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20 June 2020 Life History Variation in Two Populations of California Newt, Taricha torosa
Michael P. Marchetti, Abigail Hayes
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Abstract

California Newts (Taricha torosa) are common amphibians throughout much of California, yet their life history has been little studied. We examined T. torosa in 2 physically separated breeding locations, a farm pond and a nearby stream, between February and June 2015. We synoptically collected physical measurements on adults as well as tissue samples from a subset of the newts present in both locations throughout the time period. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were used to characterize the trophic niche space among newts of different locations and ages. Our results suggest differentiated breeding phenologies as well as unique trophic signatures in the 2 different locations. In our sampling, the pond group bred and developed a few weeks earlier in the season and ate at a higher trophic level, while the stream group bred and developed later and ate lower on the food chain. Taken as a whole, our results suggest that the newts in this area exhibit some degree of ecological and life history plasticity.

© 2020
Michael P. Marchetti and Abigail Hayes "Life History Variation in Two Populations of California Newt, Taricha torosa," Western North American Naturalist 80(2), 165-174, (20 June 2020). https://doi.org/10.3398/064.080.0204
Received: 31 May 2019; Accepted: 21 November 2019; Published: 20 June 2020
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