Random Thought/Question

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Rancorrye
Posts: 400
Joined: June 18th, 2012, 8:05 pm
Location: Utah
Contact:

Random Thought/Question

Post by Rancorrye »

After all the recent news coverage of landslides, it got me thinking about the potential of targeting areas of landslides. My thoughts are, with looser soil, would there possibly be a higher density of fossorial species? Or make it easier for rodents to burrow. Thus drawing more rodents in. More rodents, more food source. Also with the landslides creating debris or rock piles, possibly creating areas for hibernacula.

I know road cuts and talus slopes can be good areas to target. Would an area with a landslide create something similar? What are your guys' thougts? Has anyone specifically targeted an area of a landslide?
User avatar
Rancorrye
Posts: 400
Joined: June 18th, 2012, 8:05 pm
Location: Utah
Contact:

Re: Random Thought/Question

Post by Rancorrye »

I said it was a random thought....not a good thought. No one has any input??
User avatar
Bryan Hamilton
Posts: 1234
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 9:49 pm

Re: Random Thought/Question

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

I used to target landslides in Ohio for salamanders. They called them "slips" there.

When it was wet, the slips funneled the water and made little ephemeral springs.

Seems like a plausible hypothesis you got going. I tend to think of rattlesnake hibernacula as being more stable but for fossorial species, they seem more plastic in choosing hibernacula.

edit: The slides also reset succession so there can be less vegetation, more sun. I've find some shedding sites in slides back east.
simpleyork
Posts: 513
Joined: March 6th, 2012, 12:45 pm
Location: utah

Re: Random Thought/Question

Post by simpleyork »

I would assume that the first while it could be slow going on herping but once it settles in the following years it could be a good site to check out, there was a large slide in Alpine 10+ years ago, that I herped not long afterwards, maybe a year or so, aside from a milksnake shed there was nothing to be found, but it was a lot of thick mud that came down due to a burn scar and heavy rains
User avatar
Rancorrye
Posts: 400
Joined: June 18th, 2012, 8:05 pm
Location: Utah
Contact:

Re: Random Thought/Question

Post by Rancorrye »

Thanks for the feedback.

Chris, that was my thought too. Obviously not checking it immediately after, but giving it a a couple years or so.

Bryan, I was curious about that in other parts of the country where they have a lot more wet weather. Whether or not it would create some suitable places for amphibians.

I think it would be something interesting to check out. Maybe even lay some AC out and see what happens?

Rye
Post Reply