RUI: Joint Nesting and Demography in Four-Toed Salamanders

James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

0090104 Harris The factors that affect growth and decline of populations in nature remain elusive, in part because the importance of social interactions has been underestimated. The purpose of this study is to investigate joint nesting behavior in a salamander species and relate that behavior to changes in population size over time. For example, populations that contain a high percentage of joint nesters may be larger in size than populations that contain a high percentage of solitary nesters. In addition, whether nesting behavior is influenced by individual condition and whether populations differ in frequency of nesting behaviors will be studied. Methods will include experiments in large laboratory terrariums and extensive field observations. Results from this project may indicate that existing predictive models of population growth and decline that treat all individuals as identical are inadequate and that the incorporation of individual behavioral variation among individuals into predictive population models may be a necessity. Furthermore, data derived from this detailed population study may provide insights into possible causes of an alarming decline in amphibian populations in many areas of the world. Active participation of undergraduate students in all aspects of this research will prepare them for research careers in the environmental sciences.