Chapter 4 Habitats
4.4.2.6 Recommendations Caves and mines occur across all types of land ownership types. Several of the most significant sites have been identified as conservation priorities. The North Carolina Cave Survey has documented over 1,300 caves in the state. We have little accurate assessment of the availability of abandoned mines in North Carolina, nor do we possess much information on their individual suitability for use by cave-dwelling animals or plants. 4.4.2.6.1 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 • Create a comprehensive, prioritized list of significant caves, including the factors that add significance (e.g., roost of endangered bats, rare geologic formations, other rare plants or animal use). Bats Plants • Inventory salamander communities associated with cave habitat (particularly in the twilight zone of caves). Salamanders • Conduct bat surveys in caves and mines that have not been previously evaluated. Bats • Conduct surveys for Cave Salamander ( Eurycea lucifuga ) in areas along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. Cave Salamander 4.4.2.6.2 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 critical to assessing species and ecosystem health and gauging the resilience of organisms to
4 - 228
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator