphology.
SURVIVAL AND MULTI-SCALE HABITAT SELECTION OF A DECLINING SEMI-AQUATIC
TURTLE IN A MANAGED FOREST. Christopher J. O’Bryan, Clemson University; Jessica A.
Homyack, Weyerhaeuser Company; Robert F. Baldwin, Yoichiro Kanno, Autumn-Lynn Harrison,
Clemson University.
Privately-owned lands, comprising 57% of forested land in the United States, can provide
important habitats for at-risk species and their value in biodiversity conservation needs to be
carefully assessed. Privately-owned intensively-managed pine lands in the southeastern U.S. are
composed of a matrix of upland and aquatic ecosystems reconfigured for drainage, and these
habitats may be resourceful for some organisms. Examining survival and multi-scale habitat
selection of a species can provide insight into how distribution and composition of habitat types
influence species’ persistence. We examined demographic characteristics and habitat selection at
local- and landscape-scales by spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata), a semi-aquatic ectotherm, in a
large (>24,100 ha), contiguous tract with extensive, historical wetland drainage and dominated
by loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. During 2012-2013, we captured and individually
marked 280 turtles, and used radio-telemetry on a subset (n = 31) to investigate survival and
multi-scale habitat selection using a novel means of summarizing model selection results across
individuals. Adult abundance estimates suggest robust numbers of turtles in the ditch system.
Despite copious ephemeral wetlands in the study area, turtle movements and habitat selection
focused primarily on artificial ditch networks. At a local habitat scale, turtles selected for greater
understory closure, more pine needle substrate cover, and greater substrate temperature,
suggesting turtles selected habitat based on local-scale variability for thermoregulation or other
critical behaviors. At one of the landscape scales, turtle activity areas were best predicted by
increased proportion of young stands with closed canopies and older, thinned stands. In the age
of landscape development and habitat destruction, our study indicates the importance of
understanding species plastic responses to intensively-managed landscapes.
Chris O’Bryan is a Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission. He has a B.Sc. in Biology from Austin Peay State University and a
M.Sc. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Clemson University. Before attending Clemson as a
M.Sc. student, Chris conducted an undergraduate project on the proliferation of ranavirus, a
deadly amphibian disease, in Tennessee. His research interests are in landscape and population
ecology emphasizing conservation applications.
ENVIRONMENTAL
DNA
DETECTION
OF
PLETHODONTID
SALAMANDER
COMMUNITIES. Todd W. Pierson, University of Tennessee.
The indirect detection of organisms through the isolation and identification of DNA shed
into the environment (environmental DNA; eDNA) is powerful and cost-effective technique that is
being rapidly integrated into wildlife inventory and monitoring efforts. It is particularly useful for
aquatic species that are secretive and hard to detect with conventional field surveys, including
many amphibians. Two general techniques exist: 1) amplification-based assays, which infer the
presence of one or a small number of species through the PCR or qPCR amplification of DNA with
species-specific primers and probes; and 2) sequence-based assays, which amplify short and
taxonomically informative loci (minibarcodes) with general primers, sequence these loci on a
next-generation sequencing platform, and classify the sequences through comparison to a library
of reference sequences. Here, I provide a short introduction to eDNA and discuss its potential
utility for the detection of amphibians and reptiles. I present some results from two collaborative
studies using eDNA to detect plethodontid salamanders: 1) an amplification-based assay used to
locate new populations of the rare and enigmatic patch-nosed salamander (Urspelerpes brucei);
and 2) a sequence-based assay used to characterize the plethodontid salamander communities in
Appalachian headwater streams.
Todd W. Pierson is a PhD student in the Fitzpatrick Lab in the Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee. He is interested in the ecology, evolution,
and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, especially lungless salamanders of the family
Plethodontidae.
SIMULATING THE DISPERSAL BEHAVIOR OF BURMESE PYTHONS IN SOUTH
FLORIDA: IMPLICATIONS FOR RANGE EXPANSION. Shannon Pittman, Davidson College.
Invasive species are widely recognized as one of the greatest threats to biodiversity
worldwide. Predication of spatial spread of invasive species before it has occurred is central to
implementing the most effective control and containment measures. Numerous studies have
acknowledged that an accounting of complex animal behaviors in models of spatial spread give
rise to more accurate predictions of the dynamics of invasions. Individual-based models (IBMs)
can incorporate behavioral complexity in movement and provide a method for predicting the
effects of movement and dispersal strategies on spread dynamics. The Burmese python ( Python
molurus bivittatus) is a potentially devastating invasive species to the unique ecosystems of
South Florida. We radiotracked 14 neonate Burmese pythons for 6 months in South Florida. We
used behavioral and survival data from the radiotelemetry study to parameterize the IBM
SEARCH (Spatially Explicit Animal Responses to Composition of Habitat) and determine behavioral
rules for Burmese python dispersal. We simulated dispersal through habitats of differing types to
generate dispersal patterns under a range of landscape composition scenarios. These dispersal
patterns will be used to simulate the range expansion dynamics of Burmese pythons in South
Florida.
Shannon Pittman is an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Davidson College and Purdue
University. She has a B.S. in Biology from Davidson College and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences
from the University of Missouri. She held a postdoc appointment through the USDA at the
University of Minnesota before accepting an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow position, jointly mentored
through Davidson College and Purdue University. Her research interests include animal and plant
movement, invasion ecology, and the conservation of amphibians and reptiles. Much of her
research involves developing analytical and numerical models to investigate the spatially-explicit
population dynamics of species of conservation or management concern. Her current work
focuses on understanding the invasion dynamics of Burmese pythons in South Florida using
individual-based modeling.
FACTORS INFLUENCING SITE OCCUPANCY OF HELLBENDER SALAMANDERS IN
NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: A STUDY IN TWO HEADWATER DRAINAGES. M.
Worth Pugh*, Thomas W. Franklin, Lynn Siefferman, Michael M. Gangloff, Appalachian State
University.
The hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is a long-lived aquatic salamander
endemic to mountain streams in eastern and central North America. Recent population
monitoring efforts indicate that hellbender populations are exhibiting declines in much of their
current range as well as local extirpations from their historic range. Though these declines may
be attributable, in part, to the spread of infectious disease, global climate change, and illegal
collection, recent studies suggest that habitat degradation resulting from land-use change is likely
the most pervasive threat to hellbender populations. We quantified hellbender occurrence,
physicochemical parameters, and land-use/land-cover composition in the New and Watauga River
Drainages in northwestern NC. Using these data we examined the ability of habitat and
landscape parameters to predict hellbender occurrence. Generalized linear models suggest that
local habitat and percent change in upstream forest cover are informative predictors of
hellbender site occupancy. Moreover, few occupied sites exhibited > 1% decreases in upstream
forest cover from 1992 to 2011. While this suggests that hellbenders are alarmingly sensitive to
relatively subtle decreases in upstream forest cover, GIS analysis reveals that, in some localities,
forest cover has increased while agriculture cover has decreased in the New and Watauga
Drainages. As land-use changes from largely agriculture to small scale housing development in
these drainages there may be opportunities for reforestation which may help mitigate negative
impacts of historical land-use in the region. Therefore, management should focus on preserving
upstream forest cover at the catchment scale to prevent further degradation of hellbender
habitat.
M. W. Pugh is the animal collections manager in the Department of Biology at
Appalachian State University in Boone NC. He began this position after receiving his M.S. in
Biology from ASU. His research interests include freshwater ecology, herpetology, and
conservation biology. Worth currently works on a variety of research projects at ASU focusing on
the ecology conservation biology of sensitive aquatic taxa: fishes, mussels, and amphibians.
THERMAL ECOLOGY OF EASTERN BOX TURTLES IN LONGLEAF SYSTEMS. John Roe,
University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Prescribed fire is an essential tool for the conservation and management of longleaf
ecosystems, and it is thus widely employed in the Southeastern United States. While such
management practices may result in the unintentional injury or killing of box turtles, we have
little knowledge of how turtles respond to the thermal opportunities and challenges presented by
the open understory. Here, we assess the thermal quality of fire-maintained longleaf savannah
habitat relative to hardwood forests by measuring turtle preferences on a laboratory temperature
gradient, assessing whether habitats vary in the availability of operative environmental
temperatures in the preferred temperature range, and then examining temperature and behavior
of free-ranging turtles. The preferred target temperature range (Tset) for adult box turtles was
27 – 31 oC. Thermal models indicated that longleaf forests offered greater opportunities for
achieving Tset throughout most of the active season (May – October) compared to hardwood
forests, but turtles in longleaf would be more frequently exposed to lethal temperatures than
those using hardwood forests, especially in summer months.
Monthly external shell
temperatures of free ranging turtles at the longleaf site exceeded those at the hardwood site by
0.4 – 1.8 oC during the active season (May – October), especially between 1100 – 1700 hrs.
Despite the potential thermal benefits of longleaf forests, turtles used mixed hardwood and other
pine forests most frequently, but increased their usage of longleaf during summer and fall. The
thermal opportunities offered in the open understory of fire-maintained longleaf forests must be
accompanied by behaviors to minimize risks (e.g., overheating, dehydration, exposure to fire),
and we hypothesize that changes in daily and seasonal activity and microhabitat selection must
accompany use of longleaf habitats. Further studies to assess the response of box turtles to fire
would help land managers understand the implications of current management practices for nontarget biota, and perhaps improve the implementation of prescribed burning in the future.
John Roe has been an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina
Pembroke since 2010. He earned a B.Sc. in Biology from Davidson College, an M.Sc. from
Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in Applied Ecology from the University of Canberra, Australia. He
has worked at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and held a postdoctoral appointment at
Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne. His research interests are in the natural history and
ecology of reptiles and amphibians, with much of his work contributing to improved conservation
and management for both imperiled and common species in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial
systems. He has a particular interest in linking behavior and physiology to better understand
animal interactions with their environment. At UNC Pembroke, he maintains an active field
research program for undergraduate students, and teaches classes in zoology and environmental
science.
SPECIES PREFERENCES IN SCENT-TRAILING BY NEONATAL TIMBER RATTLESNAKES
(Crotalus horridus). John Sealy, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) in northern-temperate regions survive harsh
winters by seeking refuge in communal, mixed-species hibernacula. Gestation and parturition
occur some distance from the population's hibernaculum, requiring fall migration to a novel
location by the newborn snakes. Studies suggest that scent trails laid down by mothers of the
neonates may guide young to the hibernaculum. My previous fieldwork, however, does not fully
support this conclusion. Here I examine the ability of newborn timber rattlesnakes to track the
scent trails of conspecifics and of other snake species sympatric with timber rattlesnakes. Six
scent treatments consisting of the newborn's mother, an unrelated C. horridus, Agkistrodon
contortrix (copperheads), Elaphe obsoleta (black rat snakes), Nerodia sipedon (northern water
snakes), and a "no scent" control were utilized. Results demonstrate that while neonatal timber
rattlesnakes may recognize sympatric heterospecifics, they preferentially trail conspecifics. There
are important conservation management implications in these findings.
John Sealy is a biology lecturer at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. John
earned a B.A. from Elon College, at B.A. in Biology from UNCG, and an M.S. in Biology from
Appalachian State University. First using radio telemetry in 1993, his work has centered on
various aspects of conservation and management of Timber Rattlesnakes in North Carolina and
Virginia. Much of his focus today is in providing workshops and training to help agencies in
developing management practices to assist Timber Rattlesnake populations.
MANAGEMENT OF A REPRODUCING POPULATION OF OUSTALET’S CHAMELEON
(Furcifer oustaleti) IN FLORIDA. Dustin Smith, North Carolina Zoological Park.
The Oustalet’s Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) is one of more than 45 species of nonnative lizards documented in Florida and one of three species of Chameleonidae introduced into
Florida. This population is established in an avocado grove in Miami-Dade County, where it was
intentionally introduced to Florida more than 15 years ago.
Furcifer oustaleti is native to
Madagascar and is known as one of the largest species of chameleons in the world, reaching 685
mm (TL). After the population was discovered in 2010, we began conducting surveys in 2011 to
determine population demography, diet composition, habitat use, reproduction, and best
management efforts. We radio-tracked a gravid female F. oustaleti to her oviposition site, which
is the first time this has been described for this species. In addition, we analyzed clutches from
an additional 23 gravid females. As of December 2015, our surveys resulted in more than 575 F.
oustaleti being removed. Distance-constrained and unconstrained routes were alternated each
month during the nighttime visual encounter surveys. We report a decreasing number of
chameleons removed annually and many recent surveys resulting in zero observations.
Dustin C. Smith is the Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the North Carolina
Zoological Park. He graduated with a B.A. in 2001 from the University of South Florida. He
relocated to the North Carolina Zoo in 2014 after working at Zoo Miami. He has been involved
with research projects in Costa Rica, Panama, and throughout the southeastern US. Currently he
is working with the Puerto Rican Crested Toad (Peltophryne lemur) Recovery Program in Puerto
Rico and an ongoing study of Dermatemys mawii in Belize. Most of his regional research involves
native and non-native amphibians and reptiles in southern Florida and now a variety of
herpetofauna in North Carolina.