Abstract

Vernal pools are the known breeding grounds for a number of amphibian species. These temporary pools of water are a destination for species' seasonal migration for mating purposes. This research established data tracking the migration patterns of Eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) within one such vernal pool habitat. The area of focus was Sandy Bottom Preserve located near Asheville North Carolina within the French Broad River floodplain. Currently the Eastern newt is not listed as a species of concern. These newts however are predators and secondary consumers that maintain balance within the vernal pool and surrounding deciduous forest ecosystem. Data collection on amphibian migration at this site spans intermittently back to 2004 with no studies focused solely on the Eastern newt. Methods of data collection in this research included the use of dip nets, coverboards, and rain gauges, all common and effective tools in previous studies on this site and in other similar ecological monitoring studies. The Eastern newts migration patterns observed suggest female newts may enter this vernal pool later in the breeding season than the males. This study established an Eastern newt specific migration data record and speculated about the influence of environmental factors such as seasonality on their migration. The data collection period spanned from November 2019 until March 2020. Monitoring occurred weekly during this period and was heavily influenced by weather conditions. The results of this study did not indicate any significant trends outside of the skewed sex ratio of newts observed and the mean difference in length of the two sexes. This research contributed to an updated inventory of the general amphibian population and may act as an indicator of changes in the migration patterns of the Eastern newt population in Sandy Bottom.

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