MOUNT RAINIER'S CASE OF HERPES!
In the past few years, Mount Rainier National Park has been infested
with a severe case of Herpes. Herpes (pronounced herps) is short for
Herpetology which is the study of reptiles and amphibians. As part of
the parkwide Old-Growth Study, Herpetologists were collecting amphibians
from selected study sites to find out if any species were dependent on
Old-Growth habitat.
Three different methods of collection were used in the study:
aquatic surveys, time-constrained searches and pitfall trapping. The
study plots were spread over old-growth, mature and young forest type
stands. The species collected inside Mount Rainier National Park
were:
| Ambystoma gracile | Northwestern Salamander |
| Ambystoma macrodactylum | Long-toed Salamander |
| Dicampton ensatus | Pacific Giant Salamander |
| Ensatina eschscholtzi | Oregon or Red Salamander |
| Plethodon vehiculum | Western Red-backed Salamander |
| Bufo boreas | Boreal Toad |
| Ascaphus truei | Tailed Frog |
| Rana aurora | Northern Red-legged Frog |
| Rana cascadae | Cascade Frog |
| Taricha granulosa | Oregon Newt |
Although no definite conclusions can be drawn from the small samples
collected, there were certain patterns evident that show potential
correlations.
Adult Tailed Frogs favored old-growth and mature forests.
Northwestern Salamander was found to occur almost exclusively in
old-growth stands.
Western Red-backed Salamander favored young stands.
Oregon Newt was found with high frequency only in dry old growth
stands.
Northern Red-legged frog favored old-growth and mature stands.
Long-toed Salamander, Pacific Giant Salamander and Boreal Toad
were found only sporadically, but always in old-growth stands.
As the Old-Growth Studies continue, perhaps we will learn of other
species besides the Northern Spotted Owl that are dependent on this
diminishing habitat.
By Lynn Arthur
