Abstract
The influence of intraspecific trait variation in species interactions makes trait-based approaches critical to understanding eco-evolutionary processes. Given that species occupy habitats that are patchily distributed in space, advancement in trait-based ecology hinges on understanding how trait variation is spatially structured across the landscape. We sampled larval spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) across spatially discrete ponds to quantify spatial structure in morphology. Spatial structure explained 7-35% of total observed variation in the length and shape of salamander larvae, depending on the body segment measured (i.e., head, body, tail). Salamander tail morphology was more variable and exhibited more spatial structure than head or body morphology. Salamander mass was also highly variable, and was strongly correlated with total length. Analysis of allometry revealed that the slopes of mass-length relationships were similar across space, but the intercepts differed spatially. Preliminary evidence hints that newly constructed ponds are drivers of spatial differences in allometric intercepts. Pond construction may therefore bolster diversity in trait co-variation, and in so doing instil more adaptive potential of salamanders under current and future environmental change.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
