Subterranean movement inferred by temporary emigration in Barton Springs salamanders (Eurycea sosorum).

ABSTRACT: Movement behavior is an important aspect of animal ecology but is challenging to study in species that are unobservable for some portion of their lives, such as those inhabiting subterranean environments. Using four years of robust-design capture-recapture data, we examined the probability of movement into subterranean habitat by a population of endangered Barton Springs salamanders (Eurycea sosorum), a species that inhabits both surface and subterranean groundwater habitats. We tested the effects of environmental variables and body size on survival and temporary emigration, using the latter as a measure of subterranean habitat use. Based on 2,046 observations of 1,578 individuals, we found that temporary emigration was higher for larger salamanders, 79% of which temporarily emigrat

SUBMITTER: Bendik NF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8074841 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature