Salamander Response to Climate Change

Research led by Lehigh University Undergraduates

Spring Salamander- Gyrinophilus porphyrictus

As changes in global climate occur, there is a growing concern as to how Earth's inhabitants will respond. The Salamander Response to Climate Change project (SRCC) focuses on the use of salamanders as a natural indicator of changes in environmental conditions. As carnivorous predators, salamanders play an integral role in determining the community structure of terrestrial ecosystems.

Salamanders require moist conditions and are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, making them good indicators of environmental change. White oak cover boards, 30 x 30 x 5 cm, have been placed in a dry ridge and in a moist hollow habitat at each of the 3 locations, and are sampled monthly for salamander activity.

Research is being conducted in Northeast Pennsylvania at South Mountain, Hawk Mountain, and the Lacawac Sanctuary to examine salamander activity in relation to environmental conditions. Environmental data, recorded on data loggers in the field, is compared with salamander activity levels to predict salamander response to climate change.

Lehigh Students at Hawk Mountain

Lake Lacawac, Poconos PA

Email us: