Data from: Effects of mountaintop removal mining and valley filling on the occupancy and abundance of stream salamanders

Human-induced land-use changes are among the primary causes of ecosystem
degradation and biodiversity loss. Across central Appalachia (USA),
mountaintop removal mining and valley filling (MTR/VF) is the prevailing
form of land-use change and represents a stressor to stream ecosystems.
Salamanders are the dominant vertebrate in Appalachian headwater streams.
Thus, we addressed the question: Is salamander occupancy and conditional
abundance reduced in streams impacted by MTR/VF? We conducted repeated
counts of adult and larval salamanders within 10-m reaches in 11
valley-filled streams and 12 reference streams in south-eastern Kentucky.
Relationships between occupancy, conditional abundance, and site type
(MTR/VF vs. reference) were modelled using the hurdle model (Ecology, 94,
2013 and 1472), where occupancy is modelled separately from abundance
while accounting for differences in per-individual detection probabilities
among groups. We found mean occupancy probabilities were >0·85 for
all groups in reference reaches, whereas mean occupancy probabilities were
relatively lower in MTR/VF reaches (ranging from 0·23 to 0·66). Posterior
means of the difference in occupancy between site types were negative
across all groups, although MTR/VF stream reaches were at least 95% less
likely to be occupied by spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus,
adult southern two-lined salamander Eurycea cirrigera and larval dusky
salamanders Desmognathus compared to reference reaches. Posterior means of
the difference in conditional abundance between MTR/VF and reference
stream reaches were negative across all groups; 95% credible interval for
difference in conditional abundance covered zero for only one species (red
salamander Pseudotriton ruber). After adjusting for goodness-of-fit, point
estimates of differences in occupancy and conditional abundance still
remained below zero for most species. Additionally, MTR/VF reaches had
higher ion concentrations, total organic carbon and specific conductance
compared to reference reaches. Synthesis and applications. Our study
concludes that mountaintop removal mining and valley filling (MTR/VF)
reduces salamander occupancy and conditional abundance. Although the
potential mechanisms responsible for reduction are numerous, our findings
suggest a change in the current regulatory framework is needed to offset
the impacts of MTR/VF on stream ecosystems and biota. Reclamation
techniques that enhance conditions for vegetative succession within
catchments may improve habitat on reclaimed surface mines.