A red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) I found at Table Rock, SC Many of us know that the region we live in, the southeastern US, is home to some of the greatest diversity of amphibian species – particularly salamanders. But just how rich is this diversity, and how common are our slimy little friends? I decided I wasn’t going to take this fact for granted, and read up on the topic myself so I can summarize it here. Heat map illustrating amphibian diversity in the continental US. Taken from the Gulf Coastal Plains & Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative website Map showing the extent of what is considered the Appalachian region extending from its southeastern extents in Alabama and Mississippi to its northern limits in New York. As it turns out, this region is very much a hotspot for salamanders and for amphibian diversity in general!
According to the proceedings of the Salamander Conservation Workshop hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park a few years ago, the Appalachian region of the US is home to 14% of the world’s 535 salamander species. This makes it a hotspot for salamander biodiversity, and nearly half (35) of the 76 species that reside here are endemic to this region (Stuart et al, 2004). These 76 species come from a wide range of genera with the largest (29 species) being Plethodon - also known as woodland salamanders. There are also many Desmognathus, a few Ambystoma, Gyrinophilus, and even a Cryptobranchus - the Hellbender! Many of these have unique and specialized habitat requirements, but they all are able to find a home within this biodiversity hotspot of the Appalachian Mountains - also known as our own backyard! There still remains some uncertainty on the overall status of salamanders in this region, however. It is very difficult to estimate population size when salamander detection is very difficult. Most of the species in this region are nocturnal, terrestrial, and very adept at staying out of sight of researchers attempting to catalogue their abundance. Over the summer, I went on a few trips to go catch salamanders in the mountains of North Carolina, and I remember with great detail the struggle of finding salamanders among all of the camouflaging leaf litter. Not everything pertaining to salamander abundance in the Southern Appalachians is good news, unfortunately. According to a series of long-term studies by Richard Highton (2005), the populations of 38 Plethodon salamander species may have declined as much as 50% from the years 1990-2000. The exact cause of these changes remains uncertain, but it is clear from these studies and many others that the salamanders here are in danger and we may not remain as such a hotspot for salamander biodiversity for long. Global climate change is likely to lead to a decrease in favorable habitat for many salamander species in the near future, if it hasn’t been contributing already. Because of this, it is important to better understand the diversity we currently have and to learn how we can help preserve it for future generations. References: Highton, R. 2005. Declines of Eastern North American Woodland Salamanders (Plethodon). Pages 34-46 in M. Lanoo, editor. Amphibian Declines: Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, Berkley. Stuart, S., J. Chanson, N. Cox, B. Young, A. Rodrigues, D. Fischman, and R. Waller. 2004. Status and Trends of Amphibian Declines and Extinctions Worldwide. Pages 1783-1786. Science. American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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The Slime Times is written by the Stress After Dark Creative Inquiry TeamScience isn't all white lab coats and ivory pillars, sometimes you just need to get slimy. Archives
August 2016
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