Distribution, Abundance, Microhabitat Use and Interspecific Relationships Among Terrestrial Salamanders on Vancouver, Island, British Columbia
Distribution, Abundance, Microhabitat Use and Interspecific Relationships Among Terrestrial Salamanders on Vancouver, Island, British Columbia ty Theodore M. Davis B.S., Portland State University, 1968 M.Sc., University of Victoria, 1991 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of Biology We accept this dissertation as conforming m the required standard Dr. P. T. Gregory, sjiipervi^r (Department of Biology) Dr. G. A. Allen, Departmental Member (Department of Biology) Dr. N_LiMneston,, Departmental Member (Department of Biology) Dr. E. A. Roth, Outside Member ^Department ofAnthropology) Dr. N. L. Staub, External Examiner (Biology Department, Gonzaga University) © Theodore M. Davis, 1996 University of Victoria All rights reserved, This dissertation may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopying or other means, without the permission of the author, ii Supervisor: Dr. Patrick T. Gregory Abstract A fundamental aim of ecology is the study of patterns of distribution and abundance of organisms. These patterns can be influenced by intrinsic responses to environmental conditions, interspecific interactions, or both. If individuals of similar co-existing species use the same limited resources, competition can result in resource partitioning, but this pattern can also be the result of intrinsic differences. On Vancouver Island, British Columbia, two ecologically similar plethodontid salamanders, Plethodon vehiculum and Aneides ferreus, are each common only where the other species is uncommon. I described their distribution and abundance, investigated differential microhabitat use, and evaluated interspecific interactions between them. At each of nine sites I established arrays of six 0.3 x 2 m artificial cover objects (ACOs).
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