Upland habitat use by the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is poorly understood with regard to the species? spatial distribution and population densities. Data obtained through burrow excavation within suitable upland habitat in Alameda County, California, identified adult A. californiense at a mean distance of 356 m from the nearest breeding pond (range = 120?510 m; n = 5), with a mean upland density of 2.2 salamanders/ha among sample plots (n = 24) and a mean of 4.1 salamanders/ha among plots with the greatest refugia densities (>14 refugia; n = 12). Adult salamanders were not evenly distributed within available habitat and were 4 times more abundant in plots with high refugia densities. The implication from this study for conservation planning is the need to manage and protect small-mammal colonies and their upland habitat within 500 m of salamander breeding sites.
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