The importance of beaver ponds to vernal pool breeding amphibians

Reproduction for wood frogs and spotted salamanders is generally regarded as being restricted to vernal pool habitats. However, reproduction for these species can occur in more permanent water bodies. I examined the presence and success of reproduction by wood frogs and spotted salamanders in beaver ponds. Because beaver ponds are relatively more permanent than vernal pools, the expectation would be that reproduction would be unsuccessful. I found that wood frogs and spotted salamanders regularly reproduce in beaver ponds. Numbers of wood frog juveniles produced from beaver ponds are similar to vernal pools. In addition, wood frog juveniles that emerge from beaver ponds are larger than those emerging from vernal pools. Beaver ponds are important reproductive habitat for wood frogs because populations of wood frogs successfully reproduce and produce larger metamorphs there.