The importance of understanding spatial population structure when evaluating the effects of silviculture on spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum)

摘要: Current silvicultural practices in the northeastern United States create diverse vegetation patterns and microclimates that provide a mosaic of terrestrial habitats for amphibian species. We inferred habitat use by spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, studying colonization four newly created breeding pools each surrounded different forest treatments: control, partial cut, clearcut with coarse woody debris (CWD) removed, CWD retained. Created were rapidly colonized, indicating salamanders readily bred new they encountered. This suggests our study area pool-specific philopatry site fidelity may not be high particular define local populations. In experimental treatments, juvenile preferred control to clearcuts, whereas adult showed no significant preferences among treatments. Although such as clearcutting reduce movement between pools, inter-pool adults are more tolerant change ameliorate this effect area. If juveniles primary life-history stage dispersing populations (i.e., moving isolated groups pools), however, there is potential connectivity