United States; however, the potential introduction of the fungus upon the salamander species could have an incredibly devastating effect. Anthropogenic factors Anthropogenic factors also appear to potentially further endanger the Shenandoah salamander. In the 1994 recovery plan, it was thought that further debilitation of overstory vegetation, changes in soil chemistry, and direct impacts to the salamanders associated with acid deposition and other sources of air pollution were potential threats. While there were no effects of acid deposition and other sources of air pollution on the Shenandoah salamander, there have been numerous studies which indicate amphibians to be very vulnerable to effects of acid deposition, especially in montane areas. Acidification of the habitat could affect the salamander’s food supply, could impair reproduction by affecting courtship, egg hatchability, or neonatal viability. Studies showed that soil acidity decreased the abundance of the red-backed salamander, making it likely for the Shenandoah salamander to also be negatively affected. Finally, there was the potential disturbance to the habitat of the Shenandoah salamander due to hiking trail maintenance, use, and backcountry camping. Climate change Climate change also directly impacts the habitat of the Shenandoah salamander. Cloud base elevation, which is influenced by climate variables, is likely to continue to shrink the suitable range of the Shenandoah salamander. One study found that elevation is strongly correlated with the lower elevation range boundary for the Shenandoah salamander, despite previous assumptions that the range was limited only to competitive interactions. The lower elevational range is sensitive to climate variables, so climate change in high elevation habitats will directly affect the species’ distribution. Conservation status In December 1982, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service categorized the Shenandoah salamander as a “Category 2” in its Review of Vertebrate Wildlife for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species. In 1989, the Shenandoah salamander was formally classified as “Endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Shenandoah salamander was first listed as Endangered (E) by the IUCN in 1994, and retained its Endangered status in a 1996 assessment. In 2004, the Shenandoah salamander was listed as Vulnerable D2 (VU) by the IUCN, with the justification that it was found in only three locations. Critical habitat In 2015, the Center for Biological Diversity presented a petition for designating a critical habitat for nine species including the Shenandoah salamander. The Center requested that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designate 16,891 acres within the Shenandoah National Park