ORCID
0009-0005-5021-6824
Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Natural Resources
First Advisor
Brittany A. Mosher
Abstract
This dissertation delves into the multifaceted realm of wildlife conservation, with a specific focus on the amphibian and reptile populations inhabiting the Lake Champlain (Abenaki place name Bitawbagok) Basin. Comprising four interconnected chapters, I examine the impact of human activities, the efficacy of mitigation strategies and the importance of systematic monitoring in the pursuit of preserving biodiversity in a changing environment.
Chapter 1 investigates the unintended consequences of human infrastructure, particularly roads on biodiversity and wildlife mortality. Roads, pervasive in the northeastern United States, induce habitat fragmentation, which alters wildlife behavior and causes road mortality. This study, conducted in Monkton, Vermont, evaluates the effectiveness of wildlife underpasses in mitigating amphibian road mortality, offering valuable insights for resource managers facing the challenges of infrastructure development.
Chapters 2 and 3 address the ramifications of globalization, specifically the proliferation of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the Lake Champlain Basin. Chapter 2 consists of a comprehensive and systematic literature review of the unintended consequences of AIS management and highlights the data gaps that very few studies explore the negative impacts of mechanical AIS management and even fewer explore the negative effects of AIS management on reptile populations. Chapter 3 attempts to fill these data gaps by evaluating the impacts of AIS mechanical harvesters on turtle populations within the Lake Champlain Basin. By quantifying the impact of mechanical harvesting on turtle populations, this research aims to inform targeted and effective aquatic nuisance control permit conditions, contributing Vermont-specific insights with potential broader applications in managing invasive species globally.
Chapter 4 shifts the focus to the global threats of habitat degradation and loss, with a focus on gray treefrogs. This study employs PVC pipes, a passive trapping methodology, to understand habitat associations of gray treefrogs outside of their breeding season. This research not only contributes to filing knowledge gaps in gray treefrog natural history, but also provides a potential tool for long-term monitoring, which is crucial for informed land conservation strategies.
Collectively, these chapters explain the interconnectedness of wildlife conservation, human activities, and ecosystem management. They emphasize the crucial need for evidence-based strategies, systematic monitoring, and proactive conservation measures to protect the delicate balance of herptile populations in the face of human induced environmental challenges. This dissertation contributes to the growing body of knowledge essential for the sustainable management and preservation of biodiversity in ecologically sensitive regions like the Lake Champlain Basin.
Language
en
Number of Pages
203 p.
Recommended Citation
Marcelino, Matthew R., "Amphibian And Reptile Conservation In The Lake Champlain Basin: Human Impact, Mitigation Strategies, And Ecological Insights" (2025). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 2032.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/2032
Included in
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons
