Reinstein, Z., Albright, K., Enright, R., Surasinghe, T., and Baldwin, R. (2012). Riparian land-use as a predictor of salamander diversity in stream ecosystems in Upstate SC. Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

1. RIPARIAN LAND-USE AS A PREDICTOR OF SALAMANDER DIVERSITY
IN STREAM ECOSYSTEMS OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA
Zachary Reinstein, Rachel Enright, Keitha Albright, Thilina Surasinghe, Robert Baldwin.
School of Agricultural, Forest and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, SC
Objectives
• Assess the abundance of salamanders along a riparian land-
use gradient in Blue-Ridge and Piedmont ecoregions.
• Assess the diversity of salamanders in along a riparian land-
use gradient in Blue-Ridge and Piedmont ecoregions.
Disturbance Avoiders:
Introduction Desmognathus quadramaculatus, D. monticola, D.
• The southeastern US and Southern Appalachian mountains are marmoratus, D. ocoee, Gyrinophilus
salamander hotspots and shelter 20% of global salamander porphyriticus, Pseudotriton ruber, P. montanus
diversity. Disturbance Adapters:
• The Southern Appalachian range is a center of evolution for D. fuscus, Eurycea wilderae, E. guttolineata, E. cirrigera
Plethodontid salamanders.
• Urbanization, amenity -based development, and hydrological Results and Discussions
alterations in the Southeastern US threaten the survival of • A one-way ANOVA showed that species richness (adult: 18.12, p<0.05; larvae: F=11.96,
local salamander diversity. p<0.05), Shannon (adult: F=8.18, p<0.05; larvae: F=8.12, p<0.05) and Simpson (adults:
F=4.67, p<0.05; larvae: F=5.24, p<0.05) Indices differed significantly among the four
land-use types.
Methodology • A posthoc LSMeans contrast revealed that the species richness of adult and larval
• We surveyed 100m stream transects in four riparian land-use salamanders was significantly higher in forested streams of the Blue-Ridge compared
types: forested, agricultural, residential, and urban. to other stream habitats (adults: t=2.52, p>0.05; larvae: t=6.03, p<0.05).
• Our capture techniques included kick-netting, dip-netting, • A MANOVA revealed that the abundance of individual species across different land-
searching in woody debris, under rocks, and undercut banks. use types in Upstate SC (adults: Pillai’s Trace=1.31, p<0.05; larvae: Pillai’s Trace=1.74,
• We calculated the Shannon and Simpson Indices to assess p<0.05).
the diversity of stream salamanders in each riparian land-use • Species richness, relative abundance, and evenness of adult and larval species of
types. salamanders did not vary significantly among non-forest land-use types in the Blue-
• A One-way ANOVA tested for differences of species diversity Ridge and any riparian land-use type in the Piedmont.
across the riparian land-use gradient.
• A MANOVA tested for differences of individual species Acknowledgement
SC Dept. of Natural Resources, SC Sate Park Service, US Forest Service, Creative
abundance across the riparian land-use gradient.
Inquiry Undergraduate research Program of Clemson University