The pure-diploid Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) is among the rarest amphibians in northeastern North America, and data on its ecology are sparse. We assessed the movement ecology and terrestrial habitat use of A. laterale using radio- and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag- telemetry. We radio-tracked 22 A. laterale for a median of 54 days (range 6–126 days) in the spring and summer of 2009 and 2010. Using a modified PIT tag reader, we conducted 34 in situ surveys during the spring and summer of 2009 through 2011, resulting in 42 relocations. We detected salamanders at a median straight-line distance of 67 m (range 7–281 m) from their breeding wetland. The life zone (i.e., critical terrestrial habitat), encompassing 95% of observed salamander movements, extended 152 m from the edge of the breeding wetland. Eighteen radio-tracked salamanders migrated to upland forest, three to a wet meadow, and one to a red maple (Acer rubrum) swamp. Salamanders used upland forest and wet meadow more often than the availabilities of those habitats would predict. We recorded habitat data at 10-m and 1-m-diameter circular plots centered on animal locations. At the 10-m scale, salamander presence was correlated positively with percent cover of slash and correlated negatively with percent cover of grass, total basal area of trees, and relative humidity. At the 1-m scale, salamander locations had deeper leaf litter and moister soil than did random locations. Our results suggest existing, published recommendations for the conservation of vernal pool species are applicable to A. laterale.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 December 2014
Postbreeding Habitat Use of the Rare, Pure-Diploid Blue-spotted Salamander ( Ambystoma laterale)
Kevin J. Ryan,
Aram J. K. Calhoun
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Journal of Herpetology
Vol. 48 • No. 4
December 2014
Vol. 48 • No. 4
December 2014