Waiting for the snow to melt…
The Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosa) is a keystone species in the Rocky Mountains. Depending on how well they grow as larvae, these salamanders can either metamorphose to have terrestrial traits at maturity or retain their juvenile aquatic traits as adults. We expect that ponds at lower elevations, which are warmer and have longer growing seasons, will support faster growth, resulting in larger paedomorphs. To test this, salamanders will be surveyed at sites ranging from about 8,000 to over 11,000 feet in areas surrounding the RMBL townsite. Using dip nets, seine nets, and fyke nets, individuals were caught, recorded whether they were metamorphic or paedomorphic, measured for snout-vent-length (mm), weight (g), and noted their sex. Findings will be compared with climate data at each site and added to the ongoing 2020-2024 dataset.
Knowledge graph centered on Effects of elevation on salamander life strategies with 17 nodes and 52 connections. Top connected: Crested Butte, Ambystoma mavortium, Mexican Cut Nature Preserve, Ambystoma macrodactylum, Gunnison.
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