Effects of habitat fragment size and isolation on the density and genetics of urban red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus)

Wilk, Andrew; Donlon, Kate C.; Peterman, William E.

doi:10.1007/s11252-020-00958-8

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 84 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, results on this front are mixed. Genetic diversity and population connectivity were reduced in urban populations of some species (Arens et al, 2007; Homola et al, 2019; Munshi‐South et al, 2013; Noёl et al, 2007; Wilk et al, 2020), while other species had similar, or higher genetic diversity in urban populations (Browne et al, 2009; Furman et al, 2016; Fusco et al, 2021; Hamer & McDonnell, 2008; Lourenço et al, 2017; Nowakowski et al, 2018; Purrenhage et al, 2009; Wilk et al, 2020). This variation across species may be due to trait differences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The population genetics of urban and rural amphibians in North America

Schmidt

Garroway

2021

Molecular Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human land transformation is one of the leading causes of vertebrate population declines. These declines are thought to be partly due to decreased connectivity and habitat loss reducing animal population sizes in disturbed habitats. With time, this can lead to declines in effective population size and genetic diversity which restrict the ability of wildlife to efficiently cope with environmental change through genetic adaptation. However, it is not well understood whether these effects generally hold across taxa. We address this question by repurposing and synthesizing raw microsatellite data from online repositories for 19 amphibian species sampled at 554 georeferenced sites in North America. For each site, we estimated gene diversity, allelic richness, effective population size, and population differentiation. Using binary urban‐rural census designations, and continuous measures of human population density, the Human Footprint Index, and impervious surface cover, we tested for generalizable effects of human land use on amphibian genetic diversity. We found minimal evidence, either positive or negative, for relationships between genetic metrics and urbanization. Together with previous work on focal species that also found varying effects of urbanization on genetic composition, it seems likely that the consequences of urbanization are not easily generalizable within or across amphibian species. Questions about the genetic consequences of urbanization for amphibians should be addressed on a case‐by‐case basis. This contrasts with general negative effects of urbanization in mammals and consistent, but species‐specific, positive and negative effects in birds.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The population genetics of urban and rural amphibians in North America

Schmidt

Garroway

2021

Molecular Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Plethodontids lay their eggs in moist areas under rocks or fallen trees, with some species utilizing subterranean environments (Lunghi, Corti, et al, 2018), and they spend time at the surface to feed (Petranka, 1998). As a result, P. cinereus must spend time at the surface and, given their physiological limitations, increased precipitation and soil moisture grant them the necessary conditions for surface activity (Gade & Peterman, 2019; Milanovich et al, 2010; Wilk et al, 2020). Further, experimental analyses have shown that increased temperatures reduce growth rates in P. cinereus (Muñoz, Miller Hesed, et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Projected northward shifts in eastern red‐backed salamanders due to changing climate

Hedrick

Estrada

Sutherland

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many species' distributions are being impacted by the acceleration of climate change. Amphibians in particular serve numerous ecosystem functions and are useful indicators of environmental change. Understanding how their distributions have been impacted by climate change and will continue to be impacted is thus important to overall ecosystem health. Plethodon cinereus (Eastern Red‐Backed Salamander) is a widespread species of lungless salamander (Plethodontidae) that ranges across northeastern North America. To better understand future potential lungless salamander range shifts, we quantify environmental favorability, the likelihood of membership in a set of sites where environmental conditions are favorable for a species, for P. cinereus in multiple time periods, and examine shifts in the species' distribution. First, utilizing a large data set of georeferenced records, we assessed which bioclimatic variables were associated with environmental favorability in P. cinereus. We then used species distribution modeling for two time periods (1961–1980 and 2001–2020) to determine whether there was a regional shift in environmental favorability in the past 60 years. Models were then used to project future distributions under eight climate change scenarios to quantify potential range shifts. Shifts were assessed using fuzzy logic, avoiding thresholds that oversimplify model predictions into artificial binary outputs. We found that P. cinereus presence is strongly associated with environmental stability. There has been a substantial northward shift in environmental favorability for P. cinereus between 1961–1980 and 2001–2020. This shift is predicted to continue by 2070, with larger shifts under higher greenhouse gas emission scenarios. As climate change accelerates, it is differentially impacting species but has especially strong impacts on dispersal‐limited species. Our results show substantial northward shifts in climatic favorability in the last 60 years for P. cinereus, which are likely to be exacerbated by ongoing climate change. Since P. cinereus is dispersal‐limited, these models may imply local extirpations along the southern modern range with limited northward dispersal. Continued monitoring of amphibians in the field will reveal microclimatic effects associated with climate change and the accuracy of the model predictions presented here.

show abstract

“…Molecular ecology studies using microsatellites have been an area of active research since Petranka (1998). Connors & Cabe (2003) published the first set of microsatellite markers for P. cinereus from a well-studied Virginia population, which have been widely used by researchers to test hypotheses of detectable isolation-by-distance (Cabe et al, 2007), the strength of natural and humanmade barriers to dispersal (Marsh et al, 2007(Marsh et al, , 2008, impacts of habitat fragmentation on urban populations (Gibbs, 1998c;Noel et al, 2007;Noel & Lapointe, 2010;Wilk, Donlon, & Peterman, 2020), kin discrimination (Liebgold & Cabe, 2008), influence of historical landscape change on population structure (Jordan, Morris, & Gibson, 2008), and color-biased dispersal . The results of these studies are discussed in detail in the appropriate section later in this review.…”

Section: (B) Systematics and Geographic Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eastern red-backed salamanders: A comprehensive review of an undervalued model in evolution, ecology, & behavior

Fisher‐Reid¹,

Grayson²,

Grouleff³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

What makes a model organism? Identifying the qualities of a model organism has been given a great deal of attention in the biomolecular sciences, but less so in the fields of evolution, ecology, and behavior (EEB). In EEB, biotic and abiotic variation are features to understand, not bugs to get rid of, and EEB scientists often select organisms to study which best suit the scientific question at hand. Successful EEB model organisms can be studied at multiple biological scales and have a wealth of accumulated knowledge on which current research programs build. A recent call within EEB to invest in the inclusive development of diverse model systems and scientists has led us to evaluate the standing of the widespread, abundant, terrestrial salamander we study, the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus). We first look at salamanders as EEB models more generally, to determine where P. cinereus fits in this broader context. We next present a comprehensive review of the literature on the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) since the last comprehensive review was completed in 1998. The core of our paper reviews 410 recent studies and highlights inconsistencies, gaps in our knowledge, and future directions in the context of the 1998 review. Finally, we present a collaborative research network, SPARCnet, as a nascent infrastructure for continued research on P. cinereus. Here, we especially discuss how this type of infrastructure can be broadly applied not just to other salamanders, but to other model systems, so that the future of EEB research may benefit from models which accurately represent, in Darwin’s words, “endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful.”

show abstract

Effects of habitat fragment size and isolation on the density and genetics of urban red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus)

Cited by 13 publications

References 84 publications

The population genetics of urban and rural amphibians in North America

The population genetics of urban and rural amphibians in North America

Projected northward shifts in eastern red‐backed salamanders due to changing climate

Eastern red-backed salamanders: A comprehensive review of an undervalued model in evolution, ecology, & behavior

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About