Distribution and Breeding Habitat Selection of the Jefferson Salamander, Ambystoma jeffersonianum, in Maryland

Abstract

A total of 115 pools were surveyed for A. jeffersonianum in western Maryland over a 2 yr period. A. jeffersonianum used 54 as breeding sites. The distribution of the species was generally confined to ridge areas in the ridge and valley province where the salamander primarily selected isolated upland pools. These sites generally contained greater amounts of living plants, especially emergent vegetation, as well as dead plant debris, than sites not selected as breeding habitat. This material served as egg mass attachment sites and provided refugia to breeding adults and developing larvae. Besides containing certain moisture-tolerant plants, e.g., Juncus sp., selected sites usually were surrounded by forest land and a dense border of shrubs and/or trees. Breeding pools also tended to have cooler and more turbid water conditions.