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Fish & Aquatic Life: Sensitive Amphibians

Range of riparian air temperatures as a function of distance from streamside in three forest types of the Mattole watershed
maximum air temperature in 3 riparian vegetation types
Source: H. Welsh, U.S.F.S. - PSW Redwood Sciences Lab, Arcata, CA

The graph above shows the range of water and air temperatures relative to distance from the stream in three different forest habitats. Maximum summer air temperatures are much higher in mixed second growth and grassland and in second growth forests than in late seral forests. This in turn causes increases in water temperatures. Water temperatures in streams under late seral forest canopies generally range between 10-14 degrees C which is optimal for tailed frogs, torrent salamanders and coho salmon.  See Riparian Conditions for more information on this topic.  

Graphs and photographs from Dr. H. H. Welsh, Redwood Sciences Lab

From the Mattole River Basin:    

Richness of amphibian species in 3 forest cover types (47 KB)

Air temperatures vs. distance from stream for three forest types (45 KB)

Abundance of Black Salamanders in perennial and intermittent streams (40 KB)

Examples of the three forest cover types in the Mattole River basin:
Late seral Second growth Second growth and grassland mixed

From regional studies:

Number of tailed frogs plotted against age of forest and air temperature (45 KB)

Abundance of So. torrent Salamander vs. % canopy (35 KB)

Table of Contents for Background Pages

Stream Conditions: Water Quality Sediment Riparian Big Wood Habitat Types
Watershed Conditions: Vegetation Types Slope Stability Roads & Erosion Cumulative Impacts Urbanization
Fish & Aquatic Life: Fish Populations Amphibians Aquatic Insects Hatcheries Fish Disease
Restoration: Stream Clearance In-stream Structures Riparian Watershed Strategy
Geology / Hydrology: Geology Soils Precipitation Stream Flow Channel Processes
Policy & Regulation ESA TMDL Forest Rules 1603 Permits Water Rights

 

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