California Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma californiense
Photo: Ivan Parr
Introduction
Status
Ecological Requirements
RCIS Regions: Salinas Valley, Gabilan Range and Pinnacles National Park, and Inner Coast Range
RCIS Natural Communities: Freshwater Emergent Wetland, Valley Oak Woodland, Mixed Chaparral, Annual Grassland, Vernal Pool (CDFW 2020)
Breeding aquatic habitat: Vernal pools and ponds, livestock ponds, other modified ephemeral and permanent ponds. Optimal breeding habitat is ephemeral and should dry for at least 30 days before rains begin in the fall (CDFW 2020, USFWS 2017).
Upland habitat: Spend most of time as adults in upland subterranean refugia. Require small mammal burrows in upland areas surrounding breeding pools (USFWS 2017). Prime terrestrial habitat is found in annual grassland (CDFW 2005, 2019).
Dispersal: Adults engage in mass migrations (up to 1.5 miles) during rain events from November to April, from upland habitat to breeding ponds (USFWS 2017).
Monterey is the epicenter of hybridization with non-native barred salamanders which threatens species genetic integrity (USFWS 2017).
Susceptible to fungal diseases and mortality due to vehicle impacts (Padgett-Flohr 2008, USFWS 2017)
Full species account available: Recovery Plan for the Central California Distinct Population Segment of the California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense) (USFWS 2017)
RCIS Conservation Target: High (listed species, Monterey County is epicenter for hybridization and competition with barred salamander, limited distribution of breeding habitat)
Associated Non-Focal Species
Range and Modeled Habitat
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
California tiger salamander (CTS) is at ‘intermediate risk’ from climate change across the state (Wright et al. 2013) (Table 5 14.). Some of the climatically suitable habitat in the southern portion of the RCIS area is likely to remain suitable in 2050 under high emission scenarios, while areas in the Salinas Valley may become unsuitable. Species distribution, however, is projected to be reduced in both high and low emissions scenarios.
Although California tiger salamander life history strategies are adapted to drought conditions, climate change is projected to result in erratic weather patterns that the species is not likely to adapt quickly enough to (USFWS 2017). Increased durations of drought conditions may result in breeding ponds drying out before larvae can metamorphose, and increased water temperatures and fluctuations in water levels during the breeding season may result in embryo mortality (USFWS 2017). Drought conditions also favor the life history strategies of non-native hybrid tiger salamanders, which have been shown to travel further and faster than native California tiger salamanders at higher temperatures (USFWS 2017).
Conservation Strategies
California Tiger Salamander Goals, Objectives, and Actions
There are 55 proposed actions. For complete goals, objectives and actions explanations see the complete table of conservation strategies in the RCIS PDF.
Species Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal CTS 1
Promote persistence of California tiger salamander populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective CTS 1.1
Protect known occurrences and allow for expansion by protecting 109,000 acres of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of breeding locations, acres of adjacent upland habitat, and associated/equivalent acres protected.Action CTS 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with known breeding occurrences and adjacent dispersal/terrestrial habitat as well as parcels with unoccupied suitable habitat for California tiger salamander through fee title purchase of conservation easement. Habitats with vernal pools or other ephemeral breeding ponds and habitat that create corridors between metapopulations should be prioritized (USFWS 2017).
Action CTS 1.1.2
Create California tiger salamander habitat preserves with suitable breeding and upland characteristics, totaling a minimum of 3,398 acres. Prioritize habitats with vernal pools or other ephemeral breeding ponds and habitats that create corridors between metapopulations, especially in the five management units of the Central Coast Range Recovery Unit that occur in the RCIS area, Fort Ord, Carmel Valley, Fort Hunter-Liggett, Salinas Valley, and Peachtree Valley (USFWS 2017). Genetic evaluation of metapopulations prior to creating corridor linkages should be completed to contain non-native and hybrids from genetically pure California tiger salamander.
Objective CTS 1.2
Enhance occupied, suitable, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -designated California tiger salamander habitat throughout the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of breeding, dispersal, and upland habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced and occupied by California tiger salamander.Action CTS 1.2.1
Remove non-native plant and wildlife species and hybrid tiger salamanders from breeding ponds where they are known to occur, by draining perennial ponds annually (USFWS 2017).
Action CTS 1.2.2
Reduce/eliminate small mammal control efforts. Implement programs to increase small mammal populations in areas they have been eradicated (USFWS 2017).
Action CTS 1.2.3
Manage upland vegetation structure and density to support California tiger salamanders.
Action CTS 1.2.4
Manage aquatic pond vegetation to support California tiger salamanders.
Objective CTS 1.3
Restore occupied, suitable, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -designated California tiger salamander habitat and create new habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of breeding habitat and associated/equivalent acres restored or created and by the number of breeding ponds restored or created.Action CTS 1.3.1
Restore and mange aquatic habitat, including restoring East Garrison Pond and at least one additional aquatic feature, totaling at least 2 acres at Fort Ord (FORA 2018).
Goal CTS 2
Support stability and recovery of California tiger salamander populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality factors.Objective CTS 2.1
reduce vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related California tiger salamander deaths detected compared to present day.Action CTS 2.1.1
Implement measures to reduce road mortality, such as by creating wildlife crossing infrastructure (tunnels or overpasses) that promote for California tiger salamander movement through transportation corridors (USFWS 2017). Focus on areas adjacent to known locations and protected habitats.
Objective CTS 2.2
Reduce pathogen-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of disease-related California salamander deaths detected compared to present day.Action CTS 2.2.1
Monitor for diseases that impact California tiger salamander populations through traditional and eDNA methods and implement management actions to reduce their transmission and impacts on the species.
Action CTS 2.2.2
Sterilize all equipment entering known or suitable California salamander breeding habitat to prevent introduction of pathogens.
Objective CTS 2.3
Reduce the rates of hybridization with non-native tiger salamanders. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of hybrid tiger salamanders detected compared to present day.Action CTS 2.3.1
Conduct genetic testing for hybrid and non-native barred tiger salamanders.
Action CTS 2.3.2
Implement targeted eradication of hybrid and non-native barred tiger salamanders, including through management of breeding pond hydrology (USFWS 2017).
Regional Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal RC 1
Sustain resilient, connected natural communities for the full range of native species, habitats, and ecological functions in the RCIS area through the protection of large blocks of continuous habitat supporting sensitive species.Objective RC 1.1
Protect and preserve existing intact non-marine habitats and resources and allow for expansion of habitat by protecting suitable or occupied habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres protected.Action RC 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with suitable habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement.
Action RC 1.1.2
Conduct surveys using eDNA and/or traditional survey methods in suitable or potentially suitable habitat to locate undocumented occurrences of focal species and other conservation elements and opportunities for habitat protection, enhancement, restoration, and creation (USFWS 2008).
Action RC 1.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for protected areas maintenance.
Action RC 1.1.4
Establish an incentive program for private landowners to protect occurrences and manage habitat.
Action RC 1.1.5
Protect populations from impacts from construction, vegetation management, and/or activities, including by surveying areas such as roads/trails and implementing species protection measures.
Objective RC 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by number of acres of habitat enhanced and/or occupied.Action RC 1.2.1
Manage current and future recreation access including off-road vehicles, biking, equestrian, foot traffic, and unleashed pets to reduce impacts and disturbance to sensitive species and habitats. Ensure recreation is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Enforcement and fencing may be used to prevent illegal off-road vehicle use (USFWS 2010).
Action RC 1.2.10
Work with private landowners and stakeholders to research species biology, threats, populations, densities, and/or ranges.
Action RC 1.2.11
Create/enhance connections between ecologically required habitat types, such as between aquatic breeding and upland dispersal habitats.
Action RC 1.2.2
Control non-native invasive species from occupied and/or suitable habitat, and areas designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as critical habitat throughout the RCIS area.
Action RC 1.2.3
Reduce/eliminate pesticide, rodenticide (especially first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides), and herbicide use, including for roadside vegetation removal projects as part of integrated pest management efforts in identified suitable habitat, and sensitive natural communities. Promote alternative pest reduction methods, such as promoting natural predator populations (Ventura County Public Works Agency 2017).
Action RC 1.2.4
Minimize impacts from native and non-native predator populations that have increased due to anthropogenic factors, including through educational outreach and trainings on how to safely coexist with native predators and predator removal programs where appropriate.
Action RC 1.2.5
Reduce anthropogenic impacts on habitat, including infrastructure construction and maintenance, inappropriate grazing, uncontrolled grazing, or overgrazing, off-road vehicles, foot traffic, fire suppression, recreational development and activities, non-native plants, and sand mining
Action RC 1.2.6
Manage infrastructure construction and maintenance projects, including transportation, solar energy facilities and projects on military properties, to be compatible for sensitive species.
Action RC 1.2.7
Manage grazing, including the installation of wildlife-friendly fencing, to ensure it is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Grazing in sensitive natural communities, public lands should be reduced.
Action RC 1.2.8
Reduce trash dumping in areas with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences.
Action RC 1.2.9
Enhance and restore native vegetation in occupied habitat and suitable but unoccupied habitat.
Goal RC 2
Promote persistence of species and important natural communities through the establishment and improvement of habitat connectivity in the RCIS area.Objective RC 2.1
Establish and improve habitat connectivity between large blocks of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of improved connectivity corridors used by sensitive species.Action RC 2.1.1
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as adding large culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, sound barriers, limiting lighting at constructed or natural linkages and remove existing barriers to promote wildlife movement and reduce road mortality (Yap and Rose 2019). Focus on areas with high numbers of vehicle-related mortality, areas with high Area of Conservation Emphasis Terrestrial Connectivity rankings and include areas to create corridor redundancy.
Action RC 2.1.2
Enhance habitat on either side of crossing structures, including protecting adjacent areas, restricting human activity nearby, etc.
Action RC 2.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for long-term management of crossings, including acquisition and maintenance of adjacent habitat where suitable.
Action RC 2.1.4
Work with transportation districts or others to collect and analyze roadkill data to identify hotspots where mortality occurs to inform the design of wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements (Yap and Rose 2019).
Water Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal Water 1
Improve conditions of water resources, aquatic and riparian habitats, and connectivity throughout the RCIS area through enhancement and restoration.Objective Water 1.1
Improve freshwater aquatic and riparian habitat conditions in areas with sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement and restoration of aquatic and riparian conditions (inundation duration, water depth, water chemical composition, stream substrate composition and/or stream characterization, habitat structure, native species diversity, percent cover), water quality, and connectivity of water resources.Action Water 1.1.1
Reduce water pollutants such as fine sediments, pesticides, herbicides, sewage effluent, and other non-point and point source waste discharges, including through development and implementation of stormwater policy and infrastructure.
Action Water 1.1.3
Improve quality of wetland habitats and create new wetland habitats, including through invasive species control, increased water period, and recontouring to enhance proper elevation, etc.
Action Water 1.1.5
Minimize impacts to water resources from construction, military activities, and agricultural practices.
Action Water 1.1.6
Reduce introduction of sediments in creek channels from bank erosion, livestock grazing, timber harvestings, unpaved roads and trails, and recreation.
Action Water 1.1.7
Improve and expand existing riparian and upland buffers and create new buffers where they are lacking around stream and wetland habitats, as well as connectivity corridors between heterogeneous habitats. A qualified biologist and the best available science should determine buffer distances.
Action Water 1.1.8
Preserve and protect intact aquatic and riparian resources where protection is lacking.
Objective Water 1.2
Improve appropriate hydrology and hydrological functions to support sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement of hydrological indicators such as water depth, stream flow, water temperature and chemical composition.Action Water 1.2.1
Moderate extreme water temperature fluctuations by controlling water flow regimes downstream of impoundments, water diversions, and residential or industrial developments.
Action Water 1.2.2
Ensure releases from water storage and diversion facilities maintain surface flows necessary for all life history stages of sensitive species (NMFS 2013).
Action Water 1.2.3
Maintain appropriate management of flood-control activities (both routine and emergency) to be compatible with sensitive species (NMFS 2013).
Action Water 1.2.4
Restore hydrological functions of waterways to mimic natural flow, temperature regimes, and sediment loads where feasible (Hayes et al. 2016).
Action Water 1.2.5
Develop and implement operating criteria to ensure the pattern and magnitude of groundwater extractions and water releases provide essential ecological functions.
Amphibian Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal Amphibian 1
Promote persistence of amphibian populations in the RCIS area through habitat protection, restoration, and enhancementObjective Amphibian 1.1
Enhance occupied and suitable habitat for focal amphibians throughout the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres enhanced and/or occupied.Action Amphibian 1.1.1
Manage for suitable vegetation structure surrounding breeding and upland habitat to support appropriate vegetative cover for breeding and amphibians.
Action Amphibian 1.1.2
Manage grazing (e.g., fencing, seasonal timing, stocking rates) and wildfire fuel reduction practices to benefit amphibians.
Action Amphibian 1.1.3
Reduce/eliminate the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, petroleum products, and other chemicals near breeding and upland habitats, including collaboration with mosquito abatement divisions to prevent negative impacts from mosquito abatement activities (USFWS 1999, 2019a). Wildlife-friendly alternative, such as installation of bat boxes and nesting boxes for insectivorous birds, near ponds and wetlands could provide insect control.
Action Amphibian 1.1.4
Reduce sources of sedimentation (e.g., bank erosion, livestock grazing, timber harvestings, unpaved roads and trails, and recreation) near known and potential breeding ponds and remove excess sedimentation where feasible (USFWS 2019a).
Action Amphibian 1.1.5
Remove non-native aquatic species such as bullfrogs, mosquitofish, other non-native predatory fish, and non-native turtles from breeding ponds, stream segments, and artificial ponds (USFWS 2002). This includes managing hydrology to decrease suitability for non-native species. Removal of non-native upland species, such as trapping of feral pigs (Sus scrofa), will protect ponds/wetlands and listed amphibian species (Seward et al. 2004).
Action Amphibian 1.1.6
Manage for appropriate ephemeral breeding pond hydrology and phenology.
Action Amphibian 1.1.7
Work with private landowners of known breeding locations to promote positive management of those sites, including maintaining natural hydrology, limiting non-native species, and conducting appropriate management of upland habitats (USFWS 2009).
Action Amphibian 1.1.8
Manage breeding pond hydrology to control for aquatic predator populations.
Objective Amphibian 1.2
Restore occupied and suitable habitat and create new habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres restored or created habitat and number of breeding ponds.Action Amphibian 1.2.1
Establish native emergent and other biologically suitable vegetation in suitable ponds and wetlands to provide cover where little or none exists.
Action Amphibian 1.2.2
Establish native vegetation with suitable density and structure in upland habitats within dispersal distance of known breeding locations.
Action Amphibian 1.2.3
Create suitable breeding habitat, such as artificial perennial and/or ephemeral ponds within the dispersal distance of known breeding locations.
Action Amphibian 1.2.4
Create suitable upland habitat within dispersal distance of known and suitable breeding habitat.