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Habitat associations of the Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon Tenebrosus) at its northern range limit

Dudaniec, Rachael LU and Richardson, John S (2012) In Herpetological Conservation and Biology 7(1). p.1-15
Abstract
Knowledge of species-environment associations is critical for the management of threatened amphibian populations facing habitat fragmentation and a restricted range. The Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) is subject to habitat degradation from logging and human development and is classified as Threatened at its northern range limit in British Columbia, Canada. We examined habitat associations for D. tenebrosus in relation to relative abundance and presence/absence for 32 streams sampled across the approximately 100 km2 range of the species in British Columbia. Of 12 environmental variables we measured at 100-m stream reaches and the adjacent riparian zone, D. tenebrosus relative abundance was positively associated with... (More)
Knowledge of species-environment associations is critical for the management of threatened amphibian populations facing habitat fragmentation and a restricted range. The Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) is subject to habitat degradation from logging and human development and is classified as Threatened at its northern range limit in British Columbia, Canada. We examined habitat associations for D. tenebrosus in relation to relative abundance and presence/absence for 32 streams sampled across the approximately 100 km2 range of the species in British Columbia. Of 12 environmental variables we measured at 100-m stream reaches and the adjacent riparian zone, D. tenebrosus relative abundance was positively associated with stream elevation, forest age, and the percentage of boulders within streams. A higher stream gradient was the best predictor of D. tenebrosus presence within a stream reach, with present sites having a 91% higher gradient than absent sites. When excluding sites with low relative abundance, D. tenebrosus presence was also predicted by greater forest age surrounding streams and higher site elevation. Our study highlights that conservation planning

for stream-associated amphibians with patchy distributions may be improved by an understanding of species-specific habitat associations at the stream-reach scale. (Less)
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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
conservation, Coastal Giant Salamander, Dicamptodon tenebrosus, habitat associations, range limit, stream reach
in
Herpetological Conservation and Biology
volume
7
issue
1
pages
1 - 15
publisher
Herpetological Conservation & Biology
external identifiers
  • scopus:84861994630
ISSN
1931-7603
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
1
id
19bb21ba-fd7d-4cca-a65a-4b44b5612cce (old id 3738451)
alternative location
http://herpconbio.org/Volume_7/Issue_1/Dudaniec_Richardson_2012.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:17:09
date last changed
2022-01-27 18:24:15
@article{19bb21ba-fd7d-4cca-a65a-4b44b5612cce,
  abstract     = {{Knowledge of species-environment associations is critical for the management of threatened amphibian populations facing habitat fragmentation and a restricted range. The Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) is subject to habitat degradation from logging and human development and is classified as Threatened at its northern range limit in British Columbia, Canada. We examined habitat associations for D. tenebrosus in relation to relative abundance and presence/absence for 32 streams sampled across the approximately 100 km2 range of the species in British Columbia. Of 12 environmental variables we measured at 100-m stream reaches and the adjacent riparian zone, D. tenebrosus relative abundance was positively associated with stream elevation, forest age, and the percentage of boulders within streams. A higher stream gradient was the best predictor of D. tenebrosus presence within a stream reach, with present sites having a 91% higher gradient than absent sites. When excluding sites with low relative abundance, D. tenebrosus presence was also predicted by greater forest age surrounding streams and higher site elevation. Our study highlights that conservation planning<br/><br>
for stream-associated amphibians with patchy distributions may be improved by an understanding of species-specific habitat associations at the stream-reach scale.}},
  author       = {{Dudaniec, Rachael and Richardson, John S}},
  issn         = {{1931-7603}},
  keywords     = {{conservation; Coastal Giant Salamander; Dicamptodon tenebrosus; habitat associations; range limit; stream reach}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--15}},
  publisher    = {{Herpetological Conservation & Biology}},
  series       = {{Herpetological Conservation and Biology}},
  title        = {{Habitat associations of the Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon Tenebrosus) at its northern range limit}},
  url          = {{http://herpconbio.org/Volume_7/Issue_1/Dudaniec_Richardson_2012.pdf}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}