Determination of a site-level detection probability for the Inyo Mountains slender salamander, Batrachoseps campi.

Authors: Norment, Christopher*, Bateman, John

Year: 2015 (xlvii)

Abstract

The Inyo Mountains slender salamander (IMSS), Batrachoseps campi), is one of only two desert salamanders in the world, with a distribution restricted to c. 20 pockets of riparian habitat on the eastern and western slopes of the arid Inyo Mountains, California. We used data collected over a 40-yr period and the program PRESENCE to calculate the site-level detection probability for the IMSS (the probability of detecting at least one IMSS during a single visit to a known locality). IMSS were detected on 65% of visits (n = 95); number of visits per site ranged from one to 12, with a maximum of 13 IMSS observed during a visit. High-quality patches, where relatively high numbers of IMSS were found on most visits, had water flows of c. > 10 l/min; poor-quality patches, in which few or no IMSS were detected on most visits, had intermittent flows of c. < 4 l/min. Overall detection probability was 0.6 Á‚±0.2; a minimum of three visits per site would be needed to detect IMSS in 90% of the occupied habitat patches. Although the IMSS currently is protected by isolation and a lack of development in its range, severe long-term drought could negatively affect its populations. Results of our study could be used to design a monitoring program to detect long-term changes in distribution of this unique salamander.