Potential effects of climate change on Ambystoma barbouri (streamside salamander)

First posted April 5, 2023 For additional information, contact: Director, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey1954 Buford Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108Contact Pubs Warehouse Ambystoma barbouri (streamside salamanders) are stream-breeding mole salamanders that rely on seasonally intermittent, fishless streams for egg and larval development but primarily fossorial as adults. Climate-driven changes likely to alter streamflow duration, peak, seasonality within the range of A. barbouri, reducing reproductive habitat survival. Although future in precipitation volume geographic uncertain, next 90 years, increasing temperatures will increase potential evapotranspiration. Decreasing ratio evapotranspiration shorten flow duration intermittent streams, potentially causing earlier stream dry downs before metamorphosis. Increased may also developmental periods buffering larvae from effects increased no-flow days. Additionally, increasingly fall heavy rainfall events. Heavy rain subsequent flooding during early stages displace pools into downstream reaches with vertebrate predators can reduce Finally, agriculture urban land cover amplify stresses climate change altering survival larval, juvenile, adult life stages.