The Vernal Pool and Upland Connection

Amphibians that need vernal pools for their successful reproduction spend 11.5 months out of the year in the surrounding upland. The three vernal pool amphibian indicator species for Maine depend on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats to complete their life cycle. Juvenile wood frogs and adult mole salamanders may travel up to half a mile from breeding pools. Salamanders and, to a lesser degree, wood frogs are especially sensitive to desiccation and temperature extremes. These animals need upland habitat with uncompacted deep litter, coarse woody debris, and a shaded forest floor environment that makes it possible for them to move from place to place, forage, and hibernate. Conserving the upland area around the pool is necessary for conserving wildlife associated with vernal pools. In extreme cases, vernal pool amphibians have disappeared from pools after the surrounding uplands were altered, even though the pool and a forested buffer were protected. The upland environment around the pool must be considered an integral part of the vernal pool habitat.

Vernal pools contribute a tremendous amount of amphibian and invertebrate biomass (and hence food) to the surrounding upland. After leaving the pool, young and mature wood frogs and mole salamanders provide easy prey to a wide variety of forest animals including snakes, turtles, birds, predatory insects, and small mammals. Salamanders and wood frogs in the forest may weigh more than breeding birds and small mammals combined! You can see how amphibians are a powerful influence on the ecology of the surrounding forests.