Category

Poster - Basic

Description

The Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti, is an endemic species located exclusively in a 15km range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. The Peaks of Otter salamander is only found at elevations between 440m and up to the highest elevation in that area around 1100m. These specific parameters render P. hubrichti highly susceptible to habitat loss and population declines, two factors which have heavily influenced the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to label these salamanders a species of concern. This study focuses on corticosterone (CORT); the main glucocorticoid found in amphibians, reptiles, and birds, which plays a key role in stress response, metabolism, and immune suppression. Using a non-invasive waterborne hormone collection technique, both agitation and baseline samples of CORT were collected from up to 40 individual salamanders from two high elevation sites (991m) and two low elevation sites (665m) each season, for three seasons. In addition to hormone samples, key measurements including length and weight were recorded to assess overall body condition. These CORT samples were processed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and analyzed along with the body condition data to compare the physiological effects of elevation on the Peaks of Otter salamander. Our data suggests that salamanders found at higher elevations present better body condition than those found at lower elevations and is corroborated by increased corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in salamanders found at lower elevations. The data suggest this species may be experiencing chronic stress and indicates the need for further studies to better understand the factors affecting the range of this species.

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Undergraduate - 2nd Place Award Winner

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Apr 17th, 1:00 PM

Evaluating elevational effects on CORT and body condition in Plethodon hubrichti.

Poster - Basic

The Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti, is an endemic species located exclusively in a 15km range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. The Peaks of Otter salamander is only found at elevations between 440m and up to the highest elevation in that area around 1100m. These specific parameters render P. hubrichti highly susceptible to habitat loss and population declines, two factors which have heavily influenced the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to label these salamanders a species of concern. This study focuses on corticosterone (CORT); the main glucocorticoid found in amphibians, reptiles, and birds, which plays a key role in stress response, metabolism, and immune suppression. Using a non-invasive waterborne hormone collection technique, both agitation and baseline samples of CORT were collected from up to 40 individual salamanders from two high elevation sites (991m) and two low elevation sites (665m) each season, for three seasons. In addition to hormone samples, key measurements including length and weight were recorded to assess overall body condition. These CORT samples were processed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and analyzed along with the body condition data to compare the physiological effects of elevation on the Peaks of Otter salamander. Our data suggests that salamanders found at higher elevations present better body condition than those found at lower elevations and is corroborated by increased corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in salamanders found at lower elevations. The data suggest this species may be experiencing chronic stress and indicates the need for further studies to better understand the factors affecting the range of this species.

 

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