Population dynamics and conservation of the Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti
Kramer P, Reichenbach N, Hayslett M, Sattler P. 1993. Population dynamics and conservation of the Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti. Journal of Herpetology. 27(4):431-435
According to this article, one of only two endemic salamanders in Virginia is the Peaks of Otter salamander, found solely in a limited area along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the 1991 study of population dynamics described here, the authors captured 250 of these salamanders (with 42 recaptures) in a plot 10 m square on Parkway land. The paper discusses the relationship of salamander appearance on the surface to days between rains and to time of evening. The salamanders are dependent on moist conditions, and the paper mentions potentially negative effects of canopy decrease through timber harvesting or through defoliation by gypsy moths. Another aspect of the study is the degree of fragmentation and isolation of the patchy local populations, of concern because of the restricted movements of this species. With a diagram of the study plots and graph of size-class distribution data.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kramer, Peter; Reichenbach, Norman; Hayslett, Michael; Sattler, Paul
- Units
- BLRI
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Peaks of Otter (BLRI), Peaks of Otter salamander (Plethodon hubrichti), Section 1-K Blue Ridge Parkway