OBSERVATIONS ON THE POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE CAVE SALAMANDER, EURYCEA LUCIFUGA (RAFINESQUE, 1822)

Salamanders are potentially important constituents of subterranean ecosystems, but relatively little is known about their effects in caves. A common facultative hypogean salamander in the eastern United States is the Cave salamander, Eurycea lucifuga (Rafinesque, 1822). Despite being common and widespread, little more than basic information exists for this species. Herein, we provide new data concerning open population modeling, demographics, wet-biomass, and density estimation for a population in a small Kentucky spring cave. We have found population abundances of this species to be much higher than previously reported, and describe low capture probabilities and high survival probabilities. Average wet-weight per individual was 2.90 g, and estimated seasonal population wet-biomass peaked at 1426.8 g. Mean salamander density and wet-biomass density are 0.08 salamanders m(-2) and 0.22 g m(-2), respectively. The data we provide indicate that Cave salamanders have important ecological impacts on small spring cave systems.