Increased growth rates of stream salamanders following forest harvesting

Guzy, Jacquelyn C.; Halstead, Brian J.; Halloran, Kelly M.; Homyack, Jessica A.; Willson, John D.

doi:10.1002/ece3.8238

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 114 publications

(129 reference statements)

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“…Poorer body condition of hellbenders in more heavily forested stream reaches could indicate direct physiological effects of frequent parasitic infection or, alternatively, be a response to higher rates of host movement and host-to-host contact that are indirect responses to limited resource availability and host crowding (see Sánchez et al , 2018 ). Additionally, nutrient enrichment and altered thermal regimes that often accompany loss of forest cover have been associated with an increased prey base and growth rates of aquatic salamanders ( Barrett et al , 2010 ; Bumpers et al , 2015 ; Guzy et al , 2021 ), suggesting that higher body condition in more degraded stream reaches could be attributable to altered energy flow and higher biomass of hellbender prey in those stream reaches ( Bumpers et al , 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian

Bodinof Jachowski,

Alaasam,

Blumenthal

et al. 2024

Conservation Physiology

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Amphibian declines are a global phenomenon but responses of populations to specific threats are often context dependent and mediated by individual physiological condition. Habitat degradation due to reduced riparian forest cover and parasitism are two threats facing the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), but their potential to interact in nature remains largely unexplored. We investigated associations between forest cover, parasitic infection and physiology of hellbenders to test the hypotheses that physiological condition responds to infection and/or habitat degradation. We sampled 17 stream reaches in southwest Virginia, USA, on a year-round basis from 2013 to 2016 and recorded 841 captures of 405 unique hellbenders. At each capture we documented prevalence of two blood-associated parasites (a leech and trypanosome) and quantified up to three physiological condition indices (body condition, hematocrit, white blood cell [WBC] differentials). We used generalized linear mixed models to describe spatiotemporal variation in parasitic infection and each condition index. In general, living in the most heavily forested stream reaches, where hellbender density was highest, was associated with the greatest risk of parasitism, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratios and eosinophils, slightly lower hematocrit and lower mean body condition in hellbenders. All condition indices fluctuated temporally in a manner consistent with seasonal variation in hellbender metabolic demands and breeding phenology and were associated with land use during at least part of the year. Paradoxically, relatively low levels of forest cover appeared to confer a potential advantage to individuals in the form of release from parasites and improved body condition. Despite improved body condition, individuals from less forested areas failed to exhibit fluctuating body condition in response to spawning, which was typical in hellbenders from more forested habitats. We postulate this lack of fluctuation could be due to reduced conspecific competition or reproductive investment and/or high rates of filial cannibalism in response to declining forest cover.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian

Bodinof Jachowski,

Alaasam,

Blumenthal

et al. 2024

Conservation Physiology

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Methylmercury Concentrations More Strongly Associated With Trait Variation Than Food Web Position in Plethodontid Salamanders

Tennant,

Cosentino,

Cleckner

et al. 2024

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Salamanders serve as bioindicators of mercury (Hg) in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats and are an important link in the food web between low‐trophic prey and higher‐trophic predators. We investigated the drivers of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in three common plethodontid salamander species in New York State, USA, including comparisons among regions, habitat types (terrestrial and semiaquatic), and color morphs of Plethodon cinereus (striped and unstriped). Nonlethal tail samples were collected from one terrestrial species (P. cinereus) and two semiaquatic species (Eurycea bislineata and Desmognathus spp.) in the Adirondack Mountains (ADK) and the Finger Lakes National Forest (FLNF) regions. Samples were analyzed for MeHg and stable isotopes, including δ15N and δ13C which are proxies of trophic position and diet, respectively. Despite elevated biota Hg concentrations typically found in the ADK, salamander MeHg concentrations did not differ by region in the terrestrial species and one of the semiaquatic species. In addition, diet and trophic level did not explain MeHg exposure in salamanders. Semiaquatic salamanders exhibited higher MeHg concentrations than terrestrial salamanders in the FLNF only. Within species, only snout–vent length predicted MeHg concentrations in E. bislineata with few other variables significant as predictors of MeHg concentrations in path models. Among P. cinereus individuals in the FLNF, the striped morph had greater MeHg concentrations than the unstriped morph, and food web tracers were not different between morphs. Overall, New York State salamander Hg concentrations were elevated compared to other locations where these species are present. The present study establishes baseline Hg data in salamanders for future assessments of changes in Hg bioavailability to forests of New York State. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1–13. © 2024 SETAC

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Increased growth rates of stream salamanders following forest harvesting

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 2 publications

References 114 publications

The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian

The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian

Methylmercury Concentrations More Strongly Associated With Trait Variation Than Food Web Position in Plethodontid Salamanders

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