| Dark Sky | Watershed | Forest Monitoring | Salamander Monitoring | Youth Involvement |
SALAMANDER ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY
Eastern red-backed salamanders are very common in forest ecosystems and play an important role in terrestrial food webs. Salamanders have no lungs, but instead respire through their skin, making them susceptible to declines as a result of large-scale disturbances in the surrounding ecosystem. This physiological feature, their long life span, as well as site loyalty makes them ideal as indicators for changes in the surrounding environment, including acid rain, land use change, and forestry practices.
Since 2003, salamander monitoring protocols have been implemented at eight of the forest monitoring plots throughout the municipality. Coverboards, or layered wood, were used to monitor salamanders since they act as artificial habitat, making it easier to count them. Based on the abundance of Eastern red-backed salamanders, changes in the surrounding ecosystems can be detected over time.
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