Habitat alteration (i.e. degradation, fragmentation, and destruction) is the primary driver of amphibian decline and extinction. Despite their ecological importance and threatened status, very little long-term research has been conducted on how methods of forest management impact salamanders. In this research, I examine how experimental silviculture impacts plethodontid salamander relative abundance and count, and I compare three different body condition indices. Chapter 1 focuses on plethodontid salamander relative abundance 30 years after experimental treatments (including clearcut and shelterwood harvests, understory herbicide, uneven-aged management, and an untreated control) were first applied. I found that plethodontid salamander populations in all silvicultural treatments without stand re-entry have reached pre-harvest relative abundance levels. Chapter 2 describes how artificial tip-up mounds that could be used to mimic old-growth forest characteristics impact plethodontid salamander count. Salamander count significantly declined in treatment units with artificial tip-up mounds but this could be an artifact of the heavy disturbance required for installation. Chapter 3 compares three different body condition indices for plethodontid salamanders. I found that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is likely not suitable for use with plethodontid salamanders and mass divided by snout-to-vent-length is likely a superior estimate to tail width divided by snout-to-vent-length. These findings further our understanding of how different forest management practices affect salamander populations and provide guidance for evaluating body condition. / Master of Science / Forest understory salamanders play an important role in energy transfer and their position in leaf litter food webs affects multiple ecosystem functions. Despite their ecological importance, very little long-term research has been conducted on how habitat change impacts salamanders. This research investigates how different forest management techniques influence forest-dwelling salamanders and compares three different ways to evaluate salamander health. Chapter 1 focuses on the salamanders 30 years post-harvest. I found that salamander populations in all silvicultural treatments except one had recovered. Chapter 2 described how tipping over trees to mimic old-growth forest characteristics impacts the number of forest-dwelling salamanders. There were significantly fewer salamanders in treatment units after the disturbance created by installing artificial tip-up mounds. Chapter 3 compares three different ways to evaluate forest-dwelling salamander health. I found that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)is likely not suitable for forest-dwelling salamanders, and weight divided by body length is likely a superior estimate to tail width divided by body length. These findings together further our understanding of how different forest management practices affect salamander populations and provide guidance for evaluating body condition.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119035 |
| Date | 20 May 2024 |
| Creators | Engler, Victoria Margaret |
| Contributors | Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Haas, Carola A., Kindsvater, Holly, Caruso, Nicholas Michael, Aust, Wallace M. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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