Clearcut Herpetofauna 37 



Reptiles generally seemed to prefer the clearcut. Eastern mud 

 turtles (Kinosternon subrubrum) were captured 41 times in the clearcut, 

 35 times on the edge, and only 10 times in the control area. Common 

 musk turtles {Sternotherus odoratus) and eastern box turtles (Terrapene 

 Carolina) showed the opposite trend. Lizards (Eumeces fasciatus and 

 Anolis carolinensis) and large snakes (chiefly Agkistrodon piscivorus 

 and Nerodia spp.) were more common in the clearcut. Because they 

 were rarely captured in traps but often seen, habitat preferences of 

 large snakes, lizards, and box turtles are largely inferred from hand 

 captures, rather than trapping data. 



Habitat Characteristics 



Microhabitat variables measured in each area are given in Table 

 3. Over- and mid-story canopy cover was highest in the control (95%), 

 followed by the edge (74%), and clearcut (6%). Understory canopy 

 cover followed the reverse trend, being highest in the clearcut (95%), 

 followed by the edge (48%), and the control (5%). 



Cross-sectional area of sound coarse woody debris was significantly 

 higher in the clearcut, and not significantly different between the 

 edge and control. The mount of rotten coarse woody debris was not 

 different among the three areas. Soil surface temperature and soil 

 compaction were not measured on the edge, but were not significantly 

 different between the clearcut and the control, or between rutted and 

 non-rutted areas in the clearcut. 



DISCUSSION 



Habitat Preferences 



Fewer salamanders were captured in the clearcut, as compared 

 to the control. High temperatures and insolation, and low relative 

 humidity may all have contributed to this, as these factors increase 

 the risk of desiccation. Salamanders need to keep their skin moist for 

 gas exchange, and their large surface areas to volume ratios make 

 moisture retention difficult (Duellman and Trueb 1986). Moisture is a 

 key factor in determining where salamanders can live (Wyman 1988, 

 Petranka et al. 1993). Petranka et al. (1993) speculated that 75% to 

 80% of southern Appalachian salamanders die of physiological stress 

 due to desiccation following clearcuts. 



Ecological differences may explain the varying preferences of 

 frog species. Southern toads are generalists, and their common 

 occurrence along the edge suggests that individuals were using both 

 habitats. Bronze frogs and southern leopard frogs showed opposing 

 preferences, for the control and clearcut respectively. Bronze frogs 



