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Population Ecology of two Relictual Salamanders from the Klamath Mountains of Northwestern California

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Wildlife 2001: Populations

Abstract

We investigated the population ecology of the southern Olympic salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus) and the Del Norte salamander (Plethodon elongatus) in the Klamath Mountains of northwestern California. A random stratified sampling design was used to investigate the distribution and relative abundance of subpopulations (metapopulation structure) of both species. We investigated specific demographic and other ecological aspects of one subpopulation of each species at sites with the highest relative numbers of each as revealed by the metapopulation analyses. Mark-recapture studies were conducted over 3 yr at these sites to gather ecological information on populations of these salamanders that appeared to exist in optimum conditions. We report data on population parameters, reproductive biology, movement, and growth. We offer this approach as a way to evaluate potential long-term viability of highly specialized or relictual species. We emphasize the importance of integrating site-specific ecological data with information on metapopulation structure at landscape and bioregional scales for conservation planning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, California, 95521, USA

    Hartwell H. Welsh Jr. & Amy J. Lind

Authors
  1. Hartwell H. Welsh Jr.
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  2. Amy J. Lind
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forestry and Resource Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA

    Dale R. McCullough  & Reginald H. Barrett  & 

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© 1992 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd

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Welsh, H.H., Lind, A.J. (1992). Population Ecology of two Relictual Salamanders from the Klamath Mountains of Northwestern California. In: McCullough, D.R., Barrett, R.H. (eds) Wildlife 2001: Populations. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2868-1_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2868-1_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-85166-876-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2868-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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