Postbreeding emigration and habitat use by Jefferson and spotted salamanders in Vermont

In New England, temporary pool-breeding salamanders inhabit terrestrial forested habitats for the majority of the year. Wetland regulations and forestry Best Management Practices rarely consider the upland areas surrounding breeding pools for protection. Those that do, generally establish buffer zones that are insufficient to protect salamander populations. A better understanding of the area requirements and upland habitat preferences of pool-breeding salamanders is needed to develop biologically relevant buffers for conservation. I used radiotelemetry to investigate the postbreeding emigration and terrestrial habitat use of two syntopic mole salamander species. Sixteen adult salamanders (eight Ambystoma jeffersonianum, and eight Ambystoma maculatum) were radiotracked for a mean of 164 days (SE = 5.1). Eleven individuals were tracked to overwintering sites (five A. jeffersonianum, and six A. maculatum). Emigration distances from breeding pool edge varied widely (range = 30-219 m) with a mean of 112.8 m (SE = 19.9) for both species combined. Combining data from this and other studies, a salamander "life zone" that would encompass 95% of the population was calculated, resulting in an area extending 175 m from a pool's edge. Two types of small mammal burrows (deep vertical tunnels, and highly branched horizontal tunnels) were used almost exclusively as terrestrial refuges. In general, Jefferson and Spotted Salamanders used well-shaded, deciduous forest stands with abundant logs and stumps. Their habitat use also showed a strong association with vertical mammal tunnels, suggesting that this resource may be limiting. Biologically defined salamander life zones should be identified as critical wildlife habitat and considered in forest management strategies.