Green Salamanders, Aneides aeneus, are habitat specialists found in narrow crevices of rock outcrops and under flaky bark of trees. The species has a high conservation priority throughout its range and has been negatively affected by habitat loss, climate change, disease, and overcollection. In portions of the Blue Ridge Escarpment population, many historical locations for this species have not been visited since the 1980s or earlier. Across three counties in South Carolina, we conducted visual encounter surveys of known rock outcrops that were accessible, and used binoculars to conduct arboreal surveys in the adjacent forest. We detected Green Salamanders at 30 of the 61 sites surveyed (49.2%). We collected a variety of habitat variables and compared a suite of N-mixture models using an Akaike information criterion framework. Detection probability was positively influenced by time of day. A model of abundance that included aspect, habitat size, and elevation had the most support. Specifically, Green Salamanders were more abundant at larger sites at lower elevations with south-facing slopes. Knowledge of factors that influence population abundance will help guide future efforts to protect the species in the southern portion of its range.
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27 November 2018
Green Salamander Estimated Abundance and Environmental Associations in South Carolina
Jillian C. Newman,
Kyle Barrett,
James W. Dillman
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Journal of Herpetology
Vol. 52 • No. 4
December 2018
Vol. 52 • No. 4
December 2018