CertificationCERTIFICATION


NHESP Guidelines NHESP
Guidelines

Certified vernal pool list Certified
vernal pool list

Guidelines for evidence of vernal pool habitat

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program has issued guidelines for vernal pool certification. The following are five sets of conditions which would indicate that a water body or depression is a vernal pool. Methods A and B identify a vernal pool by the "obligate species", those which require the fish-free yet temporary waters of a vernal pool for their life cycle. Methods C, D, and E identify a vernal pool by demonstrating that it has no fish yet does have "facultative species", those organisms which require a few months of water for their life cycle.

Wet pool - - obligate species

A. Existence of
  1. a confined basin depression and
  2. evidence of breeding in standing water by any of the following amphibian species (these species breed only in vernal pools):
a. Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)
b. Spotted Salalmander (Ambystoma maculatum)
c. Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale)
d. Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)
e. Silvery Salamander (Ambystoma "platineum")
f. Tremblay's Salamander (Ambystoma "tremblayi")
g. Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)

B. Existence of
  1. a confined basin depression and
  2. the presence of fairy shrimp (Anostraca) or their eggs therein. These species spend their entire life cycles in vernal pool habitat.
Wet pool - - facultative species
C. Existence of
  1. a confined basin depression which
  2. contains standing water that dries up during the year (or which for other reasons is free of adult fish populations) and
  3. the presence of two or more of the following in standing water (these species are not found in water that persists for less than two continuous months in the spring and/or summer):
a. Breeding spring peepers (Hyla crucifer)
b. Breeding gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor)
c. Breeding green frogs (Rana clamitans)
d. Breeding American toads (Bufo americanus)
e. Breeding Fowler's toads (Bufo woodhousii fowleri)
f. Breeding four-toed salamanders (Hemidactylium scutatum)
g. Adult red-spotted newts (Notophthalum viridescens)
h. Spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata)
i. Painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)
j. Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina)
k. Water scorpions (Nepidae)
l. Predaceous diving beetle larvae (Dytiscidae)
m. Whirligig beetle larvae (Gyrinidae)
n. Dobsonfly larvae (Corydalidae)
o. Caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera)
p. Dragonfly larvae (Odonata, Anisoptera)
q. Damselfly larvae (Odonata, Zygoptera)
r. Leeches (Hirudinea)

Dry pool - - facultative species
D. Existence of
  1. a confined basin depression which
  2. lacks standing water or which contains standing water the dries up during the year (or is otherwise free of adult fish populations) and
  3. the presence of one or more of the following (a,b,or c) (these species are found only in areas that contain water for at least two continuous months in the spring and/or summer):
a. Cases of caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera)
b. Adults, juveniles or shells of either of the following:
  • Freshwater clams (Pisidiidae)
  • Amphibious air-breathing snails (Basommatophora)
c. At least six of the following wetland plant species:
  1. Duckweeds (Lemna spp., Spirodela spp., Wolffia spp.)
  2. Fountain moss (Fontinalis spp.)
  3. False mermaid weeds (Proserpinaca palustris and P. pectinata)
  4. Bur-reeds (Sparganium androcladum and S. chlorocarpum)
  5. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
  6. Pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.)
  7. Bladderworts (Utricularia clandestina, U. gibba and U. subulata)
  8. Water-milfoils (Myriophyllum humile and M. tenellum)
  9. Water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica)
  10. Yellow water-crowfoot (Ranunculus flabellaris)
  11. Featherfoil (Hottonia inflata)
  12. Water-starworts (Callitriche spp.)
  13. False pimpernels (Lindernia anagallidea and L. dubia)
  14. Lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata)
  15. St. John's-worts (Hypericum adpressum, H. boreale, H. canadense, and H. mutilum)
  16. Smartweeds (Polygonum amphibium, P. hydropiper, P. hydropiperoides, P. pensylvanicum and P. punctatum)
  17. A rush (Juncus pelocarpus)
  18. Sedges (Rhynchospora capitellata and R. fusca)
  19. Grasses ( Agrostis scabra, Glyceria acutiflora, G. canadensis, G. fernaldii, G. pallida, Muhlenbergia uniflora, Panicum dichotomiflorum, P. meridionale, P. philadelphicum, P. rigidulum, P. tuckermanii, P. verrucosum)
Wet /dry pool - - combination of obligate/facultative species
E. Existence of all of the following:
1. Documented presence of water in a confined basin depression for at least two continuous months in the spring and/or summer; and
2. Confirmation that the vernal pool area becomes completely dry during a portion of the year (or other documentation proving the absence of adult fish populations); and
3. Presence of any amphibians and/or reptiles in standing water within the confined basin depression.
Definitions:
Breeding evidence. The presence of any of the following will be considered an acceptable proof that a vernal pool is utilized for breeding purposes by one or more specific amphibian species:
1. Breeding adults
  • Frog or toad - - breeding chorus and/or mated pairs
  • Mole salamanders - - courting individuals and/or spermatophores
2. Two or more egg masses of any of the amphibian species
3. Frog or toad tadpoles or mole salamander larvae
4. Transforming juveniles
  • Frog or toad - - tail stubs evident
  • Mole salamanders - - gill remnants evident
Confined basin depression. A confined basin depression is low area which collects water. It must not have a permanent above ground outlet.

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