Evaluation of Variation in Salamander Body Condition Across Different Land-Use Histories
Disciplines
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Salamanders are key parts of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In some ecosystems, they occur in high biomass and play a vital role in the movement of nutrients as both predator and prey. Some studies evaluate the status of salamander populations by estimating population-level characteristics like abundance or demographic parameters, but these methods do not capture individual-level variation in salamander health and body condition. However, these individual-level measurements may be important for evaluating conservation management decisions. Here, we measured body mass, snout-vent length, and tail width of Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea cf. wilderae) in the Georgia Museum of Natural History to evaluate whether salamander body condition—as measured using relative body mass and relative tail width—varied between males and females and between locations with different land use histories (i.e., natural, post-logging, or post-agriculture). The goals of our study were to 1) evaluate the validity of body condition metrics; and 2) help to further expand our knowledge of factors that influence salamander body condition. These objectives highlight the importance of considering extrinsic factors when assessing the health and fitness of salamander individuals. We present our preliminary results and discuss opportunities for future research in this system.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Todd Pierson
Evaluation of Variation in Salamander Body Condition Across Different Land-Use Histories
Salamanders are key parts of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In some ecosystems, they occur in high biomass and play a vital role in the movement of nutrients as both predator and prey. Some studies evaluate the status of salamander populations by estimating population-level characteristics like abundance or demographic parameters, but these methods do not capture individual-level variation in salamander health and body condition. However, these individual-level measurements may be important for evaluating conservation management decisions. Here, we measured body mass, snout-vent length, and tail width of Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea cf. wilderae) in the Georgia Museum of Natural History to evaluate whether salamander body condition—as measured using relative body mass and relative tail width—varied between males and females and between locations with different land use histories (i.e., natural, post-logging, or post-agriculture). The goals of our study were to 1) evaluate the validity of body condition metrics; and 2) help to further expand our knowledge of factors that influence salamander body condition. These objectives highlight the importance of considering extrinsic factors when assessing the health and fitness of salamander individuals. We present our preliminary results and discuss opportunities for future research in this system.