Attributes of Artificial Wetlands Colonized by Ambystoma maculatum on a Virginia Surface Mine

Landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction present a range of artificial wetland habitats potentially useable by pool-breeding amphibians, although little information exists in the literature detailing which attributes influence breeding site selection by wetland amphibian specialists in post-mined landscapes. We compared attributes of artificial wetlands consistently used and unused as oviposition sites by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) over a six-year period on a 120-ha former surface mine in Wise County, Virginia, USA. Salamanders non-randomly selected wetlands as oviposition sites, with one-third of available wetlands within the study area showing evidence of ovipositioning. Wetlands used as breeding sites were smaller, shallower, and located farther from roadways than those not selected as breeding sites. Breeding sites also largely lacked fish and impacts from acid mine drainage. Our results provide important information for land managers charged with managing or restoring wetlands associated with surface mining for pool-breeding amphibians and shed light on how native wildlife species select embedded habitat features when recolonizing landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction.