Dave Vaala Effect of Forest Floor Characteristics on Salamander Abundance Division Sciences Department Biology Year 2004 Advisor Geoff Smith

Terrestrial salamanders are known to be highly selective in microhabitat characteristics because of their need for an environment with moisture suitable enough to carry out cutatneaous respiration. Using sites of different forest type,I investigated the substrate preferences of the red-backed salamander, beneath a covered microhabitat. Salamanders were positively correlated with bare ground space and negatively correlated with leaf litter. Little research has been done in this particular area and further study is necessary to draw more conclusions.