Study

Case study: a programme of habitat creation and great crested newt introduction to restored opencast land for British Coal Opencast

  • Published source details Bray R. (1994) Case study: a programme of habitat creation and great crested newt introduction to restored opencast land for British Coal Opencast. Pages 113-125 in: Conservation and Management of Great Crested Newts: Proceedings of a Symposium held 11 January 1994 at Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey. English Nature (ENS20), Peterborough.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Create ponds for great crested newts

Action Link
Amphibian Conservation

Head-start amphibians for release

Action Link
Amphibian Conservation
  1. Create ponds for great crested newts

    A replicated before-and-after study in 1991–1993 of eight created ponds on restored opencast mining land in England, UK (Bray 1994) found that head-started great crested newts Triturus cristatus returned as adults to five ponds and reproduced in three in the second year. Adults returned to at least five of eight ponds and tadpoles were caught in three of five ponds netted in 1993 (2–5 tadpoles/pond). Sixteen ponds (30 x 20 m) with shelved edges and terrestrial habitat were created on restored opencast land. Ponds were planted with submerged and edge plants. Terrestrial habitat created included scrub, woodland, rough grassland, ditches and hedgerows. Newt eggs were collected and reared to larvae in aquaria. In 1991, 630 larvae were released into four ponds and in 1992, 1,366 larvae into eight ponds (66–243/pond). Ponds were surveyed using dip-netting in July 1993.

     

  2. Head-start amphibians for release

    A replicated, before-and-after study in 1991–1993 of created ponds on restored opencast mining land in England, UK (Bray 1994) found that released head-started great crested newt Triturus cristatus tadpoles returned as adults and bred in the second year. Adults returned to at least five of eight ponds and larvae were caught in three of five ponds netted in 1993 (2–5 tadpoles/pond). Newt eggs were collected and reared to tadpoles in aquaria. In 1991, 630 tadpoles were released into four ponds and in 1992, 1,366 tadpoles into eight ponds (66–243/pond). Ponds were surveyed using a dip-net in July 1993. Sixteen ponds (30 x 20 m) with shelved edges and terrestrial habitat had been created on restored land. Ponds were planted with submerged and edge plants. Terrestrial habitat created included scrub/woodland, rough grassland, ditches and hedgerows.

     

Output references
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