Ecology of Red Maple Swamps in the Glaciated Northeast: A ...

(Mniotila varia), regularly breed in both upland
habitats and red maple swamps. Others, including
several species of warblers, make extensive use of
forested wetlands during migration, but breed in
uplands, Some facultative species clearly prefer
wetlands during winter. In %ode Island, wild turkeys
(Mekagris ga2lopavo) feed in late winter 011
the sporophylls of sensitive fern in red maple
swamps (C. Baker, Department of Natural Resources
Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston,
personal communication). Red maple itself is
a preferred winter browse of the eastern cottontail
(Sylv ilagus floridanus) (Cronan and Brooks 1968).
Additional examples of facultative species that
regularly inhabit red maple swamps include the
American crow (Corvus bmchyrhynchus), American
robin (TLLTdUS migrutorius), blue jay (Cyanocittn
crtstata), great crested flycatxher (Myinrchus
crinitus), raccoon (Pmcyon lotor), Virginia opossum
(Didelphis virginianu), and white-footed
mouse (Peromyscus leucopus).
Reptiles and Amphibians
Reptiles and amphibians constitute a significant
proportion of some northeastern forest animal cornmunities.
For instance, in the northern hardwoad
(American beech-yellow birch-sugar maple) forests
of Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, Burt011 and
Likens (1975) found that the biomass of salamanders
was approximately twice that of the breeding
bird community, and was rougfily equal to the
biomass of small mammals. Studies of amphibians
and reptiles in northeastern forested wetlands are
rare, even though these habitats appear to be of
major importance to forest-dwelling species.
DeGraaf and Rudis (1986) identified 45 New
England species of amphibians and reptiles that
use forest wver at some time during the year. Of
the 11 forest cover types reviewed, red maple was
the most frequently preferred (by 12 species); it was
used, but not preferred, by an additional 30 species
pable 7.1). Because the majority of amphibians
require standing water for breeding, vegetation
structure may be less important to them than water
regime (NlcCoy 1989). The seasonal flooding of
many red maple swmps provides suitable breeding
asem for several spies and iu clearly a prime
reason for selection of this habitat .type by axnphibians
and reptiles.
More recently, Wraaf and Rudis ( 1W) compared
the hewtofauna of three forest cover +s
in New Hampshire: northern hardwoods, balsam fi?
Table 7.1. Use of red map& sroarnps by amphibians
and reptiles in Ncru Engknd. Habitat suitability
for eadz specks is noted eitht.r as P = pmferred
habitat or U = utilized habitat {data from
Broedlrlg
breeding
Amphibiam
Marbled salamander P U
Jefferson salamander P U
Spotted salamander P U
Mountain dusky salamander P U
Redback salamander P U
Northern slimy salamander P U
Four-toed salamander P U
Spring salamander P U
Northern two-lined salamarrder P U
Pickerel frog
Northern leopard frog
U
U
U
Silvery salamander
U
Blue-spotted salamander
U
Tremblay's salamander
U
Eastern newt
U
Dusky salamander
U
American toad
Fowler's toad
U
U
Spring peeper
U
Gray treefrog
U
Bullfrog
U
Green frog
U
Mink frog
U
Wood frog
U
Reptiles
Five-lined skink
Eastern ribbon snake
Ringneck snake
Wood turtle
Eastern box turtle
Northern water snake
Brown snake
Redbelly snake
Common garter snake
Racer
Rat snake
Milk snake
Copperhead
Timber rattlesnake
Smooth green snake
Paint~d turtle
Snapping turtle
Boa turtle
and red maple. All L h r ~ forest tm supported the
same number of species of reptiles Rnd amphibians
(11); however, relative abundance was significantly
higher in red maple and northern hardwood stands