integrity. Road decommissioning and culvert removal may have long-term benefits for Van Dyke’s Salamanders. If it is known where the animals occur along streams, then the road crew can take steps to protect the salamanders and habitat from short-term adverse effects. For example, culverts can be removed in a way that disturbs the ground and water flow as little as possible; substrate shifting can be avoided; the active channel can be maintained; ground stabilizing vegetation and non-intrusive devices can be used to control ground movement; sediment transport can be controlled. In many ways, trail building may have effects similar to roads on these animals, although likely with smaller scope and impacts. Alignment of trails to avoid occupied habitats may be possible to reduce the effects of habitat disturbance and subsequent trampling of salamanders and their habitats. Mining and Excavation Mining and rock excavation may have similar negative effects to those of road construction, yet may have more concentrated areal impacts rather than being a linear disturbance across the landscape. Such ground disturbance would significantly alter the habitat and potentially harm animals directly or indirectly via disruption of hydrological processes and microclimates. Also, rock fields can be deliberately intersected to supply the raw materials for the construction of roads, and this may affect rockassociated amphibians (Herrington 1988). Recreation Spelunking might cause an impact on a population if cover objects are disturbed or the microclimate is altered for caveentrance populations. Foot travel over rock rubble, which the animals use for cover, is the greatest threat to the cave populations; substrates at cave entrances tend to shift when walked on.
integrity. Road decommissioning and culvert removal may have long-term benefits for Van Dyke’s Salamanders. If it is known where the animals occur along streams, then the road crew can take steps to protect the salamanders and habitat from short-term adverse effects. For example, culverts can be removed in a way that disturbs the ground and water flow as little as possible; substrate shifting can be avoided; the active channel can be maintained; ground stabilizing vegetation and non-intrusive devices can be used to control ground movement; sediment transport can be controlled. In many ways, trail building may have effects similar to roads on these animals, although likely with smaller scope and impacts. Alignment of trails to avoid occupied habitats may be possible to reduce the effects of habitat disturbance and subsequent trampling of salamanders and their habitats. Mining and Excavation Mining and rock excavation may have similar negative effects to those of road construction, yet may have more concentrated areal impacts rather than being a linear disturbance across the landscape. Such ground disturbance would significantly alter the habitat and potentially harm animals directly or indirectly via disruption of hydrological processes and microclimates. Also, rock fields can be deliberately intersected to supply the raw materials for the construction of roads, and this may affect rockassociated amphibians (Herrington 1988). Recreation Spelunking might cause an impact on a population if cover objects are disturbed or the microclimate is altered for caveentrance populations. Foot travel over rock rubble, which the animals use for cover, is the greatest threat to the cave populations; substrates at cave entrances tend to shift when walked on.
ca-ha-plethodon-vandykei-201408.docx