Biogeographical factors affecting the distribution of stream salamanders on the Cumberland Plateau, USA

Geophysical and climate conditions play an important role in the distribution of organisms at both fine and broad scales. Headwater streams integrate changes at broad geographical scales and serve as important regions of nutrient processing and support high biodiversity. Stream salamanders are important members of headwater aquatic communities as both predators and prey. Combined with their biphasic life histories and physiological requirements, stream amphibians may serve as indicators for headwater stream conditions. We surveyed 50 streams for salamander occupancy, across eight counties of the southern Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee for which we are unaware of any stream amphibian distribution data. Our objective was to determine what variables best-predicted stream amphibian occupancy among species with variable life histories and habitat needs. Models were generated to determine the effects of elevation, catchment forest cover, and total catchment size as indicators of stream condition. We found species showed no significant responses to forest cover. Though forest cover has previously been the primary predictor of stream amphibian occupancy in streams across the United States, stream amphibian occupancy of the southern Cumberland Plateau was most closely associated with elevation and catchment size. Thus, the unique topography of the southern Cumberland Plateau may instead be the more important factor driving occupancy patterns. Despite limited evidence in this study for negative human impacts on salamander occupancy, low occupancy and abundance relative to other ecoregions suggests either poor quality habitat or large historic impacts. Developing a more comprehensive understanding of regional stream salamander occupancy patterns is necessary to ensure effective management and habitat conservation in a region with limited description of stream ecology.