Bruce Peninsula National Park (BPNP) clears a 2 m swath of trees on the boundary in order to make it clear when one is entering the park from any neighbouring land; this in particular aims to protect the park and its inhabitants from illegal actions such as hunting and logging. This study looks at the ecological effects of this practice by measuring various microclimate variables and the abundance of eastern redback salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) on the boundary and comparing these measurements to parallel transects at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 40 m. Because it is a small linear development, it is then compared to other types of linear developments, such as roads, trails, and pipelines. The microclimate variables of air temperature, slug abundance, canopy cover, soil pH, total cover area, litter depth, and relative humidity were all significantly affected (p<0.05) up to 10 m into the adjacent forest, indicating that the cleared boundaries do change the surrounding microclimate. Soil pH, downed woody cover area, litter depth, and canopy cover were significantly affected (p<0.05) up to 5 m away from the boundary. Sixty hectares, or 0.4%, of the land area of BPNP is thus affected by the microclimate changes caused by the cleared boundary. These effects are similar to those found for other narrow, vegetated linear developments such as trails. Over double the number of salamanders were found on the boundary as compared to in the forest; this is due to higher cover area availability on the cleared boundary from the felled trees. Therefore, the boundary does not act as a barrier to eastern redback salamander movement, nor does it fragment the local population. Salamander abundance was best explained by the amount of cover area, snail abundance, and the dominant type of vegetation present along transects. It was also found in an additional study that salamander abundance tended to increase with increasing days since the last precipitation event, contrary to most woodland salamander monitoring protocols and methods. The boundaries were seen also to be used by hunters and recreationalists through incidental observations of human disturbance. This increased access to remote areas of the park through use of the cleared boundaries is an issue that requires further study, as the boundary itself may be leading to an increase in illegal activity. Recommendations to BPNP include leaving downed woody cover on the boundary, minimizing the boundary width, reducing lines of sight, decreasing accessibility, increasing landowner and park staff education, communicating with adjacent landowners, and securing funding to complete and maintain the boundary clearing.

Bruce Peninsula National Park (BPNP) clears a 2 m swath of trees on the boundary in order to make it clear when one is entering the park from any neighbouring land; this in particular aims to protect the park and its inhabitants from illegal actions such as hunting and logging. This study looks at the ecological effects of this practice by measuring various microclimate variables and the abundance of eastern redback salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) on the boundary and comparing these measurements to parallel transects at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 40 m. Because it is a small linear development, it is then compared to other types of linear developments, such as roads, trails, and pipelines. The microclimate variables of air temperature, slug abundance, canopy cover, soil pH, total cover area, litter depth, and relative humidity were all significantly affected (p<0.05) up to 10 m into the adjacent forest, indicating that the cleared boundaries do change the surrounding microclimate. Soil pH, downed woody cover area, litter depth, and canopy cover were significantly affected (p<0.05) up to 5 m away from the boundary. Sixty hectares, or 0.4%, of the land area of BPNP is thus affected by the microclimate changes caused by the cleared boundary. These effects are similar to those found for other narrow, vegetated linear developments such as trails. Over double the number of salamanders were found on the boundary as compared to in the forest; this is due to higher cover area availability on the cleared boundary from the felled trees. Therefore, the boundary does not act as a barrier to eastern redback salamander movement, nor does it fragment the local population. Salamander abundance was best explained by the amount of cover area, snail abundance, and the dominant type of vegetation present along transects. It was also found in an additional study that salamander abundance tended to increase with increasing days since the last precipitation event, contrary to most woodland salamander monitoring protocols and methods. The boundaries were seen also to be used by hunters and recreationalists through incidental observations of human disturbance. This increased access to remote areas of the park through use of the cleared boundaries is an issue that requires further study, as the boundary itself may be leading to an increase in illegal activity. Recommendations to BPNP include leaving downed woody cover on the boundary, minimizing the boundary width, reducing lines of sight, decreasing accessibility, increasing landowner and park staff education, communicating with adjacent landowners, and securing funding to complete and maintain the boundary clearing.

<p dir="ltr">To examine how forest management affects terrestrial salamanders, this dissertation: (1) examines the effects of timber harvesting strategies on salamanders; (2) examines the effects of prescribed fire for oak regeneration on salamander populations; and (3) explores the influence of artificial cover object (ACO) wood type, size and shape, and placement on salamander monitoring results. These projects were conducted at the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) and Martell Experimental Forest in Indiana. Long-term salamander monitoring data from the HEE were used to examine the effects of clearcuts, shelterwoods, and patch cuts on salamander captures collected up to eleven years post-harvest and were analyzed with a before-after-control-impact (BACI) design. Clearcuts and patch cuts had negative effects on salamanders 4-6 years post-harvest, which coincided with a drought; however, preparatory and establishment shelterwood harvests showed no effects on salamander captures, suggesting that retaining canopy cover may protect salamanders from compound disturbances such as drought. Also at the HEE, capture-recapture techniques were used to examine salamander population estimates before and after fire. Only two of three fires affected salamander populations. In the short term, prescribed fire effects on salamanders may be weak and intermittent and microclimate may have a greater effect on populations, although the longer-term effects of fire remain unknown. At Martell Experimental Forest, salamander numbers were compared beneath ACOs of different wood types, sizes and shapes, and grid arrays of different spacings. Pine ACOs were preferred over ash, while several small ACOs yielded equal salamander numbers to one large ACO of equal total area. High ACO density may increase capture probability but reduce the area sampled by each ACO, while lower density ACO grids may cover a larger area with the same sampling effort and produce more comparable results, but with less precision; choice of ACO experimental design will therefore require careful consideration of management goals. This dissertation also suggests strategies to support salamander populations as guidelines for managers to consider in management planning.</p>