Abstract: The effects of habitat loss and degradation can be dramatic for imperiled amphibian species. Decreases in salamander populations pose threats to the broader community as salamanders are involved in many key ecological functions. Widespread urbanization of landscapes might be particularly detrimental to sensitive species. However, if protected urban parkland is able to sustain the appropriate microhabitats required by a species, populations may continue to exist in these heavily altered landscapes. In fact, previous work has shown that microhabitats associated with salamanders in more rural locations are similar to microhabitats observed at my urban study site. The overall goal of my more recent research was to document if there are significant differences in potential prey availability between populations of the red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) located in New York City compared to those located in less urban locations. I measured soil invertebrate diversity and abundance in summer soil samples of uniform volume collected from known salamander locations within Van Cortlandt park (the urban location) and from similar locations in northern Westchester county (a more rural location). Invertebrates were extracted from the soil using a Berlese funnel and visual searching. Surprisingly, most invertebrate groups were found not to be significantly different in abundance between the two locations. However, some potential prey species were found in lower abundances in the urban samples. Salamanders may largely be generalists and opportunistic, with diets driven by the availability of prey species in a given location. However, we found that urban and more rural locations showed similar soil invertebrate populations. Unless the groups found in lower abundance are particularly important prey for this salamander, the relative health of the soil invertebrate community may bode well for the continued survival of this urban population.
