Chapter 4 Habitats
species and their host fish because the mussels are unable to move into coolwaters as warming trends occur. But their host-fish species are more mobile and may move into new coolwater ranges (Opdam and Wascher 2004; DeWan et al . 2010) . Coolwater riverine habitats are important for a number of reptiles and amphibians, including certain turtles, frogs, and salamanders that use aquatic habitats during part or all of their life cycle. These habitats are also important for a variety of mammals that are semi-aquatic and/or have an aquatic food base (e.g., Water Shrews, Muskrats, Beavers, River Otters, and certain bats). Selected bird species (such as various waterfowl, wading birds, and certain songbirds like the Louisiana Waterthrush) also rely upon aquatic habitats to provide habitat or a food base. 4.2.4.6 Recommendations It is important to preserve the connectivity of coolwater systems because they provide a link to coldwater systems that will become refugia as water temperature gradients change and previously coolwaters become persistently warmer. As water temperatures change, many species may not be able to migrate into cooler streams if there are barriers to movement or habitats are fragmented so that coolwater habitats are interspersed amongst warmer water habitats.
Section 4.2.2 provides recommendations appropriate for all aquatic communities, statewide. Actions specific to the river basins that contain coolwater streams are provided in Section 4.5.
4.2.4.6.1 Surveys Surveys are systematic and scientific methods of collecting information about the distribution, abundance, and ecology of wildlife or their habitats in a specific area at a specific time. A habitat survey is a method of gathering information about the ecology of a site. The results of a habitat survey provide basic ecological information that can be used for biodiversity conservation, planning and/or management, including targeting of more detailed botanical or zoological investigations (Smith et al. 2011) . Repeated surveys using the same methods can provide information about conditions and changes to species assemblages and habitat composition over time. Priorities for conducting distributional and status surveys need to focus on species believed to be declining or mainly dependent on at-risk or sensitive communities. Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats • Conduct stream surveys adjacent to areas identified for future development (i.e., edge of urban expansion) to establish baseline populations and identify problems before development expands. 4.2.4.6.2 Monitoring Monitoring involves repeated observation and recording of specific parameters to show trends over time. Long-term monitoring that includes statistical and quantitative analysis in the design is
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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