Population ecology of the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in an agricultural landscape: Dynamics, pond fidelity and dispersal

Aspects of the population ecology of the great crested newt (Triturus crist atus) were studied over a period of seven years (1989-1995) in an agricultu ral landscape of the Drachenfelser Landchen, south-west of Bonn, Germany. S even ponds - three natural and four man-made-were monitored by drift fences and pitfall traps. The numbers of adults increased from 1992. The number o f juvenile emigrants showed marked fluctuations between years at all ponds and in some years juvenile production failed completely at the temporary po nds. A total of 63% of the adult newts identified in 1994 at four sites wer e recaptured in the subsequent year. Ninety-nine percent of the newts recap tured returned to the place of the first capture. In contrast to the adults , a number of juvenile great crested newts moved to neighbouring ponds, mig rating a maximum distance of 860 m within the year of metamorphosis. Two ou t of four artificially constructed ponds were colonized naturally.