Correlational Test of Mathis' Hypothesis That Bigger Salamanders Have Better Territories

Plethodon cinereus, the red-backed salamander, is completely terrestrial, and individuals establish territories on the forest floor in eastern North America. Although P. cinereus utilizes a broad diet of small invertebrate prey, food is periodically reduced in availability during dry periods between...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Copeia 1995-08, Vol.1995 (3), p.729-735
Main Author: Gabor, Caitlin R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal traps
Correlations
Ecological competition
Food availability
Forest litter
Freshwater
Invertebrates
Marine ecology
Mathematical objects
Natural resources
Plethodon cinereus
Salamanders
Shorter Contributions
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Description
Summary:Plethodon cinereus, the red-backed salamander, is completely terrestrial, and individuals establish territories on the forest floor in eastern North America. Although P. cinereus utilizes a broad diet of small invertebrate prey, food is periodically reduced in availability during dry periods between rainfalls. This limits individual salamanders to foraging in patches of moisture under and around rocks and logs where they can avoid desiccation. Food is also a "limiting" resource (in terms of energy budgets) during drier, warmer periods when metabolic requirements are raised, and assimilation efficiencies are lowered. Jaeger (1980) also examined the stomach contents of P. cinereus before, during, and after rainfalls. He inferred that prey became "limited" in availability during rainless periods because the salamanders were not able to forage outside their retreats in the dry leaf litter on the forest floor.
ISSN:0045-8511
1938-5110
DOI:10.2307/1446771