Article Summary

In southern California, adult California newts (Taricha torosa)have been found to frequently cannibalize both larvae and egg masses. In turn, for those adult newts that remain in the stream pools after breeding, conspecifics have become one of their main sources of prey in the chaparral stream pools of the Santa Monica Mountains. This study was undertaken to examine whether wildfire-induced sedimentation would provide an alternative prey, such as earthworms, and modify interactions between life …

…larvae and egg masses appeared to have increased slightly. However, cannibalism reappeared three years after the fire. By this time, vegetation growth had recovered and the stream banks were more stable resulting in less sedimentation and fewer available earthworms. Perhaps, after a few more years, conspecifics will become a main source of food once again. Bibliography Kerby, L.J. and L.B. Kats. 1998. Modified interactions between salamander life stages caused by wildfire-induced sedimentation. Ecology, 79:740-745.