Meeting Abstract
The Ouachita dusky salamander, Desmognathus brimleyorum, is a semi-aquatic salamander restricted to the Interior Highlands of Arkansas and Oklahoma. We conducted surveys during their active season to determine their distributional extent and to collect genetic samples for phylogeographic studies. Using MAXENT, distributional data were combined with fine scale temperature data, geographical data, and macroenvironmental parameters to identify the relative importance of environmental variables in the distribution of D. brimleyorum. Out of 26 environmental variables, the top 5 variables contributed to nearly 90% of the species distribution model. The top predictor variable, land cover, accounted for approximately 33% of the distribution model. Extrapolating the model over the entirety of the Interior Highlands of Arkansas and Oklahoma predicts a distribution largely confined to the Ouachita Mountains, and absent from the Ozarks and Coastal Plain, consistent with historical observations. The MAXENT model highlights the importance of conservation and land cover on the distribution and continued persistence of salamander populations of the Interior Highlands.
