Meeting Abstract

29-6  Friday, Jan. 4 14:45 – 15:00  Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) breeding population structure and dynamics across 20 years at a northeastern Ohio pond THOMAS, S*; PURRENHAGE, JL; FOSTER, A; LOUCEK, J; ROEDER, A; BRANCH, TL; MOORE, F BG; NIEWIAROWSKI, P H; The University of Akron; University of New Hampshire; The University of Akron; The University of Akron; The University of Akron; The University of Akron; The University of Akron; The University of Akron scott06thomas@gmail.com

Long-term demographic data are essential tools for interpreting and predicting the population structure and dynamics of long-lived species. Furthermore, an understanding of the ecological factors shaping such data allows for insights to be shared across populations in divergent contexts or for which information is limited. Here, we present findings from a 20 year ongoing mark-recapture study of spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) breeding at a drift-fenced pond in northeastern Ohio, USA. This breeding population has fluctuated over an order of magnitude across the study period, ranging from less than 200 to greater than 2000 individuals. Consistent with many other amphibian populations, we also found that sex ratios here skew strongly male, and overall population dynamics are largely male-driven while female numbers have remained relatively stable. For individuals, we found the capacity for extensive iteroparity and longevity, but a majority of this population participates in only a single breeding bout. Additionally, we investigate the role of various ecological factors in shaping the observed dynamics, focusing on sources of variation in larval growth and mortality that vary considerably across breeding ponds. Finally, we compare our findings with those from other long-term studies of this unusually well-studied genus in order to identify general patterns and suggest areas for future inquiry.