AMPHIBIANS AND COMPENSATORY WETLAND MITIGATION IN THE AGRICULTURALLY DOMINATED PIEDMONT OF MARYLAND

Abstract

Man-made wetlands and nearby non-constructed reference wetlands were examined for their ability to support a variety of amphibian species and for differences in their physical, vegetative, and surrounding land-use characteristics. Ten amphibian species were detected among both constructed and non-constructed wetlands. Overall species richness was found to be significantly higher at non-constructed sites. Species richness was also found to be positively related to the average percent inundation of the wetland pool and maximum depth. Comparisons between the two wetland types found several significant differences among their physical and vegetative characteristics including percent inundation, depth, and percent of cattails and algae. Several high amphibian species richness scores at constructed sites led to the conclusion that constructed wetlands can provide at least partial mitigation for the loss of amphibian breeding habitat in Maryland.