Fidelity and dispersal in the pond-breeding amphibian, Ambystoma opacum: Implications for spatio-temporal population dynamics and conservation

Gamble, Lloyd R.; McGarigal, Kevin; Compton, Bradley W.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.07.001

Cited by 167 publications

(155 citation statements)

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“…In a network of breeding ponds from a topographically and ecologically complex landscape in central California (Hastings Reservation) that is similar to that at Fort Ord, approximately 30% of first-time breeders moved to different breeding pond from their birth pond, and about 30% of salamanders that bred in two different years switched ponds between breeding events (Trenham et al 2001), suggesting that a salamander that breeds twice has a roughly 50% probability of moving from its birth pond for at least one of those breeding events. These numbers, from very different sites with very different ecological conditions, suggest that movement among breeding sites is quite common in this species, and that the precise philopatry that is often ascribed to Ambystoma salamanders (Gamble et al 2007) may not hold for A. californiense. Interestingly, we found no evidence for isolationby-distance, which often occurs in amphibian systems (Funk et al 2005;Spear et al 2005;Wang et al 2009;Wang and Summers 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Effective population size is strongly correlated with breeding pond size in the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense

Wang

Johnson

et al. 2011

Conserv Genet

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Maintaining genetic diversity and population viability in endangered and threatened species is a primary concern of conservation biology. Genetic diversity depends on population connectivity and effective population size (N e ), both of which are often compromised in endangered taxa. While the importance of population connectivity and gene flow has been well studied, investigating effective population sizes in natural systems has received far less attention. However, N e plays a prominent role in the maintenance of genetic diversity, the prevention of inbreeding depression, and in determining the probability of population persistence. In this study, we examined the relationship between breeding pond characteristics and N e in the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense. We sampled 203 individuals from 10 breeding ponds on a local landscape, and used 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci to quantify genetic structure, gene flow, and effective population sizes. We also measured the areas of each pond using satellite imagery and classified ponds as either hydrologically-modified perennial ponds or naturally occurring vernal pools, the latter of which constitute the natural breeding habitat for A. californiense. We found no correlation between pond area and heterozygosity or allelic diversity, but we identified a strong positive relationship between breeding pond area and N e , particularly for vernal pools. Our results provide some of the first empirical evidence that variation in breeding habitat can be associated with differences in N e and suggest that a more complete understanding of the environmental features that influence N e is an important component of conservation genetics and management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Effective population size is strongly correlated with breeding pond size in the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense

Wang

Johnson

et al. 2011

Conserv Genet

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“…Juveniles may be an important dispersing stage for pond-breeding salamanders , Gamble et al 2007, and 5-9% of juvenile A. opacum are known to breed for the first time at non-natal wetlands (Scott 1994, Gamble et al 2007). Although we observed ;2% of juveniles emigrate beyond 332 m, we also captured nearly 6% of known 1-and 2-yr-old survivors of this cohort returning to GB from beyond 332 m. It does not appear that all juveniles in the tail of the distribution were dispersing to another pond.…”

Section: Juvenile Emigrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial distribution of pond‐breeding salamanders around an isolated wetland

Scott¹,

Komoroski²,

Croshaw³

et al. 2013

Ecology

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Terrestrial habitats surrounding isolated wetlands are a critical resource for many pond-breeding amphibian species, yet few studies have examined the terrestrial distribution of post-metamorphic juveniles and adults. We used an encircling drift fence at a breeding pond in conjunction with partial fences at 90, 172, and 332 m from the wetland to estimate the terrestrial distribution of adult marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum; four breeding seasons) and mole salamanders (A. talpoideum; two seasons), as well as the dispersion of newly metamorphosed A. opacum (one summer). For newly metamorphosed A. opacum, 79% emigrated wetland, and 8% moved beyond 172 m; movement distance was unrelated to body size. Distribution of adult A. opacum varied among years, with an average of 28% (range 23-31%) occurring beyond 172 m in all years. Averaged across two years, 51% of adult A. talpoideum occurred beyond 172 m. Lognormal models provided a good fit to both the juvenile and adult ambystomatid distributions, and parameters differed between age classes, sexes, species, and years within species. For adult A. opacum a buffer radius of 300 m or 340 m, depending on the year, is estimated to include 95% of adults; for A. talpoideum the estimate is 464 m or 501 m. A reanalysis of distribution data for seven ambystomatid species shows that a previous estimate of a 164-m radius to protect 95% of a population underestimates the needed buffer radius by 185 m. Because our study wetland requires a nearly 500 m wide radius to protect 95% of its ambystomatid adults, preservation of similar communities may require much more surrounding terrestrial habitat than previously thought. KeywordsAmbystoma opacum, Ambystoma talpoideum, dispersal, isolated wetland, juvenile emigration, pondbreeding salamander, terrestrial buffer zone, terrestrial distribution Disciplines Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Statistics and Probability CommentsThis is an article from Ecology 94 (2013) Abstract. Terrestrial habitats surrounding isolated wetlands are a critical resource for many pond-breeding amphibian species, yet few studies have examined the terrestrial distribution of post-metamorphic juveniles and adults. We used an encircling drift fence at a breeding pond in conjunction with partial fences at 90, 172, and 332 m from the wetland to estimate the terrestrial distribution of adult marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum; four breeding seasons) and mole salamanders (A. talpoideum; two seasons), as well as the dispersion of newly metamorphosed A. opacum (one summer). For newly metamorphosed A. opacum, 79% emigrated ,90 m from the wetland, and 8% moved beyond 172 m; movement distance was unrelated to body size. Distribution of adult A. opacum varied among years, with an average of 28% (range 23-31%) occurring beyond 172 m in all years. Averaged across two years, 51% of adult A. talpoideum occurred beyond 172 m. Lognormal models provided a good fit to both the juvenile and adult ambystomatid distributions, and parameters differed between age classes,...

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“…We hypothesized that adult female tiger salamanders would travel greater distances into the upland forested habitat during emigration than males, potentially biasing zones of protection that are based on averaging emigration distances across both sexes [25,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. Second, we hypothesized that a percentage of juveniles would travel farther than the adults, since some juveniles disperse to other wetlands from the natal wetland, rather than simply emigrating, creating a need for safe dispersal routes connecting wetlands [50,51]. Third, we predicted that the distance moved by juveniles would vary by body size, because larger juveniles could have more energy reserves and be less vulnerable to dehydration during movement [52,53].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Maintaining Upland Forest Habitat Surrounding Salamander Breeding Ponds: Case Study of the Eastern Tiger Salamander in New York, USA

Titus

Madison

Green

2014

Forests

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Most amphibians use both wetland and upland habitats, but the extent of their movement in forested habitats is poorly known. We used radiotelemetry to observe the movements of adult and juvenile eastern tiger salamanders over a 4-year period. Females tended to move farther from the breeding ponds into upland forested habitat than males, while the distance a juvenile moved appeared to be related to body size, with the largest individuals moving as far as the adult females. Individuals chose refugia in native pitch pine-oak forested habitat and avoided open fields, roads, and developed areas. We also observed a difference in potential predation pressures in relation to the distance an individual moved from the edge of the pond. Our results support delineating forested wetland buffer zones on a case-by-case basis to reduce the impacts of concentrated predation, to increase and protect the availability of pitch pine-oak forests near the breeding pond, and to focus primarily on the habitat needs of the adult females and larger juveniles, which in turn will encompass habitat needs of adult males and smaller juveniles.

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Fidelity and dispersal in the pond-breeding amphibian, Ambystoma opacum: Implications for spatio-temporal population dynamics and conservation

Cited by 167 publications

References 35 publications

Effective population size is strongly correlated with breeding pond size in the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense

Effective population size is strongly correlated with breeding pond size in the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense

Terrestrial distribution of pond‐breeding salamanders around an isolated wetland

The Importance of Maintaining Upland Forest Habitat Surrounding Salamander Breeding Ponds: Case Study of the Eastern Tiger Salamander in New York, USA

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