Certification materials
observation form
maps
wet-obligate
wet-facultative
dry-facultative
for Certification of a Dry Pool
Sometimes you find a vernal pool after it has dried. You know it held water because of the water-stained leaves, the water marks on the trees, the types of vegetation in the basin or the presence of the remains of some facultative species. To document such a pool for certification, you would need to provide photographs of the dry pool basin and evidence of any one of several species. These species would include: cases of caddisfly larvae, adults or shells of fingernail clams or air-breathing snails, and the shed skins (exuvia) of dragonfly and damselfly nymphs attached to plants in or near the pool.Provide the following evidence:
Photograph of the pool basin without water.The photograph of the dry basin indicates that the vernal pool does not have a permanent fish population. If the pool is almost dry, you should provide a photograph of the pool in that condition and an affidavit indicating that repeated sampling of the remaining water yielded no fish. Photograph of facultative species which are persistent after pool drying. Some of the facultative species persist or leave remains when the pool dries. Look among the dried leaves on the pool bottom for the shells of air-breathing snails and fingernail clams. Dig in the damp soil for fingernail clam adults and juveniles. Check the plants in and around the pool for the shed skins (exuvia) of dragonflies and damselflies which have emerged from the pool.
Any one of the following photographs would be suitable evidence for vernal pool certification of a dry pool. |
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