Publications by authors named "Blake N Sissel"
Movement behavior is an important aspect of animal ecology but is challenging to study in species that are unobservable for some portion of their lives, such as those inhabiting subterranean environments. Using four years of robust-design capture-recapture data, we examined the probability of movement into subterranean habitat by a population of endangered Barton Springs salamanders (), a species that inhabits both surface and subterranean groundwater habitats. We tested the effects of environmental variables and body size on survival and temporary emigration, using the latter as a measure of subterranean habitat use.
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- Many rare or cryptic species, like the Jollyville Plateau salamander, have critical habitats that may be too limited, potentially hindering their recovery.
- Research showed that the salamander frequently uses stream habitats, even those not directly linked to springs, challenging the assumption that its habitat is restricted only to springs.
- The study highlights the importance of considering both occupied and surrounding habitats for conservation efforts, suggesting that limiting critical habitat based solely on occupied sites could prevent effective species recovery.