Hossack, B.R., 2017, Robert Fire Montana Tailed Frog Data 2001-2015: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7SJ1J25.
Summary
The data represent counts of Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog larvae from 8 streams in Glacier National Park, Montana. Each stream was surveyed during 5 different years. We originally sampled the eight streams during June 2001 to evaluate a time-constrained method for potential inclusion in a monitoring program. We sampled streams by turning rocks and disturbing the substrate in front of D-frame nets for 250 min, with surveyors moving progressing upstream. Surveyors focused on areas of optimal habitat (e.g., turbulent water, coarse substrates) to increase the likelihood of capturing larvae. Two surveyors sampled simultaneously for 5-min each (making one 10-min period) and called out captures to a data recorder. Surveyors alternated roles [...]
Summary
The data represent counts of Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog larvae from 8 streams in Glacier National Park, Montana. Each stream was surveyed during 5 different years. We originally sampled the eight streams during June 2001 to evaluate a time-constrained method for potential inclusion in a monitoring program. We sampled streams by turning rocks and disturbing the substrate in front of D-frame nets for 250 min, with surveyors moving progressing upstream. Surveyors focused on areas of optimal habitat (e.g., turbulent water, coarse substrates) to increase the likelihood of capturing larvae. Two surveyors sampled simultaneously for 5-min each (making one 10-min period) and called out captures to a data recorder. Surveyors alternated roles every five sampling periods. We excluded juveniles and adults from analyses because they use stream and forest habitats and are not sampled efficiently. After the 2003 fire burned four of the watersheds, we resurveyed the eight streams during 2004 and 2005 to evaluate the near-term effects of wildfire and again in 2014 and 2015 to evaluate population recovery. We used the same sampling methods and approximate starting point in each stream, each year. All surveys were conducted after the peak of runoff.
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Robert Fire Montana Tailed Frog Data_2001-2015.xml Original FGDC Metadata
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Robert Fire Montana Tailed Frog Data_2001-2015.csv
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Purpose
In 2003, a large wildfire in western Montana (USA) burned four of eight watersheds (hereafter burned or unburned streams) where we sampled for larval tailed frogs. The Robert Fire was one of six large wildfires in the park that summer, when severe drought dried forest fuels to record low levels and contributed to the park’s largest fire season on record. Post-fire sampling during 2004–2005 revealed a reduction in abundance of larvae in burned relative to unburned streams, possibly from limited recruitment that was evident by skewed age classes. To determine if abundance remained depressed or had recovered since 2004–2005, we sampled the same eight streams during 2014–2015. We also investigated patterns of population synchrony to determine how fire affected local spatial population dynamics.
