The Distribution of Amphibians in the Portneuf Drainage

The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of amphibian species in the Portneuf drainageof Southeast Idaho as part of a Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services (MILES) study, an NSF/EPSCoR project to discern the impact of urban development and climate change on social and ecological systems and services in mid-sized Idaho cities. We compiled historic amphibian records from museum collections, surveys, Idaho Department of Fish and Game records, and contributed observations. We imported these records into ArcMap and created dot distribution maps for each of the 6 amphibian species found within the drainage. Preliminary results suggest that amphibian populations have declined throughout the drainage (especially in and around the Pocatello area) with the drainage-wide loss of 1 species, the Western Toad, Anaxyrus boreas. We plan to resurvey the historic amphibian locations to compare with our current results and add new data to the distribution maps. The final results will benefit Federal, State, County, and City organizations by helping to plan for future changes regarding these species, two of which have recently been considered for Endangered Species status

The Distribution of Reptiles in the Portneuf Drainage

Our goal was to determine the distribution of reptile species in the Portneuf drainage of Southeastern Idaho as part of a Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services (MILES) study, an NSF/EPSCoR project to discern the impact of urban development and climate change on social and ecological systems and services in mid-sized Idaho cities. We assembled reptile occurrence records from museums, surveys, Idaho Department of Fish and Game records, and contributed observations. We then used a Geographic Information System to generate dot-distribution maps. Thirteen species of reptiles have been found in the Portneuf drainage since the 1890s but only 10 species since 1980. The disappearance of 3 species appears to be related to habitat loss. The next step is to develop distribution models for each species based on several environmental variables (e.g. topography, temperature, and land cover). The results should help MILES researchers evaluate the effects of climate change and urban growth on ecosystem services (such as the roles of reptiles in food webs, as indicators of ecosystem function, and recreational wildlife viewing opportunities)