RUI: Fragmentation of Terrestrial Salamander Populations by Forest Roads: Ecological and Genetic Effects

森林栖息地因道路建设而日益破碎。然而，人们对道路对邻近森林动物种群的影响知之甚少。道路可能通过促成非生物边缘效应、导致直接死亡或降低扩散速度来影响种群。这项研究将使用两种陆生蝾螈（Plethodon cinereus和P. glutinosus）来研究道路破碎如何影响动物种群。调查人员将通过详细的实地调查、实地实验和基因分析来回答以下问题：1)道路对蝾螈密度的影响在不同物种、地点和年份之间是如何变化的？2)道路对蝾螈密度的影响机制是什么？3)不同道路类型如何影响蝾螈的扩散能力？4)不同类型的道路如何影响基因流动的模式？该项目对了解破碎生境中动物种群的持久性具有普遍意义，并对两栖动物的保护生物学具有特定的应用。陆生蝾螈是温带森林生态系统的重要组成部分，被认为是森林健康的有用指标。虽然陆生蝾螈作为水生繁殖的两栖动物似乎并没有减少，但栖息地的破碎化可能会威胁到它们的长期生存。作为RUI项目，本研究还为遗传学、生态学和保护生物学的本科生提供了大量的研究训练机会。学生将参与项目的各个方面，从研究设计到数据收集再到结果展示。

Forest habitats are increasingly fragmented by road building. However, little is known about the effects of roads on animal populations in adjacent forests. Roads may affect populations by contributing to abiotic edge effects, by causing direct mortality, or by reducing rates of dispersal. This study will use two species of terrestrial salamander (Plethodon cinereus and P. glutinosus) to examine how fragmentation by roads can affect animal populations. Investigators will use detailed field surveys, field experiments and genetic analysis to answer the following questions: 1) How do the effects of roads on salamander densities vary among species, among sites, and among years? 2) What mechanisms are responsible for the effects of roads on salamander densities? 3) How do different types of roads affect salamander dispersal ability?, and 4) How do different types of roads affect patterns of gene flow? This project has general implications for the understanding the persistence of animal populations in fragmented habitats and has specific applications to the conservation biology of amphibians. Terrestrial salamanders are an important component of temperate forest ecosystems and have been proposed as useful indicators of forest health. Although terrestrial salamanders do not appear to have declined as severely aquatic-breeding amphibians, habitat fragmentation may threaten their long-term persistence. As an RUI project, this study also provides numerous research training opportunities for undergraduate students in genetics, ecology, and conservation biology. Students will participate in all aspects of the project, from study design to data collection to presentation of results.