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Abstract
The abundance and terrestrial habitat use of stream-breeding salamanders are closely linked to moisture gradients in the air and soil, which in turn are shaped by local hydroclimate and hillslope hydrology. In this study we used hierarchical modeling in a Bayesian framework to integrate multiple salamander abundance datasets to estimate how moisture gradients affect spatial patterns in the terrestrial abundance of stream-breeding plethodontids. Consistent with our hypotheses, we found that salamander abundance decreased with distance from stream, increased with elevation, and was lower on south-facing slopes than north-facing slopes. Furthermore, we found an interaction between elevation and stream distance, such that salamanders were found in higher abundances further from streams at higher elevations. Our results have implications for stream ecosystem processes and regional stream zone management.