Date of Award
8-2014
Level of Access Assigned by Author
Open-Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Conservation
Advisor
Malcolm L. Hunter, Jr.
Second Committee Member
Aram J.K. Calhoun
Third Committee Member
David E. Hiebeler
Abstract
Maintaining amphibian populations in fragmented landscapes depends on preserving functional connectivity for animals that need to transit multiple vegetation types to satisfy habitat requirements. For many pool-breeding amphibians, successful dispersal is essential for gene flow; thus, quantifying the ability of juveniles to locate and reach suitable habitat in the terrestrial matrix is necessary to predict the consequences of landscape configuration for populations. I evaluated if different open-canopy vegetation types alter the behavior of juvenile wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). First, I quantified the relative permeability of different open-vegetation types by experimentally releasing frogs in 35 x 3 m enclosures extending from forest edge into five treatments. Based on an index that compounds four metrics and scales relative to mature forest, permeability varied: row crop
Recommended Citation
Cline, Brittany Blue, "Amphibians in Complex Landscapes: Quantifying Habitat Connectivity for Juvenile Movements and Dispersal" (2014). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2201.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2201