Stream Characteristics Associated with Site Occupancy
by the Eastern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
alleganiensis, in Southern West Virginia
S. Conor Keitzer, Thomas K. Pauley, and Chris L. Burcher
Northeastern Naturalist, Volume 20, Issue 4 (2013): 666–677
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22001133 NORTNHorEthAeSaTsEteRrNn NNaAtTuUraRliAstLIST 2V0(o4l). :2606,6 N–6o7. 74
Stream Characteristics Associated with Site Occupancy
by the Eastern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
alleganiensis, in Southern West Virginia
S. Conor Keitzer1,2,*, Thomas K. Pauley1, and Chris L. Burcher1
Abstract - Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis (Eastern Hellbender) is an environmentally
sensitive species that has experienced range-wide population declines. Diurnal
rock-turning surveys were conducted in southern WV during the summer and fall of 2006
to assess the species’ population status in this area and to examine the relationship between
stream physico-chemical characteristics and site occupancy. Survey results suggest that
Eastern Hellbender populations are rare in southern WV, with Eastern Hellbender present
at only ≈15% of all sites surveyed and only ≈20% of sites where they have been documented
historically. Logistic regression models showed that presence of increased gravel
substrate and specific conductivity reduced the probability of site occupancy by Eastern
Hellbenders. It is not clear why a higher proportion of gravel substrate negatively affected
site occupancy, because gravel should benefit Eastern Hellbender populations by providing
larval habitat and habitat for prey species. The effect of specific conductivity may indicate
a negative impact of watershed disturbance on populations. This explanation is supported
by a principal component analysis of habitat characteristics followed by logistic regression,
which demonstrated that sites with habitat characteristics indicative of more degraded sites
(e.g., higher specific conductivity) decreased the probability of a site being occupied by
Eastern Hellbenders. The results of our study suggest that Eastern Hellbender populations
may be severely threatened in southern WV and that site occupancy by Eastern Hellbenders
is related to both the physical nature of stream substrate and to water quality characteristics.
Furthermore, this study indicates a need for research investigating the potential for human
land-use to adversely affect Eastern Hellbenders.
Introduction
Habitat alteration as a result of human activities is often implicated as a cause
of global amphibian population declines (Halliday 2005). Unfortunately, habitat requirements
of many amphibian species are poorly understood, making it difficult to
predict the impact of habitat alteration on the long-term survival of a species (Halliday
2005). Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Daudin) (Hellbender), is an example of
an amphibian species that has experienced population declines in most of its range
(Burgmeier et al. 2011, Gates et al. 1985, Nickerson and Mays 1973, Nickerson et
al. 2002, Pfingsten 1990, Trauth et al. 1992, Wheeler et al. 2003, Williams et al.
1981). Although habitat degradation is believed to be a major reason for these declines
(Nickerson and Mays 1973, Wheeler et al. 2003), there have been few studies
that address the stream habitat characteristics associated with Eastern Hellbender
populations (but see Hillis and Bellis 1971, Humphries and Pauley 2005, Nickerson
1Biology Department, Marshall University, One John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV
25755. 2Current Address - Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, IN 47907. *Corresponding author - skeitzer@purdue.edu.
Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 20, No. 4
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and Mays 1973, Nickerson et al. 2003). Thus, to improve conservation efforts, there
is a need for an improved understanding of the habitat characteristics that influence
the distribution of Eastern Hellbenders.
C. a. alleganiensis (Daudin 1803)( Eastern Hellbender), is found in streams in
the eastern and central United States (Petranka 1998). In general, these animals
require cool, fast-flowing streams with a heterogeneous substrate (Nickerson and
Mays 1973, Nickerson et al. 2003). Nickerson and Mays (1973) suggested likely
optimal conditions for Eastern Hellbenders: water temperatures of 9.8–22.5 °C, pH
of 7.6–9.0, and dissolved oxygen concentrations of 8.4–13.6 mg L-1. It also appears
that ontogenetic shifts in microhabitat preferences occur (Nickerson et al. 2003).
Adults prefer large flat rocks for cover and nesting, which they actively defend, and
large rocks may, therefore, be a limiting resource (Nickerson and Mays 1973). In
contrast, larvae typically utilize gravel, cobble, and associated interstitial spaces for
cover (Nickerson and Mays 1973, Nickerson et al. 2003). These areas also provide
habitat for a variety of aquatic invertebrates (Bourassa and Morin 1995, Williams
1978), which make up the bulk of the Hellbender diet (Nickerson and Mays 1973).
Therefore, Eastern Hellbender distribution is likely determined by both the water
chemistry and substrate characteristics of a stream.
Hellbenders were considered abundant in WV during the early to mid-1900s
(Green 1934, Nickerson and Mays 1973), but are currently characterized as very
rare or imperiled by the WV Division of Natural Resources (WV Division of Natural
Resources 2008). A better understanding of habitat requirements is necessary to
identify habitat for protection as well as to locate potential streams for reintroduction
efforts. The following study was conducted to gain a better understanding of
local habitat characteristics associated with the Eastern Hellbender and examine
their population status in southern WV.
Study Area
Surveys were concentrated in southern WV, an area that has not been extensively
surveyed in the last 50 years. The survey area encompassed approximately
15,120 km2 and included a large number of streams that have historically contained
Eastern Hellbender populations (Fig. 1). Eastern Hellbenders have been
found in the Cranberry River, Williams River, Gauley River, Greenbrier River,
East and West Forks of the Greenbrier River, Elk River, Back Fork of the Elk
River, Mud River, North Fork of the Cherry River, Guyandotte River, Second
Creek, Glade Creek, and Twelvepole Creek in southern WV (Fig. 1). We sampled
sites in each of these rivers, as well as in Indian Creek, New River, Second Creek,
Bluestone River, Camp Creek, Panther Creek, Dry Fork, Clear Fork, Pond Fork of
the Little Coal River, Cherry River, Marsh Fork of the Big Coal River, Anthony
Creek, Indian Creek, Mountain Creek, Elkhorn Creek, East River, Dry Fork of the
Tug Fork River, Pain Creek, Birch River, Left Fork of the Holly River, Holly River,
and Meadow River. Exact sites where populations had been found in previous
studies were surveyed if possible. In streams where no population location information
was available, sites were subjectively chosen based on their accessibility,
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2013 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 20, No. 4
our ability to sample (i.e., we only sampled streams shallow enough for us to
wade), and if they appeared to contain suitable habitat according to known habitat
preferences of Eastern Hellbenders (e.g., heterogeneous stream substrate, cool
water temperatures, and swift-flowing water). While this may have biased our results,
an examination of the habitat characteristics measured indicates that a wide
range in values was sampled (Table 1).
Methods
Surveys were conducted from May through November 2006. Sites were searched
by 1 or 2 surveyors wearing snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, and wetsuit if needed).
A log peavey was used to pry up all rocks >250 mm (longest dimension) which
were slowly turned to limit disturbance to the substrate. The exposed area was then
searched carefully for Eastern Hellbenders while snorkeling. Sites were searched until
an individual was encountered or for at least 3 person hours if none were found.
Figure 1. Streams in West Virginia where Eastern Hellbenders have been found in past
studies. Gray circles indicate sites surveyed in the current study where Eastern Hellbenders
were present (CP sites); black circles indicate sites surveyed but no Eastern
Hellbenders were found (CA sites). MNF = Monongahela National Forest.
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Table 1. Range of values observed for stream habitat parameters. The numbers in parentheses are for
sites where Eastern Hellbenders were present during surveys.
Parameter Minimum Maximum Mean SD
Crayfish (no./person-hr) 0 (0) 43.67 (21.07) 6.43 (6.93) 7.35 (7.31)
Water temperature (°C) 7.39 (14.82) 29.59 (20.06) 20.23 (17.71) 5.52 (1.85)
Specific conductivity (μs/cm) 29 (29) 1043 (53) 200 (36) 210 (8)
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) 6.1 (7.33) 11.15 (9.61) 8.68 (8.44) 1.06 (0.82)
pH 5.79 (5.83) 8.42 (7.01) 7.21 (6.42) 0.69 (0.42)
Turbidity (NTU) 3.03 (3.03) 73.27 (29.33) 29.66 (17.36) 15.5 (9.38)
% sand 0 (1) 22 (15) 4.2 (6.25) 5.57 (5.99)
% gravel 10 (10) 53 (24) 30.79 (16.25) 10.64 (5.04)
% cobble 11 (16) 49 (44) 32.3 (35.38) 10.12 (10.54)
% boulder 13 (28) 59 (59) 31.48 (42.13) 10.45 (9.61)
Substrate heterogeneity (H') 0.99 (0.99) 1.36 (1.36) 1.14 (1.14) 0.09 (0.09)
Physical composition of the stream substrate was characterized by randomly
choosing 100 substrate particles along a 100-m transect, following methods similar
to the pebble count method described by Wolman (1954). We began our transects
from either stream bank at the downstream end of a sampling reach. We stretched
a measuring tape across the stream at an angle to the opposite bank in an upstream
direction, which ensured that particles were sampled across the entire stream. A researcher
walked along the transect and blindly selected by hand a substrate particle
every meter. The longest axis of the particle was measured using either measuring
tape or vernier calipers, depending on the particle size. The number of particles in
a size category was used to determine the proportion of sand (particles less than 2
mm), gravel (particles between 2 mm and 64 mm), cobble (particles between 64
mm and 256 mm), and boulder (particles greater than 256 mm) at each site (Bunte
and Abt 2001). Stream substrate heterogeneity was calculated using the Shannon-
Wiener index of diversity (H'), defined as H' = −Σ pi (lnpi), where pi is the proportion
of each substrate category. Water variables were measured with a Hydrolab
Quanta (Hydrolab Corporation, Austin, TX) and included water temperature ( °C),
pH, percent dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity (μS cm-1), and turbidity (NTU).
Relative abundance of crayfish (number of crayfish observed/person hour) was also
recorded because crayfish make up a significant portion of the Eastern Hellbender
diet (Alexander 1927, Green 1933, Netting 1929, Nickerson and Mays, 1973 Reese
1903).
Shapiro-Wilk’s tests for normality and visual examinations of binned residuals
of logistic regressions were performed to check for normality and constant variance
of habitat characteristics. Data that failed to meet normality and constant
variance assumptions were either natural log transformed (relative abundance
of crayfish, specific conductivity, percent dissolved oxygen), square-root transformed
(turbidity), or arcsine square-root transformed (proportion of sand, gravel,
cobble, and boulder substrate). Data were then standardized for further analyses
such that they had a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one.
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2013 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 20, No. 4
We examined the effects of local habitat characteristics on site occupancy by
Eastern Hellbenders using logistic regression with a binomial error distribution.
We recognize that not accounting for detection probability may bias our results, but
our study design did not include multiple revisits to a large number of sites, which
would have been necessary to estimate detection probability (MacKenzie et al.
2002). When using a binary response variable (i.e., presence/absence) it is recommended
to include ≤m/10 explanatory variables, where m is the least frequent category
of the binary response variable. We observed Eastern Hellbenders at a small
number of sites (m/10 = 0.8) which limited the number of covariates that could be
included in our models to one. As a result, we could not model potential additive
effects or include interactions among habitat variables in our analysis. We therefore
conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce habitat characteristics
into uncorrelated variables. All of the transformed and standardized habitat characteristics
were included in the PCA, which was based on the correlation matrix.
Frontier’s Broken Stick Criterion was used to determine which principal components
should be kept for further analyses (Legendre and Legendre 1998). The
effects of principal components were then analyzed using logistic regression with
a binomial error distribution.
Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) corrected for small sample size (AICC)
was used to rank models (Burnham and Anderson 2002). We considered models
with AICC scores less than seven units from the model with the lowest AICC score
to be potential models for explaining Eastern Hellbender site occupancy. Analyses
were performed using R version 2.9.2 (R Core Development Team 2009).
Results
We observed Eastern Hellbenders at 8 of 58 sites, which included 41 sites
at which they had been found during previous surveys. Stream habitat characteristics
ranged widely at these sites, but streams were generally cool and well
oxygenated with a heterogeneous substrate (Table 1). The first two principal
components were kept for further analysis based on Frontier’s Broken Stick Criterion.
Variable loadings on the first axis suggested that it described a gradient
of disturbance, and habitat characteristics associated with more disturbed sites
were negatively loaded on this axis (Table 2). The second axis described differences
in substrate, particularly the proportion of sand substrate and substrate
diversity, which were positively loaded on this axis, versus the proportion of
boulder habitat (Table 2).
The best set of models based on AICC values included the proportion of gravel
substrate, specific conductivity, and the first principal component axis (PC 1) as
covariates (Table 3). Estimates of these coefficients suggest that increases in the
proportion of gravel substrate and specific conductivity at a site reduced the probability
of a site being occupied, while increases in PC 1 had a positive effect on the
probability of a site being occupied (Fig. 2, Table 3).
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Table 3. Results of model selection based on AICc values. The number of parameters (K), change in
AICc value (Δ AICc), model weight (ωi), cumulative model weight (Σωi), log-likelihood (LL), and
parameter estimate (β) are shown.
Model K AICc Δ AICc ωi Σωi LL β
GravelA 2 26.10 0.00 0.68 0.68 -10.94 -3.13
Specific conductivityA 2 27.86 1.76 0.28 0.97 -11.82 -5.55
PC 1A 2 32.32 6.22 0.03 1.00 -14.05 1.26
pH 2 37.45 11.35 0.00 1.00 -16.62 -1.68
Boulder 2 41.23 15.13 0.00 1.00 -18.51 1.26
Turbidity 2 43.52 17.43 0.00 1.00 -19.65 -1.10
Dissolved oxygen 2 45.65 19.55 0.00 1.00 -20.71 -0.90
Sand 2 48.47 22.37 0.00 1.00 -22.12 0.56
Null 1 48.61 22.51 0.00 1.00 -23.27 -
Water temp. 2 48.81 22.71 0.00 1.00 -22.29 -0.54
Cobble 2 49.90 23.80 0.00 1.00 -22.84 0.37
Crayfish 2 50.54 24.44 0.00 1.00 -23.16 18.00
PC 2 2 50.70 24.60 0.00 1.00 -23.24 0.06
H' 2 50.76 24.66 0.00 1.00 -23.27 0.01
AModels included in the best set.
Table 2. Loadings of habitat characteristics along the first two principal component axes.
Principal components
Habitat characteristic PC 1 PC 2
Crayfish 0.15 0.33
Water temperature -0.29 -0.29
Specific conductivity -0.44 0.12
pH -0.48 less than 0.10
Dissolved oxygen -0.31 less than 0.10
Turbidity -0.37 -0.27
Sand -0.10 0.52
Gravel -0.33 -0.33
Cobble 0.26 0.26
Boulder 0.18 0.18
H' -0.14 -0.14
Discussion
The physiology and behavior of Eastern Hellbenders suggest that abiotic factors
play an important role in shaping their abundance and distribution. This
conclusion has led many researchers to identify habitat degradation as a potentially
important factor in recent declines in Eastern Hellbender populations
(Nickerson and Mays 1973, Wheeler et al. 2003). Therefore, it is critical to
understand the habitat characteristics required by Eastern Hellbenders to identify
appropriate areas for conservation and potential reintroduction. We surveyed
streams representing a gradient of stream habitat characteristics to assess influence
of habitat characteristics on the presence of Eastern Hellbenders. Our results
suggest that abiotic factors are important in determining the presence of these
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2013 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 20, No. 4
Figure 2. Effects of gravel (A), specific conductivity (B), and the first principal component
(C) on site occupancy by Eastern Hellbenders. Circles represent observed site occupancy
by Eastern Hellbenders. Gravel was originally measured as the relative proportion of
gravel substrate at a site, but was arcsine square-root transformed and standardized for the
analysis. Specific conductivity (μS cm-1) was natural log transformed and standardized for
the analysis. Principal component one (PC 1) is unitless and was not standardized for the
analysis.
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animals, and that Eastern Hellbender distribution may be influenced by landscape
disturbances that alter local habitat characteristics.
Based on the fact that we found them at only <15% of the survey sites, Eastern
Hellbenders appear to be rare in southern WV. This apparent rarity is troubling
because Hellbender populations were once common in WV (Green 1934), yet we
failed to detect them at ≈80% of the sites in rivers where they have been found in
the past. This finding may indicate population declines in southern WV, adding
to the considerable evidence that Eastern Hellbender populations are declining
throughout the species’ range (Burgmeier et al. 2011, Gates et al. 1985, Nickerson
and Mays 1973, Pfingsten 1990, Trauth et al. 1992, Wheeler et al. 2003, Williams
et al. 1981). Our results may also reflect the difficulty of detecting a rare and secretive
species, thus highlighting the need for further population surveys in this area
to firmly establish the population status of Eastern Hellbenders in southern WV.
It is interesting to note that 88% of the sites where we found Eastern Hellbenders
are located within or near the Monongahela National Forest (MNF), suggesting that
this area provides some protection for Eastern Hellbender populations. While the
MNF may provide protection from a variety of stressors, the protection it provides
from landscape disturbance is likely a key factor for conserving Eastern Hellbender
populations. Land-use practices can drastically alter abiotic stream characteristics
at both local and watershed scales, and this degraded habitat can negatively impact
aquatic biota (reviewed by Allan 2004). The negative effect of increasing specific
conductivity on site occupancy by Eastern Hellbenders provides some support for
this hypothesis. While specific conductivity can be influenced by watershed geology,
Dow and Zampella (2000) found that specific conductivities in the range of
70–140 μS cm-1 were associated with streams draining watersheds characterized by
detrimental land uses (e.g., agriculture, logging, etc.). Urbanization, agricultural
practices, mining, and logging can increase the amount of nitrate, ammonium,
phosphorus, calcium, sulfate, and magnesium present in streams, which results
in a higher conductivity, a condition that can negatively impact aquatic biota and
ecosystem processes (Dow and Zampella 2000, Lenat and Crawford 1994, Paul and
Meyer 2001, Pond et al. 2008, Sponseller and Benfield 2001). Sites where Eastern
Hellbenders were found had a mean specific conductivity of 36 μS cm-1 and a
maximum value of 53 μS cm-1, values that are indicative of relatively undisturbed
watersheds (Dow and Zampella 2000). Conversely, sites where Eastern Hellbenders
were absent had a much higher mean specific conductivity (230 μS cm-1), possibly
due to a high level of large-scale disturbance in those watersheds. These results
suggest that studies examining the impacts of large-scale disturbance on Eastern
Hellbender populations are needed.
The negative impact of abundant gravel substrates on Eastern Hellbender site
occupancy is difficult to interpret. Gravel substrates are generally associated with
high macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance (Allan 1997, Rabeni and Minshall
1977, Reice 1980, Williams 1978), which should benefit Eastern Hellbenders by
providing a plentiful and diverse prey base. Additionally, gravel substrates provide
habitat for larval Eastern Hellbenders (Nickerson et al. 2003). It was surprising,
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2013 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 20, No. 4
therefore, that increases in the proportion of gravel substrate decreased the probability
of site occupancy by Eastern Hellbenders. It is possible that smaller size
particles included in the gravel size class (2–64 mm) may limit the animals’ access
to large rocks and boulders. Hellbenders, particularly adults, utilize boulders
as nesting habitat and cover objects during the day, and their availability may be
a limiting resource (Nickerson and May 1973). Thus, limited availability of large
rocks and boulders could have long-term negative consequences for Hellbender
populations. However, more research is needed to determine if this is the case, and
we recommend caution in interpreting the significance of this re sult.
The positive effect of the first principal component suggests that factors positively
loaded on this access benefited Eastern Hellbender populations. This result
indicates that sites with a high abundance of crayfish and a large proportion of cobble
and boulder substrate support Eastern Hellbender populations. In contrast, sites
with higher water temperature, specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity,
proportion of sand and gravel substrate, and substrate diversity are less likely
to support Hellbender populations. The majority of these habitat characteristics
make biological sense because these animals prefer cool streams, have a diet consisting
largely of crayfish, and require large rocks and cobble substrates (Nickerson
and Mays 1973, Nickerson et al. 2003). Additionally, many of the characteristics
negatively loaded on the first principal component (e.g., higher stream temperature,
turbidity, and specific conductivities) are indicative of disturbed watersheds (Allan
2004, Dow and Zampella 2000), suggesting that degraded habitats may not support
large Hellbender populations. However, we do not have data regarding historic
habitat characteristics for many of the streams we sampled, so it is possible that
these sites do not represent degraded habitats, but rather have always been poor
sites for Eastern Hellbenders. Regardless, it appears that any site with these habitat
characteristics is unlikely to support Hellbenders.
We stress that caution should be used in interpreting and extrapolating our results
for at least two reasons. The first is the small number of sites at which Hellbenders
were present. This limited the number of covariates and interactions that could be
included in models, the inclusion of which may have altered parameter estimates
and the inferences about the effects of the habitat characteristics being tested. The
second is that our study design failed to account for imperfect detection. This is potentially
problematic for a rare and secretive species such as the Hellbender, which
may have been present at a site but was simply missed during surveys. If this were
the case, we may have inaccurately estimated the influence of habitat characteristics
on Hellbender site occupancy (MacKenzie et al. 2002). We recommend that future
population surveys should obtain estimates of detection probability by repeatedly
sampling at least a portion of the survey sites as recommended by Mazerolle et al.
(2007) for amphibian and reptile species.
Range-wide declines have been observed in Hellbender populations in recent
years (Wheeler et al. 2003). It appears that this decline is occurring in southern
WV because we rarely encountered Hellbenders during our surveys. While there
are undoubtedly numerous factors contributing to the declines, the environmentally
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sensitive nature of Hellbenders suggests that habitat degradation has played an
important role (Nickerson and Mays 1973, Wheeler et al. 2003). The results of our
study provide support for this claim, and demonstrate that both water and stream
substrate habitat characteristics are important in determining the distribution of
Hellbender populations. Furthermore, our results suggest that changes in land use
may have altered local habitat conditions and negatively impacted Hellbender
populations. Research is needed to investigate the potential effects of human landuse
on Hellbenders to improve conservation planning for this unique species.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Tim Baldwin, Tristan Bond, Eric Diefenbacher, Ashley Fisher, Amy
Hamilton, Noah McCoard, Katy Pawlik, Frank Piccininni, Amy Schneider, and Jaime Sias
for assistance with field surveys. Comments from Max Nickerson and two anonymous
reviewers greatly improved this manuscript. Funding for this project was provided by the
WV Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Heritage Program and the Marshall University
Graduate College.
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