Woodland salamanders are a viable indicator of forest
ecosystem recovery, according to researchers from the U.S. Forest Service's
Pacific Southwest Research Station.
PSW Research Wildlife Biologist Dr. Hartwell Welsh and Garth
Hodgson examined two species of woodland salamanders across four stages of tree
development at Mill Creek—a disturbed old-growth redwood forest in northern
California. They found that the numbers and body condition of two common
species of salamander tracked closely with forest stand growth, development,
and structural changes. Using salamander population numbers and physiological
condition on adjacent, never harvested old-growth parkland to reference
advancements along this developmental pathway, they demonstrated relationships
between salamander counts and body condition and aspects of forest advancement
including stand age, tree size, ambient moisture, canopy closure, and litter
depth.