Pacific Southwest Research Station

Pacific Southwest Research Station
800 Buchanan Street
West Annex Building
Albany, CA 94710-0011

(510) 559-6300

Research Topics

Wildlife & Fish: Herpetology

Research Objectives:

Investigate the use of amphibians and reptiles as indicators of ecosystem status:

• Amphibians as metrics of critical biological thresholds in streams.
• Mill Creek Restoration: Using amphibians to monitor forest recovery.
• Prairie Creek Bypass: Stream amphibians as bioindicators of ecosystem stress- A case study from California's redwoods.
• Plethodontid Salamanders in forest ecosystems of North America: Are they good metrics for ecosystem integrity?

Investigate the landscape scale ecological attributes of the herpetofauna:

• Mattole Tributaries: Ecogeography of the herpetofauna of a Northern California watershed.
• High Lakes : Amphibian assemblages and introduced fishes in sub-alpine wilderness areas of the Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion.
• South Fork Trinity: The ecogeography of the herpetofauna, and steelhead trout in the South Fork Trinity river basin.
• Coho Salmon: Distribution of juvenile Coho salmon and headwater amphibians in relation to water temperatures in the Mattole watershed.

Investigate mechanisms of amphibians declines:

• Trinity River: Effects of damming on two herpetofaunal species in a riverine ecosystem.
• High Lakes: Effects of introduced trout on ecosystem subsidy and amphibian decline.

Investigate single species ecology (autecology):

• Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog: Reproductive ecology.
• Cascades Frog: Natural history, movement and demography.
• Shasta Salamander: Natural history and demography.

Herpetology Staff:

• Dr. Hartwell Welsh - Research Ecologist/Herpetologist (Lead Scientist)
• Dr. Karen Pope - Wildlife Biologist
• Garth Hodgson - Biological Sciences Technician
• Don Ashton - Ecologist
• Clara Wheeler - Ecologist
• Monty Larson - Biological Sciences Technician (Graduate Student)
• Michael Best - Biological Sciences Technician (Graduate Student)

Collaborators:

• Amy Lind - Research Wildlife Biologist/Herpetologist
• Jeff Duda - Research Ecologist
• Gary Fellers - Research Wildlife Biologist
• R. Bruce Bury - Research Zoologist
• Sharyn Marks - Herpetology Professor, HSU
• Sharon Lawler - Associate Professor, UC Davis

Page contact: Garth Hodgson

Research is being conducted by: