Splashing through the streams

We did stream sampling again this year. We didn't have time or people to do it last year, but managed to squeeze it in this time around. This sample is part of a long term study and collaboration with the Forest Service about the impact of Rhododendron removal. For the study we fill mesh pockets with leaf litter then check them for salamanders for 3 consecutive days. There are 4 streams but with 60 leaf packs per stream, we can only do two (at most) in one day. We split into teams to get all of the sampling done in one week. The two streams I worked in are reference streams and still covered in Rhododendron, which makes it difficult to move around. We ended up needing two days to set streams because of this (and being short on people). Needless to say it made for a very long week. 

But when filling the leaf packs, we managed to unearth this TINY Desmognathus ocoee salamander. It was translucent and you could see its heart beating!! <3

Along side the stream we found this very pale Spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus):

And this extremely bright Eastern Red-spotted Newt (eft stage, Notophthalmus viridescens) They always look like they should be a toy instead of a live animal...

Next to the stream I also noticed these two small fungal growths on the tips of Rhododendron leaves.

I think they are a type of cordyceps fungus. Cordyceps fungi are parasitic and also called "zombie fungi" because they alter an organism's behavior to suit their needs. I think the two pictured above might have been ants...

In the streams we mostly find larval salamanders (a juvenile stage with external gills). Though we found a few tiny Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae) larvae and a couple Spring salamander larvae, we mostly find Desmognathus larvae. We think they are mostly from Black-belly salamanders (D. quadramaculatus) but some of the adults we found don't quite look right (see pictured below). They had shorter snouts and more forward facing eyes. We think they might be Dwarf Black-belly salamanders, but would need to conduct genetic studies to be sure. 

This same week we spotted a velvet ant (which is actually a type of wasp) at the dorm. These insects are beautiful but pack a powerful sting. 

Stream sampling week was exhausting, partially from working during the day, I was happy to get back to night time work for the rest of the summer! More on that soon!