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Environmental suitability models predict population density, performance and body condition for microendemic salamanders

  • Species can show strong variation of local abundance across their ranges. Recent analyses suggested that variation in abundance can be related to environmental suitability, as the highest abundances are often observed in populations living in the most suitable areas. However, there is limited information on the mechanisms through which variation in environmental suitability determines abundance. We analysed populations of the microendemic salamander Hydromantes flavus, and tested several hypotheses on potential relationships linking environmental suitability to population parameters. For multiple populations across the whole species range, we assessed suitability using species distribution models, and measured density, activity level, food intake and body condition index. In high-suitability sites, the density of salamanders was up to 30-times higher than in the least suitable ones. Variation in activity levels and population performance can explain such variation of abundance. In high-suitability sites, salamanders were active close to the surface, and showed a low frequency of empty stomachs. Furthermore, when taking into account seasonal variation, body condition was better in the most suitable sites. Our results show that the strong relationship between environmental suitability and population abundance can be mediated by the variation of parameters strongly linked to individual performance and fitness.

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Author:Enrico LunghiORCiD, Raoul Manenti, Michael Veith, Claudia Corti, Gentile Francesco Ficetola
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:385-1-9987
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-25704-1
Parent Title (English):Scientific Reports
Publisher:Springer Nature
Place of publication:London
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of completion:2018/05/14
Date of publication:2018/05/14
Publishing institution:Universität Trier
Contributing corporation:The publication was funded by the Open Access Fund of Universität Trier and the German Research Foundation (DFG)
Release Date:2018/12/11
Tag:behavioural ecology; ecological modelling; herpetology
GND Keyword:Höhlensalamander; Umweltfaktor; Verbreitungsökologie
Issue / no.:8
Number of pages:11
Source:Scientific Reports 8 (2018)
Institutes:Fachbereich 6
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz 4.0 International

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