uid=HFR,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read doi:10.6073/pasta/e286e622135a2d4171adb37de2e7c0a0 Aaron Ellison https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4151-6081 Ahmed Siddig https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8145-0964 2023 English

Disturbances such as outbreaks of nonnative insects and pathogens can devastate unique habitats and directly reduce biodiversity. The foundation tree species Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) is declining due to infestation by the nonnative insect Adelges tsugae (hemlock woolly adelgid). The decline and expected elimination of hemlock from northeastern US forests is changing forest structure, function, and assemblages of associated species. We assessed changes in occupancy, detection probability, and relative abundance of two species of terrestrial salamanders, Plethodon cinereus (eastern red-back salamander) and Notopthalmus viridescens viridescens (eastern red-spotted newt), in the experimental removal of T. canadensis at Harvard Forest. Four treatments (logging, girdling, hemlock control and hardwood control) have been applied and replicated in eight 0.81-ha plots. Salamanders were sampled under cover boards and using visual encounter surveys in June-July of 2013 and 2014. Removal of the hemlock canopy increased occupancy of P. cinereus but significantly reduced its estimated detection probability and abundance. Estimated abundance of N. v. viridescens also declined dramatically after canopy manipulations. Our results suggest that ten years after hemlock loss due to either the adelgid or pre-emptive salvage logging, and 50-70 years later when these forests have become mid-successional mixed deciduous stands, that the abundance of these salamanders likely will be less than 50% of their abundance in current, intact hemlock stands.

abundance amphibians hemlock monitoring salamanders LTER controlled vocabulary populations disturbance LTER core area Harvard Forest HFR LTER USA HFR default

This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.

Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html CC0-1.0 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf270 Simes Tract (Harvard Forest). Coordinates based on WGS84 datum. -72.22 -72.21 +42.48 +42.47 215 300 meter 2013 2014 genus Notophthalmus species viridescens eastern red-spotted newt genus Plethodon species cinereus red back salamander genus Tsuga species canadensis eastern hemlock complete Information Manager Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 hf-im@lists.fas.harvard.edu Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu

We counted red-backs under artificial cover objects (ACOs) on two (in 2013), and five (in 2014) sampling dates from June and July of 2013 and 2014. During the second and third weeks of May 2013, five 1 × 0.25 × 0.02-m rough-sawn T. canadensis boards (ACOs) were placed at 15-m interval along two 75-m transects in each of the eight HF-HeRE plots. All ACOs were placed at least 15 m from the edge of the plots. In both years, we sampled all of the ACOs in all of the plots on the same day. The 1–2-week interval between sampling individual ACOs was sufficient to ensure that repeated sampling did not impact detection probability (Marsh and Goicocchea 2003). Red efts were sampled using visual encounter surveys only in 2014, both concurrently with sampling ACOs for red-backs. The 2014 survey was done along two 60 × 1-m parallel transects separated by 30 m from one another. All amphibian sampling methods were approved by Harvard University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (File 13-02-144; last updated June 02, 2014).

Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu https://ror.org/059cpzx98 pointOfContact The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210. hf270-01-red-backs-count.csv red backs count hf270-01-red-backs-count.csv 31106 f2e6fbdc5fed4215399ba285c75540a1 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p27/hf270/hf270-01-red-backs-count.csv species species PLCI red-back salamander NA missing value date date of data collection YYYY-MM-DD 1 day NA missing value block topography of the study site valley valley ridge ridge NA missing value treatment type of experimental treatments applied in the hemlock removal experiment Girdled girdled Logged logged Hardwood Control hardwood control Hemlock Control hemlock control NA missing value plot plot number [1-8]. Each plot is 90×90m (0.81 ha). plot number [1-8]. Each plot is 90×90m (0.81 ha). NA missing value transect transect number in which data was collected [ 1- 2]. In each plot there are two 90-m transects. transect number in which data was collected [ 1- 2]. In each plot there are two 90-m transects. aco location of Artificial Cover Object (ACO) in each transect location of Artificial Cover Object (ACO) in each transect NA missing value sample.n sampling occasion [1-7] sampling occasion [1-7] NA missing value count number of salamanders observed under each ACO in specific date number 1 whole NA missing value rh relative humidity at sampling date dimensionless 1 natural NA missing value 640 hf270-02-red-efts-count.csv red efts count hf270-02-red-efts-count.csv 15591 134eb95c82a1fec621791c3e029b00e6 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p27/hf270/hf270-02-red-efts-count.csv species species NOVI red spotted newt (Notopthalmus viridescens viridescens) NA missing value date date of data collection YYYY-MM-DD 1 day NA missing value block topography of the study site valley valley ridge ridge NA missing value treatment type of experimental treatment applied in the hemlock removal experiment Girdled girdled Logged logged Hardwood Control hardwood control Hemlock Control hemlock control NA missing value plot plot number [1-8]. Each plot is 90m×90m (0.81 ha). plot number [1-8]. Each plot is 90m×90m (0.81 ha). NA missing value transect transect number in which data was collected [ 1- 2]. In each plot there are two 60m×1m transects. transect number in which data was collected [ 1- 2]. In each plot there are two 60m×1m transects. NA missing value location area within each transect 15m×1m in which red efts were searched for. There are 4 areas/transect. area within each transect 15m×1m in which red efts were searched for. There are 4 areas/transect. NA missing value sample.n sampling occasion [1-5] sampling occasion [1-5] NA missing value count number of efts observed at each 15m×1m box in each transect on specific date number of efts observed at each 15m×1m box in each transect on specific date NA missing value rh relative humidity at sampling date relative humidity at sampling date NA missing value 320 biodiversity conservation community short-term measurement https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf075