Conservation Genetics of Threatened Pacific Northwest Salamanders

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — Molecular genetic methods are being used to assess population differentiation for a number of salamanders listed as species of concern in the Northwest Forest Management Plan: the Oregon slender salamander, Larch Mountain salamander, southern torrent salamander, Cascade torrent salamander, Columbia torrent salamander, and Olympic torrent More... Molecular genetic methods are being used to assess population differentiation for a number of salamanders listed as species of concern in the Northwest Forest Management Plan: the Oregon slender salamander, Larch Mountain salamander, southern torrent salamander, Cascade torrent salamander, Columbia torrent salamander, and Olympic torrent salamanders. This issue overview approaches the concerns of salamander conservation status as it relates to the lack of key aspects of their biology, which makes it difficult to make informed management decisions. Salamanders may be disproportionately impacted by habitat fragmentation (i.e. deforestation), due to narrow physiological tolerances, short dispersal ranges, and extreme site fidelity which limits dispersal between populations or into vacant habitat. These physical and habitat limitations may impact the population genetic structure and status for these species of concern. Related web resources are available from this webpage. Less...