Comparing population patterns to processes: abundance and survival of a forest salamander following habitat degradation.

ABSTRACT: Habitat degradation resulting from anthropogenic activities poses immediate and prolonged threats to biodiversity, particularly among declining amphibians. Many studies infer amphibian response to habitat degradation by correlating patterns in species occupancy or abundance with environmental effects, often without regard to the demographic processes underlying these patterns. We evaluated how retention of vertical green trees (CANOPY) and coarse woody debris (CWD) influenced terrestrial salamander abundance and apparent survival in recently clearcut forests. Estimated abundance of unmarked salamanders was positively related to CANOPY (β Canopy  = 0.21 (0.02-1.19; 95% CI), but not CWD (β CWD  = 0.11 (-0.13-0.35) within 3,600 m2 sites, whereas estimated abundance of unmarked salamanders was

SUBMITTER: Otto CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3981728 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature