Evaluating the effects of urbanisation on salamander abundances using a before-after control-impact design

1. Urbanisation represents a significant threat to semi-aquatic amphibian populations, especially stream-dwelling salamanders. Although studies of urbanisation effects on amphibians have been conducted, there is an urgent need to follow populations over longer time periods, account for imperfect detection and determine the response time to urbanisation. Consequently, we used a before-after control-impact (BACI) study design to estimate changes in abundances of larval and adult salamanders in streams affected by urbanisation.