VARTEG HILL
PROPOSED COAL RECOVERY AND LAND RECLAMATION SCHEME
AMPHIBIAN SURVEY
2005
1Objectives
1.1At the request of Mr Adrian Wood, Wye Valley Surveys, survey was made of the Varteg site in order to describe amphibian use of the site.
1.2Previous survey effort (Wye Valley Surveys, 2003) reported Great crested newt Triturus cristatus presence in one site pond (A, below and at Fig One); subsequent survey ("Water for Wildlife", Jones and Parry, 2004) reported "suitable habitat" but did not undertake targetted survey, and did not find this species. At the request of CCW, Cardiff, (Erica Colkett, March 2005), this 2005 survey effort was initiated in order to further describe site use by this species and to inform previously submitted mitigation methodologies. (WyeValley Surveys, 2004)
1.3Mid-way through the survey effort, two extra areas were added to the survey-area: a block of semi-improved grassland to the east of the original area, and three shallow "ponds" c150m to the south-east of the original site boundary.
1.4Particularly, this survey sought to-
- revisit previously mapped ponds to i) record species presence, ii) assess habitat potential for supporting amphibian specis
- assess habitat around amphibian-supporting ponds, in order to identify potential key terrestrial habitat.
2Methods
2.1A range of survey techniques is available for amphibian survey:
i) bottle traps (live traps consisting of an inverted plastic bottle, with a trapped air reservoir, with a "lobster pot" funnel entrance) can be deployed overnight where water depth is >50cms and where the risk of third-party interference is considered to be low. Pond A was the only waterbody with sufficient water depth to permit this technique
ii) torchlight search, from the bank or from in-pond wading, is useful at areas too shallow to accomodate bottle-traps; the technique is of limited value at vegetation choked areas (eg. ponds E, Aiv)
iii) daytime search for i) characteristically folded aquatic leaves at Great Crested Newt egg-laying plants, ii) aquatic larvae (tadpoles)
iv) netting: sweep netting can be used at ponds where water is too shallow for bottle-traps and too vegetation-choked to allow torching; this technique is potentially disturbing to habitat/pond fauna, and is thus used only where no other technique is practical
v) terrestrial search, under debris, stones or deliberately placed artificial refugia, can be used to locate animals approaching or leaving pond areas and juvenile animals not using aquatic habitat.
One or more of these techniques was applied, as appropriate, to the site ponds: details are given at "results" section, below.
2.2Habitat assessment around amphibian-supporting ponds sought woodland/scrub and complex substrates which can be used by terrestrial-phase tailed amphibians, and likely travel-route connections between such habitat and ponds.
2.3As far as possible (different hand-annotated maps, using different pond identifiers have been seen), pond annotation attempts to follow that in the 2003 report: additional ponds are given a Roman-numeral suffix.
2.4Sexes of animals captured in bottle traps are recorded, and females identified to species level. Sex determination was not considered to be reliable at torch survey. Differentiation of Palmate Triturus helveticusand Smooth newt T. vulgarisfemales is not possible at torch survey: species identification was taken from males observed at same time/same location.Where both species were found (pond A), there is the possibility that the "Palmate number" hides some female Smooth newts: this potential error is not considered to be significant within the context of a presence-absence investigation.
2.5Survey work was conducted by Rob Colleyand Len Moran, licensed Great crested newt workers, and is reported below.
2.6A summary of amphibian conservation and legal status is appended.
3Survey results
3.1Pond A
Within a roadside field, at the south-east of site; according to a passing local, this is the pond where Great crested newt was found in 2003.
An estimated 50-100 Common frog Rana temporariatadpoles were seen on two nights.
Some Potamogeton sp. and Callitriche sp. were recorded but vegetation at this pond is entirely dominated by extensive Glyceria growth; this plant is freely used by egg- laying Great crested newts, and egg search of this plant was made on two dates in June: these searches found no Great crested newt signs.
The pond, including a submerged enamel bathtub, was torchlight searched, from the banks, on four dates. Palmate newts were seen on each occasion (1-7 individuals) and a single male Smooth newt was seen on one date.
Although 60% of the pond is <15cms deep, a "sump" area which deepens to c.0.8m allowed the placement of 25 bottle traps over two nights. Both Palmate (8 male, 5 female) and Smooth newt (16 male, 3 female) were caught at each session.
Rubble turning (22nd June) at ground between this pond and pond Ai found a single adult Common frog.
3.2Pond Ai
Two recent scrapes/diggings, immediately north-west of pond A, were thought to be newly created ponds. Each area had a small amount of water (but no aquatic vegetation) at the first survey visit, with 50 Common frog tadpoles in one scrape. Both areas were dry at all subsequent visits.
3.3Pond Aii
At the foot of the "deposit mounds", two areas were found which approximated to the mapped positions of two non-annotated ponds marked on the 2003 survey-report map. The south-west area looked as if it might "puddle" during heavy rainfall but throughout the survey period it remained adry, bare, expanses of coal shale; the north-east area is also bare coal shale but with a wet-weather seepage (polluted?- chemical smell) from around concrete directly above. Neither area has any potential amphibian interest.
A nearby, small, wet flush is described at the habitat "assessment" of pond A and surroundings (below).
3.4Pond Aiii
A small pool at a stream widening, at the site's southern boundary, was torchlight examined on four nights. Palmate newts (4-10 individuals) and Common frog tadpoles (100-200) were recorded at each session.The pond had little aquatic vegetation, and was open to comprehensive examination at each session. There is no obvious (amphibian travel) connection to other site areas.
3.5Pond Aiv
Across the road, in a south-east direction, from pond A is an elongated stream/seep- widening at the foot of grassed spoil. There is c.8cm water depth, over silt; the pond is entirely choked by Potamogeton sp. and Juncus sp. and has no open water.
Two torchlight searches found no animals, but light penetration was unsatisfactory. A short (<5mins), daytime, netting session found five male Palmate newts.
Rubble-turning at the outflow channel (no running water) found no amphibians.
3.6 Pond Av
Across the road, in a south-east direction, from pond A: two areas of <5cms standing water in a (close grazed) field.
These areas have no potential as amphibian breeding areas.
3.7Pond B
A 20cm deep pool at the head of a stream/drain through the wet heath at the north of the site.
Torchlight examination was particularly effective at this pond, with 95% of the water body open to visual search. Palmate newt (11-18 individuals) were seen at four visits; Common frog tadpoles were seen at the first visit but not subsequently.
The small amounts of Glyceria were searched (two dates) for Great crested newt eggs: none were found.
3.8Pond Bi
Mapped as a pond, but not annotated, at the 2003 survey, this is an area of damp grass, c.2m diameter, immediately west of the road at the site's eastern boundary.
Ten 60x50cms roof-felt artificial refugia were placed here (April) in the hope of locating animals moving to the area in search of standing water. No animals were found at six dates.
3.9Pond C
A 10cm pool, downstream of B, choked by Potamogeton sp. and Elodea sp. Torchlight search was unsatisfactory here, although a single Palmate newt (three dates) and Common frog tadpoles (5, first visit) were noted. With little open water, this pond is considered a sub-optimum habitat for amphibian species; additionally, it is noted that only a few meters of (common) streamway seperate ponds B and C, making it unlikely that the two ponds have different amphibian fauna. Netting was considered to be inappropriate here.
3.10Pond D
An 8cm deep pond, in a deep hollow below the hill-contour track, heavily littered with cars, timbers, wire, etc. but with no aquatic vegetation. This pond was torchlight searched on four nights: Palmate newt (4-9 individuals) and Common frog tadpoles (1-100) were seen on each occasion.
3.11Pond E
This pond is to the east of the (original) survey area.
An extensive area of "marginal swamp" vegetation- moss, Potamogeton sp, Juncus sp.- at c.15cms deep water, with several "satellite" pools at earth ridges surrounding the main area. Single Palmate newts were recorded (torchlight survey, four dates) at two satellite pools and at the main area, and Common frog tadpoles were seen in the main pond.
There is no adequate survey technique for an area such as this. Experience suggests that Palmate newt is likely to occur here in very large numbers but the lack of open water makes other species unlikely- particularly Great crested newt.
3.12No amphibian habitat was found at the additional eastern area which was added to the original survey site. Two fields of semi-improved, horse grazed, grassland, with extensive areas of Juncus, have no standing water.
3.13Summary of survey findings:
Table One: survey results summary
pond# / 26/4/5
2300-0030, 10C
clear sky, no wind / 29/5/5
2300-0030, 17C
no wind; 40% cloud / 12/6/5
2300-0030, 16C
no cloud; fc 3sw
Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad / Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad / Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad
A / 1 / 7 / 100t / 6 / 50
Ai / 2 / 50t / dry
Aii / dry
Aiii / 4 / 200t / 8 / 100t / 8 / 100t
Aiv
Av
B / 18 / 20t / 15 / 13
Bi / dry
C / 1 / 5t / 1 / 1
D / 4 / 100t / 4 / 300t / 1 / 100t
E / 4 / 30t / 9 / 100t / 4 / 1t
pond
# / 13-14/6/5
25 bottles / 21/6/5
2300-0030, 18C
no cloud, no wind / 21-22/6/5
25 bottles
Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad / Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad / Pal / Sm / GCN / frog / toad
A / 3.4 / 2.1 / 7 / 1 / 5.1 / 14.5
-ve / -ve
Ai / dry
Aii / dry
Aiii / 10 / 100t
Aiv
Av / 5
B / -ve / 11 / -ve
Bi / dry
C
D / 4 / 100t
E
#.# = male.female
yellow- torching; green- bottle trapping
pink- egg search; blue- netting
4Assessment
4.1Palmate newt and Common frog
These species are widespread across the lower areas of the site.
It is not clear whether Palmate newt persists for many years at areas of sub-optimum habitat, awaiting suitable "wet years", or whether they are sufficiently mobile to rapidly exploit any new or developing habitat, but, iIn my experience, the species can be expected at all lower areas of the site, with breeding activity at ponds A, Aiii, B, C, D and E. Particularly large numbers can be expected at the marginal-swamp of pond E.
The Common frog is similarly widespread and opportunistic, and breeding activity can be expected at any standing water- including ephemeral puddles.
4.2Smooth newt
The Smooth newt is the "common newt" at ponds east of the S. Wales uplands: on the coalfield-uplands, and to the west, the Palmate newt is the "common" newt. Finding Smooth newt at the upland Varteg coalfield site was a surprise, and it is presumed that the species is here on the western edge of its range.
This survey found Smooth newt only at pond A; no data from previous years' survey are to- hand.
4.3Great crested newt
This survey found no evidence of Great crested newt on the site, and found no ponds other than pond A which offer suitable breeding opportunity for this species- ponds are variously too shallow (most), too choked (E) or completely open to survey (B) and obviously negative.
Particularly when the species occurs in small numbers/low densities, it is not unusual for consecutive-year surveys to return widely differing results (including completely negative years): whilst the level of 2005 survey at pond A would be expected to find the species, the negative findings should not be interpreted as a demonstration of Great crested newt absence.
4.4Pond A and surrounding area
Pond A and its surrounds are identified as suitable Great crested newt habitat, and this area is assessed (below) to identify potential key features.
From 2005 survey findings, the pond has an assemblage of three species. Using "A scoring system for the selection of sites with assemblages of amphibian populations" (Beebee, T. & Grayson, R. 1998.inHerpetofauna Workers' Manual, pp96-98, JNCC, Peterborough) this pond scores "4" (with "10" being the suggested SSSI qualifying score). With the addition of the 2003 Great crested newt sighting, this score rises to "5".
The pond has an additional, local, interest because of the occurrence of both "common" newt species: this is taken to be an indication of the "boundary" between the eastern Smooth and western Palmate newt populations. (note: the roadside location and extensive in-pond detritus/debris suggest/indicate significant anthropogenic influences, and the possiblity that this could be a factor in Smooth newt presence is recognised.)
Pond A is within a field of improved-grazing but with the following habitat features within likely tailed-amphibian travelling distance:
a: gorse growth on an adjacent bank gives suitable newt hibernation potential, and is the most likely terrestrial area to be used by newts
b: x3 Salix trees at the site edge give further suitable newt hibernation potential
c: x6 hawthorn/Salix surround a circular depression (which was dry throughout the course of the survey but which could be a suitable area for new pond creation); the north bank is tipped rubble, and stone turning here found a single year-one Palmate newt
d: a concrete trough/channel has some standing water, <3cms, below a small wall; there is no aquatic vegetation and the area visibly had no amphibian use during the course of the survey. An adjacent (uphill) area of Juncus dominated wet-flush had a foul-smelling silt bottom, with patches of milky/oily scum. An adjacent gorse covered twmp offers potential hibernation sites for newts, and is within travelling distance of pond A animals.
e: a drainage channel (outlet) from pond A passes under the road in an amphibian- passable culvert. Beyond the road, the tall-vegetation channel has a tipped rubble north bank which offers hibernation-site potential, and gives access to a garden edge hedge/scrub-line which gives further good terrestrial habitat.
There is no obvious (amphibian travel) connection to the pond E area, and it is suggested that the above areas collectively form an appropriate range of habitats to year-round support pond A-breeding amhibians. It is recommended that any attempts to increase or improve amphibian habitat around pond A are made within this general area.
4.5Pond E and surrounding area
It is suggested that pond E is likely to support large numbers of Palmate newt. This suggestion is based on i) the surveyors' experience of similar upland-coalfield areas, and ii) the demonstrated presence of this species at the (wider) site; this survey is
unable to demonstrate such a population.
The pond does not provide appropriate breeding habitat for Great crested newt. It is very unlikely that the species is to be found here but, if the pond (historically) had open water, the possibilty of small numbers persisting in the area should be recognised.
The ridges of vegetated rubble around pond E, along with the extensive Juncus in the adjacent grazed field (off-site), offer appropriate year-round amphibian habitat and, with no obvious (travel) connection to other site ponds, this greater area should be regarded as largely self-contained and separate from the pond A area.
Rob Colley
September 2005
Appendix One
ECOLOGY and CONSERVATION-STATUS of RECORDED/TARGET SPECIES
Amphibians
Six native amphibian species occur in Britain: the Common Frog (Rana temporaria), the Common Toad (Bufo bufo), the Natterjack Toad (B. calamita), the Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris), the Palmate Newt (T. helveticus) and the Great Crested Newt (T. cristatus). All of the amphibians have aquatic egg and larval stages, and are therefore dependent on water for successful breeding. Eggs are laid, in suitable ponds, during the spring, and the larvae (tadpoles) remain in the water for several weeks or months. Adults of each of these species typically spend 6-9 months on land, in invertebrate-rich feeding areas and in over-winter hibernacula.
The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 provides varying levels of protection for these species: the Great Crested Newt is afforded complete protection under schedule 5 of the Act. Any development work to be carried out within an area where this species occurs requires a licence to be obtained in advance from the National Assembly for Wales who will be advised in all cases by the Countryside Council for Wales
The Great Crested Newt is also a UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species and a Species of Principal Importance for Conservation of Biological Diversity under Section 74 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act in Wales.