introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

(Trientalis borealis). Further south the forest becomes more scattered hardwoods (Fagusgrandifolia, Acer rubrum, Betula sp.), eventually opening to another small wetland much like thenorthern area, but with more shrub cover and the additional species false hellebore (Veratrum viride).This area has not been surveyed to document animal inhabitants. It is potential habitat for amphibiansand aquatic or semi-aquatic insects such as dragonflies and damselflies, and much of the biodiversityof wetlands often consists of these taxa. Some of these species primarily inhabit wetlands, whileothers also depend on upland areas surrounding a wetland for habitat. Because amphibians maydepend on surrounding habitat up to a distance of 159 to 290 meters (Semlitsch and Bodie 2003), thecore habitat area includes the wetlands plus 250 m of surrounding forest that may be amphibianhabitat.The Supporting Natural Landscape is the immediate watershed of the wetland; much of it is forested.The watershed influences the water quality of the wetland, and its current forested condition supportsthe long-term health and viability of the wetland community (Mensing et al. 1998, Findlay andBourdages 2000, Spackman and Hughes 1995, Barclay 1980, Karr and Schlosser 1978).Threats and StressesCore Habitat Area— Amphibians are sensitive to the physical structure and microclimatic conditions(i.e., temperature, moisture level) on the forest floor. Forest canopy removal within this area maynegatively impact the quality of the habitat for amphibians by increasing temperatures and decreasinghumidity on the forest floor. Compaction, removal or disruption of herbaceous growth and organicdebris, or other direct disturbances to the structure of the forest floor may also degrade the habitat foramphibians.Supporting Natural Landscape—Use of chemical weed and pest controls, or other discharge of toxicmaterials within the watershed of the wetland may harm wetland flora and fauna.RecommendationsCore Habitat Area—Based on the area range which amphibians may occupy surrounding thewetland, it is recommended that a full forest canopy be maintained and disturbance to the forest floorbe avoided within 250 m of the wetland edge in order to avoid detrimentally impacting amphibianpopulations. Further surveys to document amphibian and insect species utilizing the wetland are alsorecommended, as these groups are likely to form a significant component of the wetland’sbiodiversity, to provide a baseline to guide future management decisions.Supporting Natural Landscape— Chemical weed and pest controls and other discharge of toxicmaterials should be avoided within the watershed.Stony Run Headwaters Wetland BDADescriptionThis BDA highlights an extensive wetland complex in the headwaters of Stony Run.Core Habitat Area—The wetland includes several different community types associated with thebroad range of hydrological conditions across the site. An active beaver dam has inundated part ofthe wetland area, and appears to be changing the character of surrounding areas as well. The plantspecies composition does not fit any of the community types described in the Pennsylvania Terrestrialand Palustrine Community Classification (Fike 1999), and thus cannot be easily compared to other130