26 

 humidity and rainfall measurements would have to be incorporated 

 into any rarefaction experiment. The characteristics of the site 

 may have also influenced the results in this case. The site is 

 large, with extensive areas of interconnected, potential habitat. 

 This population estimation technique may be more effective in 

 smaller, isolated populations with less possibility of 

 immigration of salamanders from surrounding areas during removal. 



Mark-recapture by clipping toes has also been used to 

 estimate population size at some sites but has been found to be 

 of limited value (Lynch 1984) . Mark-recapture has been difficult 

 to effectively employ with western Plethodon, largely due to the 

 regeneration of small appendages (B. Bury, pers. comm.). Lynch 

 (pers. comm.) and Groves (unpubl. data) found that marking by 

 clipping feet resulted in apparent high rates of mortality in the 

 Coeur d'Alene salamander. Some other methods that have been 

 successfully used to individually mark eastern Plethodon are 

 subcutaneous injection of acrylic polymer (Woolley 1973, Gergits 

 and Jaeger 1990) and application of powdered flourescent pigment 

 (Nishikawa and Service 1988, Nishikawa 1990). PIT tags may also 

 offer potential for marking adult Coeur d'Alene salamanders, 

 although initial experiments have not been promising (Wilson, 

 unpubl. data) . Experimentation on captive animals and further 

 literature review should be conducted to explore marking 

 techniques. These marking techniques are needed not only for 

 estimating numbers, but also to obtain estimates of annual 

 fecundity and mortality for population viability assessments. 



