Landscape genetics of pond-breeding amphibians in a managed forest

Landscape composition and configuration can influence dispersal by altering movement patterns and subsequently affecting the functional connectivity of a species. For amphibians, understanding how landscape factors impact gene flow is especially important given their low mobility and sensitivity to habitat loss. I used molecular genetic techniques and spatial analyses to describe the relationship between landscape features and connectivity of two vernal pool dependent amphibian species, wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus ) and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum), in a managed forest.;I measured the genetic diversity and differentiation within the two species to characterize genetic structure, and used least-cost path analyses to examine the influence of landscape features on gene flow. In both species, I found high genetic diversity and low differentiation a cross the study area. None of the landscape features measured were significantly related to genetic distance in wood frogs, and open water impeded dispersal in spotted salamanders. two levels, a local level that examined factors within and adjacent to breeding ponds, and a landscape level that examined factors between breeding ponds. At the local level, top factors for both spotted salamanders and wood frogs were related to productivity. At the landscape level, spotted salamanders were influenced by disturbance, and wood frogs were influenced by topography and wetland configuration.;Finally, 1 compared the performance of several different analytic techniques including a least-cost path approach and two different network approaches (multiple regression of distance matrices and random forest analysis). The least-cost path and the network approaches produced different results. With the least-cost path approach, 1 found landscape features such as disturbed land and water bodies impeded gene flow in the focal species. In contrast, neither of the network approaches identified landscape features that strongly impacted gene flow.;Overall, these two species displayed low genetic differentiation across the study area, indicating that dispersal rates are high and that current forestry practices do not significantly impede gene flow. 1 attribute the high genetic connectivity to a combination of abundant habitat, favorable climate conditions, and minimal anthropogenic disturbance.