Protocols

Controlled microcosm experiments measuring invertebrate-mediated breakdown of sedge detritus by quantifying mass loss of coarse and fine particulate organic matter over time. Uses standardized biomass...

Standardized measurements of wing length and dried body mass components under stereomicroscope to quantify adult fitness proxies and assess elevation effects on body size.

Individual caddisflies are observed for fixed time periods to record movement patterns, social interactions, and aggressive behaviors. Follows established protocols for recording specific behaviors li...

Controlled feeding trials in plastic mesocosms where starved salamanders are presented with multiple prey types and their consumption and foraging behavior is observed and quantified over a fixed time...

Standard colorimetric method for measuring soluble reactive phosphorus and total dissolved phosphorus in water samples using spectrophotometry. Total dissolved phosphorus samples are first digested wi...

Modified gastric-lavage technique to obtain stomach contents for prey identification, enumeration, and biomass/caloric calculations using published conversion factors.

Short-term incubation of caddisfly larvae in filtered pond water to measure nitrogen and phosphorus excretion rates under ambient conditions. Five larvae per species were incubated for one hour in sha...

Organisms are incubated in filtered pond water for one hour to measure nitrogen and phosphorus excretion rates through water chemistry analysis before and after incubation.

Larvae offered multiple food choices in aquatic containers with instantaneous behavioral sampling over extended time periods to quantify feeding preferences.

Standardized sampling of large and small benthic invertebrates using D-net sweeps and benthic cores, with zooplankton sampling using mesh nets. Animals identified to species or family level for commun...

Collection and processing of biofilm samples from natural and artificial substrates to quantify biomass, algal content, and nutrient content through AFDM, chlorophyll-a, and phosphorus analysis.

In-situ measurement of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and barometric pressure at multiple points around each pond during peak photosynthetic activity. Provides standardized water chemistry profile...

Standardized photography protocol using blue light excitation to capture biofluorescence in salamanders under controlled conditions with specific camera settings and positioning.

Collection and integration of climate variables from multiple databases including temperature, solar radiation, snow metrics, and topographic factors to characterize environmental conditions at study ...

Controlled laboratory experiment comparing survival, growth, and tag retention between PIT-tagged and control salamanders over 90 days to validate tag safety for small amphibians.

Calculation of body condition metrics (mass/SVL³) and derived fitness proxies including condition-weighted reproductive opportunities for males and estimated egg production for females based on body s...

Development and analysis of a seven-dimensional nonlinear differential equation system modeling tiger salamander population dynamics across life stages and morphological forms. The model incorporates ...

Use of ceramic tiles as standardized substrates for measuring benthic algal biomass via chlorophyll-a extraction and fluorometry. Includes grazed vs ungrazed comparisons to assess herbivory effects.

Laboratory aquarium experiment using surgically modified (de-mented) dragonfly larvae to separate behavioral interference effects from direct predation effects on prey consumption.

Nutrient addition experiments in benthic substrates and sedge biofilms to measure ecosystem demand through exponential decay models. Measures uptake capacity of different pond compartments.

Modified gut content analysis method that estimates feeding intensity by counting the proportion of abdominal segments containing food rather than identifying specific prey items.

Custom apparatus measuring salamander temperature selection behavior using water-cooled and heated runway with position and body temperature tracking over 3.5 hour trials.

Controlled behavioral experiments using salamanders in tanks with traps at either end to test preferences for different light stimuli and biofluorescent vs. non-biofluorescent mates. Salamanders place...

Classification of ponds into permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary categories based on historical drying patterns and hydroperiod duration from long-term data records.

Statistical analysis comparing observed vs. expected species co-occurrence patterns using probabilistic models to identify positive, negative, or random associations between species pairs.