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

PeerJ

article

Nathan F. Bendik¹  Dee Ann Chamberlain¹  Thomas J. Devitt¹  Sarah E. Donelson¹  Bradley Nissen¹  Jacob D. Owen¹  Donelle Robinson¹  Blake N. Sissel¹  Kenneth Sparks¹ 

[1] Watershed Protection Department;University of Texas, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Center;Tennessee State University, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences;Randolph Air Force Base;United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Services Field Office;Travis County, Department of Transportation and Natural Resources;Baer Engineering & Environmental Consulting, Inc.

关键词: Conservation;    Amphibian movement;    Capture-recapture;    Cave;    Groundwater;    Edwards Aquifer;    Robust-design;    Plethodontidae;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.11246

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

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 emigrated into subterranean habitat between primary sampling intervals, on average. Body size was a better predictor of temporary emigration and survival compared to environmental covariates, although coefficients from lower ranked models suggested turbidity and dissolved oxygen may influence salamander movement between the surface and subsurface. Surface population dynamics are partly driven by movement below ground and therefore surface abundance estimates represent a fraction of the superpopulation. As such, while surface habitat management remains an important conservation strategy for this species, periodic declines in apparent surface abundance do not necessarily indicate declines of the superpopulation associated with the spring habitat.

【 授权许可】

CC BY