Banner Year for Amphibians Forecast
Vernal Pools--Teeming with Life
Good news for the wood frogs, marbled salamanders and spotted salamanders! The vernal pools that they rely on began filling early this winter--following two dry years.
Vernal Pool Workshop
Thursday, Apr 15; 7:00 – 9:00 pm;
Saturday, Apr 17; 3:00 –7:30 pm
Cost: $20
Vernal pools—temporary wetlands in the forests—are vital habitats for amphibian breeding. Maryland homeowners may have these wetlands in their backyards without knowing their importance! Join naturalist Elaine Friebele for a presentation on vernal pools and their inhabitants on Thursday evening. We’ll explore several of the Sanctuary’s vernal pools on Saturday, examining soil and water characteristics and searching for frogs and salamanders in various life stages. We’ll conclude by listening to a chorus of frogs and identifying calls.
Vernal pools fill in the winter with the rising water table, snow meltwater and runoff, often developing a covering of ice in the winter months. They are filled with water for a few months in the spring and early summer, but by late summer, a vernal pool is normally dry. The Sanctuary, encompassing at least 17 vernal pools, is a great breeding area for amphibians!
Because it is periodically dry, a vernal pool does not support breeding populations of fish. Many organisms have evolved to use a temporary wetland where they are not eaten by fish. These organisms are obligate vernal pool species, so called because they must use a vernal pool for various parts of their life cycle. In the Mid-Atlantic, the easily recognizable obligate species include: fairy shrimp, marbled and spotted salamanders, wood frog, and spadefoot toad. To find out more about these species and their life cycles, go to www.vernalpool.org.
Vernal Pool Research
We need volunteers to help with vernal pool research.
1. Following one of the wettest winters on record, many small vernal pools within the Sanctuary that are not wet in dry or even average years, are full. We will document these pools and map them using GPS.
2. We will conduct censuses in the large (1-acre) vernal pool at the Glendening Preserve, observing spotted salamander egg masses and using dip nets to capture amphibian larvae and aquatic insects. We will also measure depth, and water chemistry. Hip waders provided.
To sign up, please call the Sanctuary, 410 741-9330
Home School Program
Vernal Pools
Wednesday, March 24; 10 am - noon
Cost: $3 per child
Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that fill with water in the spring and provide vital habitats for many amphibian species. Come and see what’s happening in our vernal pools this spring. We’ll examine the soil surrounding the vernal pool and search for frogs and salamanders in various life stages, as well as other aquatic animals. Wear wading boots or shoes that can get wet (plus a change of shoes) and dress for the weather.
