The Value of Residential Forests for Plethodontid Salamanders on the Cumberland Plateau, USA

BA McKenzie, KK Cecala - Natural Areas Journal, 2020 - BioOne
Natural Areas Journal, 2020BioOne
ABSTRACT The southeastern United States contains the largest area on Earth devoted to
intensive pine growth and represents an area experiencing rapid forest conversion for
residential development. This region also harbors the highest lungless salamander diversity
in the world. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that this taxon responds negatively to forest
conversion. In this study, we evaluated terrestrial salamander abundance in four forest types
commonly found on the southern Cumberland Plateau, USA: unmanaged, residential …
Abstract
The southeastern United States contains the largest area on Earth devoted to intensive pine growth and represents an area experiencing rapid forest conversion for residential development. This region also harbors the highest lungless salamander diversity in the world. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that this taxon responds negatively to forest conversion. In this study, we evaluated terrestrial salamander abundance in four forest types commonly found on the southern Cumberland Plateau, USA: unmanaged, residential, burned, and harvested. Our results indicate that terrestrial salamanders occur in low surface abundance in this landscape but are found at their highest abundance in residential forest patches. Although we are unable to assess if these areas have always harbored higher abundances of terrestrial salamanders, these residential forest fragments have high conservation value to retain terrestrial salamanders in a heavily managed landscape.
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