Structure and Dynamics of Ringed Salamander (Ambystoma annulatum) Populations in Missouri

Semlitsch, Raymond D.; Anderson, Thomas L.; Osbourn, Michael S.; Ousterhout, Brittany H.

doi:10.1655/herpetologica-d-13-00074

Cited by 33 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…; Semlitsch et al . ), resulting in a size advantage for overwintering larvae. Although our density data show that interactions between larvae of A. maculatum and fall‐breeding species are not strong enough to substantially reduce the density of A. maculatum , competition could be affecting foraging behaviour and therefore growth and body size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Habitat traits and species interactions differentially affect abundance and body size in pond‐breeding amphibians

Ousterhout

Anderson

Drake

et al. 2015

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary 1.In recent studies, habitat traits have emerged as stronger predictors of species occupancy, abundance, richness and diversity than competition. However, in many cases, it remains unclear whether habitat also mediates processes more subtle than competitive exclusion, such as growth, or whether intra-and interspecific interactions among individuals of different species may be better predictors of size. 2. To test whether habitat traits are a stronger predictor of abundance and body size than intra-and interspecific interactions, we measured the density and body size of three species of larval salamanders in 192 ponds across a landscape. 3. We found that the density of larvae was best predicted by models that included habitat features, while models incorporating interactions among individuals of different species best explained the body size of larvae. Additionally, we found a positive relationship between focal species density and congener density, while focal species body size was negatively related to congener density. 4. We posit that salamander larvae may not experience competitive exclusion and thus reduced densities, but instead compensate for increased competition behaviourally (e.g. reduced foraging), resulting in decreased growth. The discrepancy between larval density and body size, a strong predictor of fitness in this system, also highlights a potential shortcoming in using density or abundance as a metric of habitat quality or population health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike A. annulatum and A. maculatum that deposit eggs on submerged substrates (Semlitsch et al . ), A. opacum females deposit eggs in nests in dried or partially dried pond beds and eggs hatch when they are inundated. The timing of fall rains and nest inundation thus mediates size differences in the larvae.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat traits and species interactions differentially affect abundance and body size in pond‐breeding amphibians

Ousterhout

Anderson

Drake

et al. 2015

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…It is unclear whether small population size is due to low production of metamorphosing juveniles and predation in permanent ponds or low juvenile and adult survival in terrestrial habitat or both. The habitat at DBCA is high-quality mature forest and very suitable for other species like fossorial Ringed Salamanders (e.g., Semlitsch et al 2014); however, rainfall in the upper mid-western US is relatively low and results in occasional droughts that can significantly affect survival of the terrestrial stages primarily due to physiological stress (Harper 2007). The ecological drivers of terrestrial survival warrant future study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1;Semlitsch et al 2014). We selected for study 5 breeding ponds located 0.38-1.35 km apart from among >40 available ponds.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structure and Dynamics ofLithobates sylvaticus(Wood Frog) at the Periphery of Its Range in Missouri

Semlitsch

Drake

2015

Southeastern Naturalist

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Niche partitioning and the storage effect facilitate coexistence in an amphibian community

Brooks,

Caruso,

Chandler

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Virtually all natural community assemblages are dominated by a handful of common species. Dominant species can exert negative impacts on biodiversity through competitive exclusion, and thus there is a strong incentive to understand imbalances in community composition, changes in dominance hierarchies through time, and mechanisms of coexistence. Pond‐breeding amphibians that utilize ephemeral wetlands provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate theoretical predictions of community composition in stochastic environments. One of the most striking features of pond‐breeding amphibians is the marked stochastic fluctuations in abundance across years. Given strong theoretical and empirical links between evenness and biomass, one would expect community evenness to change from year to year. Moreover, if different species exhibit different boom‐and‐bust reproductive cycles, then a storage effect may help to explain why one species does not outcompete all others. Here, we explore the interplay between biotic and abiotic conditions in shaping amphibian communities at two ephemeral wetlands on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. We document consistent community composition over 6 years of monitoring, resulting from a lack of species turnover and similar responses of all community members to environmental conditions. The similar dynamics of species argues against a storage effect as the sole mechanism for coexistence and instead points to niche partitioning as a more important factor. In support of this conclusion, we show that the degree of synchrony in breeding migrations only correlates with environmental conditions within species, not between species. The lack of pattern seen between species implies that individuals are somewhat constrained in the timing of breeding migrations, perhaps owing in part to competition with other community members. We hope that our work reinvigorates interest in amphibian communities and highlights ephemeral wetlands as model systems to study community dynamics in stochastic environments.

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Structure and Dynamics of Ringed Salamander (Ambystoma annulatum) Populations in Missouri

Cited by 33 publications

References 23 publications

Habitat traits and species interactions differentially affect abundance and body size in pond‐breeding amphibians

Habitat traits and species interactions differentially affect abundance and body size in pond‐breeding amphibians

Structure and Dynamics ofLithobates sylvaticus(Wood Frog) at the Periphery of Its Range in Missouri

Niche partitioning and the storage effect facilitate coexistence in an amphibian community

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