Environmental Drivers of Local Demography and Size Plasticity in Fire Salamanders (<i>Salamandra salamandra</i>).

ABSTRACT: Conspecific amphibian populations may vary widely in local demography and average body size throughout their geographical range. The environmental drivers of variation may reflect geographical gradients or local habitat quality. Among fire salamander populations (Salamandra salamandra), local demography shows a limited range of variation because high concentrations of skin toxins reduce mortality from predation to a minimum, whereas average adult body size varies significantly over a wide range. This study on four neighboring populations inhabiting the catchments of low-order streams in the upper middle Rhine Valley (Koblenz, Germany) focuses on the identification of local environmental drivers of variation in age and body size. I collected 192 individuals at two localities per stre

SUBMITTER: Sinsch U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11475656 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature