• Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the national park.

    Great Smoky Mountains

    National Park NC,TN

Current Research Permits - Amphibians, Reptiles, & Mollusks

A frog being inspected for symptoms of Bd.

NPS photo.

Researchers inspect a frog for symptoms of Bd, or chytrid fungus.

  • Active surveillance for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Chytridiomycosis) in Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis in the Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee PI: Phillip Colclough. Study: GRSM-00876, Permit ID: GRSM-2009-SCI-0056. Exp. 12/31/2010 (also listed in Disease)
  • Assessing the effects of acid precipitation, calcium depletion, and mercury toxicity on high elevation songbirds and land snails on productivity in the southern Appalachians. PI: Ted Simons. Study: GRSM-00128. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0003. Exp. 12/31/2011 (also listed in Birds and Pollution sections)
  • Climbing Behavior in Southern Appalachian Plethodontid Salamanders. PI: Eric Juterbock. Study: GRSM-00437. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0039. Exp. 12/31/2012
  • Diversity and Ecological Associations of Myxomycetes, Algae, and Terrestrial Miro-Snails Associated with the Soils of Different Forest Types in Great Smoky Mountains NP. PI: Adam Rollins. Study: GRSM-01032. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0058. Exp. 12/31/2011 (also listed in Soil and Algae sections)
  • Effects of the invasive earthworm Amynthas agrestis on salamanders and other small vertebrates in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. PI: Joe Pechmann. Study: GRSM-00806. Permit ID: GRSM-2009-SCI-0092. Exp. 12/31/2010 (also listed in Soils section)
  • Evaluating the effects of habitat acidification in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the prevalence of Ranavirus in lungless salamanders. PI: Jason Hoverman. Study: GRSM-00452. Permit ID: GRSM-2008-SCI-0037. Exp. 12/31/2010 (also listed in Pollution and Water sections)
  • Genetic Assessment of Eastern Hellbenders in Tennessee (The Little River). PI: Shem Unger. Study: GRSM-01014. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0031. Exp. 12/31/2010
  • GRSM ATBI-Mollusca. PI: Dan Dourson. Study: GRSM-00423. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0056. Exp. 12/31/2010
  • Investigation of Evolutionary Relationships Within Polygyridae. PI: Frank Anderson. Study: GRSM-01046. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0077. Exp. 2/31/2011
  • Long-term study of Plethodon hybrid zones.PI: Joseph Pechmann.Study: GRSM-00093, Permit ID: GRSM-2008-SCI-0076. Exp. 12/31/2010
  • Measuring, Modeling, and Understanding Orographic Precipitation Regimes and Hydrology in Mid-Latitude Mountain Regions. PI: Ana Barros. Study: GRSM-00493. Permit ID: GRSM-2008-SCI-0027. Exp. 12/31/2011 (also listed in Precipitation section)
  • A Molecular and Ecological Survey of the Philomycidae in South-Central Appalachia. PI: Megan Paustian. Study: GRSM-01009. Permit ID: GRSM-2010- SCI-0018. Exp. 12/31/2011
  • Monitoring important amphibian breeding sites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for potential disease outbreaks. PI: Stephen Nelson. Study: GRSM-01050. Permit ID: GRSM-2010-SCI-0079. Exp. 12/31/2011 (also listed in Disease section)
  • Movement, diet, and microhabitat of larval Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Daudin) in the Great Smoky Mountains; Notes on Necturus maculosus in the Little River and Middle Prong, TN; PIT tagging of adult eastern hellbenders to assist with monitoring efforts. PI: Max Nickerson. Study: GRSM-00822, Permit ID: GRSM-2008-SCI-0052. Exp. 12/31/2010 (also listed in Water)
  • Ranavirus prevalence in streamdwelling, pond-breeding, and terrestrial amphibians in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Study: GRSM-00826, Permit ID: GRSM-2008-SCI-0056. PI: Megan Todd-Thompson. Exp. 5/31/2010 (also listed in Disease section)
  • Ridges, refuges, and population divergence: A study of geographic population structure in the salamander, Plethodon jordani, using fine-scale spatial and genetic data. PI: Amy Luxbacher. Study: GRSM-00872. Permit ID: GRSM-2009-SCI-0050. Exp. 12/31/2010
  • Status and Distribution of Rare Herpetofauna in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. PI: Matt Niemiller. Study: GRSM-00880. Permit ID: GRSM-2009-SCI-0058. Exp. 12/31/2010
  • Tennessee Amphibian Monitoring Program Listening Route. PI: Robert English. Study: GRSM-00407, Permit ID: GRSM-2009-SCI-0018. Exp. 12/31/2010

Return to Current Research Permits main list.

Did You Know?

Marbled salamanders are one of 30 salamander species native to the park.

There are at least 30 different species of salamanders in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This gives the Smokies the distinction of having the most diverse salamander population anywhere in the world and has earned the park the nickname “Salamander Capital of the World.”