scholarly journals Salted roads lead to edema and reduced locomotor function in wood frogs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E Frymus ◽  
Debora Goedert ◽  
Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho ◽  
Peter C Smith ◽  
Caroline J Zeiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Disease Emergence ◽  
Fitness Costs ◽  
Fluid Accumulation ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Habitat Conversion

Human activities have caused massive losses of natural populations across the globe. Like many groups, amphibians have experienced substantial declines worldwide, driven by environmental changes such as habitat conversion, pollution, and disease emergence. Each of these drivers is often found in close association with the presence of roads. Here we report a novel consequence of roads affecting an amphibian native to much of North America, the wood frog (Rana sylvatica). Across 38 populations distributed from southern to central New England, we found that adult wood frogs living adjacent to roads had higher incidence and severity of edema (bloating caused by fluid accumulation) during the breeding season than frogs living away from the influence of roads. This effect was best explained by increased conductivity of breeding ponds, caused by runoff pollution from road salt used for de-icing. Edema severity was negatively correlated with locomotor performance in more northerly populations. Interestingly, northern populations experience more intense winters, which tends to result in more de-icing salt runoff and increased energetic demands associated with overwintering cryoprotection needs. Thus, this emerging consequence of roads appears to impose potential fitness costs associated with locomotion, and these effects might be most impactful on populations living in regions where de-icing is most intense.

Prevalence of Chemical Interference Competition in Natural Populations of Wood Frogs, Rana sylvatica

Copeia ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 (3) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Biesterfeldt ◽  
James W. Petranka ◽  
Shane Sherbondy
Keyword(s):  
Interference Competition ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Chemical Interference

The significance of hydroperiod and stand maturity for pool-breeding amphibians in forested landscapes

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 1604-1615 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.F. Baldwin ◽  
A.J.K. Calhoun ◽  
P.G. deMaynadier
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Seasonal Wetlands ◽  
Environmental Correlates ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Forested Landscapes

The loss of small seasonal wetlands and adjacent forested habitat is a major threat to pool-breeding amphibians in North America. Identifying environmental correlates of breeding effort (and success) in remaining intact landscapes is a critical first step in conservation planning. Little is known about how pool-breeding amphibian populations respond to fine-scale variations in hydroperiod or neighboring forest structure and composition. We studied these associations for wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) and spotted salamanders ( Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw, 1802)) in a forested New England landscape (southern Maine, USA). We conducted egg mass counts across two seasons at 87 strictly seasonal pools. The influence of hydroperiod and landscape (150 and 500 m scales) habitat characteristics on breeding effort were investigated. Pools with longer hydroperiods (≥18 weeks post breeding) that were relatively isolated from other breeding wetlands (<13 neighboring pools within 150 m and <19 within 500 m) supported larger breeding populations of both wood frogs and spotted salamanders. Salamander breeding populations were largest in relatively mature forests. Naturalized, anthropogenic pools supported comparable levels of breeding effort with that of natural pools. Conservation planning for wood frogs and spotted salamanders should incorporate pools at the longer end of the seasonal hydroperiod gradient.

Impact of eutrophication on wood frog, Rana sylvatica, tadpoles infected with Echinostoma trivolvis cercariae

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (9) ◽  
pp. 1315-1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.K. Belden
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Infection Level ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
Infection Treatment ◽  
Second Intermediate Host ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Echinostoma Trivolvis

In freshwater systems, environmental changes, such as eutrophication, are occurring that could impact the outcome of host–parasite interactions. Using tadpole infection with trematode cercariae as a host–parasite system, this study examined (i) growth, development, and maintenance of trematode ( Echinostoma trivolvis (Cort, 1914)) infection levels in second intermediate host larval wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) and (ii) post-infection impacts of eutrophication on R. sylvatica tadpoles infected to varying degrees with E. trivolvis cercariae. Results from the first experiment suggest no impact of infection with 50 cercariae on R. sylvatica growth and development compared with uninfected controls. Results from the second experiment, investigating the impact of eutrophication on infected tadpoles, showed that survival to metamorphosis of the individuals in the highest infection treatment (80 cercariae) was reduced regardless of eutrophication treatment. However, for individuals surviving infection with 80 cercariae and for individuals infected with only 20 cercariae, no impact of infection on mass at metamorphosis was documented, although individuals were larger at metamorphosis in the eutrophic tanks. These data demonstrate that infection with E. trivolvis can impact R. sylvatica survivorship, at least above some threshold infection level, and that eutrophication may have minimal impacts on tadpole hosts once infection has occurred.

Sedimentological and Biological Changes Associated with the Construction of the Oil Terminal of Antifer, France

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 399-406
Author(s):  
Y Monbet
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Standing Stock ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Benthic Fauna ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Mean Grain Size ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Principal Species

A study was conducted to gain insight on actual sedimentological and biological effects associated with the construction of an oil Terminal designed to receive 500 000 d.w.t. tankers. Field investigations and subsequent laboratory analyses were organized to evaluate the nature and magnitude of environmental changes on benthic macrofauna, three years after the end of the construction. Sediments were found to decrease dramatically in medium grain size in area sheltered by the newly built breakwater. Increase of percentage of silt and clays (90 % against 20 %) was observed leeward of the jetty. The benthic fauna showed significant modifications. Although the same community (Pectinaria kareni Abra alba) recolonized the bottom after the dredging of up to 30 × 106 m3 of sediments, increase in abundance occured. Biomass remained at a constant level and decrease of diversity was observed. Considering the rate of siltation, and assuming a constant siltation rate equal to the rate observed from 1975 to 1978, a simple regressive model relating biomass to mean grain size of sediments has been developped. This model allowed the prediction of biomass and production of the two principal species for the period 1978 – 1981. Continuous siltation within the harbor leads to a maximum of biomass from years after the end of the construction, followed by a decrease of standing stock. This process may be explained by the respective tolerance of the two principal species to increase silt contant and also probably by the accumulation of organic matter which may impede the development of natural populations.

scholarly journals Pampean lizard assemblage from subtropical Brazil: a temporal analysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 1345-1358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisele R. Winck ◽  
Tiago G. Dos Santos ◽  
Sonia Z. Cechin
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Environmental Disturbances ◽  
Pampa Biome ◽  
History Of ◽  
Recruitment Period

The increasing human occupation of natural environments is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. To mitigate the negative anthropogenic effects, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of natural populations and the natural history of species. A study was conducted with an assemblage of lizards from a disturbed area of the Pampa biome, from February 2001 to January 2004. The assemblage showed a unimodal seasonal pattern, with the recruitment period occurring during the warmer months. The captures were seasonal for two of the three monitored years, and concentrated within warmer months. The minimum temperature explained the number of catches for the assemblage as a whole. However, when the species were analyzed individually, the temperature only explained the seasonal occurrence of Teius oculatus. The abundance of species was significantly different in the third year of study for Cercosaura schreibersii and Ophiodes striatus. This latter species was no longer registered in the study area from May 2003 until the end of the study. Therefore, O. striatus may be more sensitive to environmental changes, considering the events of change in vegetation during the study. With frequent and increasing environmental disturbances, it is necessary to take conservation measures and encourage the increase of knowledge on Pampean lizards.

Variation in amount of surrounding forest habitat influences the initial orientation of juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leroy J. Walston ◽  
Stephen J. Mullin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Bufo Americanus ◽  
Forest Habitat ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Juvenile Dispersal ◽  
Woodland Ponds ◽  
Emigration Behavior

Juvenile dispersal is important for the persistence of ​amphibian populations. Previous studies have observed nonrandom orientation in juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds; however, the environmental cues associated with these movements are not well understood. We examined the emigration behavior of recently metamorphosed juveniles of three pond-breeding amphibian species from three woodland ponds. We found that juvenile small-mouthed salamanders ( Ambystoma texanum (Matthes, 1855)), American toads ( Bufo americanus Holbrook, 1836), and wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) exhibited nonrandom orientation upon exiting the breeding ponds. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between captures of juvenile small-mouthed salamanders and wood frogs and width of the surrounding forest habitat, indicating that these species are selecting areas with broader forested habitat upon exiting the breeding ponds. Our results indicate that migrating juvenile amphibians may rely on direct environmental cues because the orientation of small-mouthed salamanders and wood frogs was influenced by width of the surrounding forested habitat. These observations support previous studies suggesting that maintaining forest habitat, along at least a portion of breeding ponds, is important for the persistence of amphibian populations.

Kin recognition by larval wood frogs (Rana sylvatica): effects of diet and prior exposure to conspecifics

Oecologia ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J. Gamboa ◽  
Keith A. Berven ◽  
Randy A. Schemidt ◽  
Thomas G. Fishwild ◽  
Kelli M. Jankens
Keyword(s):  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Prior Exposure ◽  
Wood Frogs

Sexual differences in color and color change in wood frogs

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1963-1968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard B. King ◽  
Bethia King
Keyword(s):  
Color Change ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Sexual Differences ◽  
Wood Frog ◽  
Color Classification ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Evolutionary Response ◽  
Males And Females

An observer-free method of color classification was used to determine whether wood frogs, Rana sylvatica, exhibit sexual differences in color and color change. Males and females captured from breeding aggregations differed significantly in color: females reflected a greater amount of long-wavelength (yellow–red) light and less short-wavelength (blue–green) light than males. The color difference was not just a result of differences in the state of physiological color change at the time of capture but persisted for a month after capture. Males and females also differed in their color-change responses to black and white backgrounds: both sexes changed in brightness, but only males changed in the relative amount of light reflected at different wavelengths. Wood frog color may function in predator avoidance through crypsis. There was a good match between frogs and some of the leaves from the leaf litter surrounding the breeding ponds. Hypotheses for the development of sexual differences in wood frog color include sexual differences in availability of pigment and pigment precursors, morphological color change, and evolutionary response to different selection pressures.

scholarly journals Fitness costs of mating with preferred females in a scramble mating system

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 658-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey Swierk ◽  
Tracy Langkilde
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Mating Systems ◽  
Rana Sylvatica ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Operational Sex Ratio ◽  
Male Choice ◽  
Wood Frogs ◽  
Multiple Parameters ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Male Mate

Abstract Little is known about the operation of male mate choice in systems with perceived high costs to male choosiness. Scramble mating systems are one type of system in which male choice is often considered too costly to be selected. However, in many scramble mating systems, there are also potentially high rewards of male choosiness, as females vary dramatically in reproductive output and males typically mate once per season and/or per lifetime. Using scramble mating wood frogs (Rana sylvatica), we tested whether males gain fitness benefits by mating with preferred females. We conducted choice trials (1 male presented simultaneously with 2 females) and permitted males to mate with their preferred or nonpreferred female. Offspring of preferred and nonpreferred females were reared in the laboratory and field, and we quantified various fitness-relevant parameters, including survivorship and growth rates. Across multiple parameters measured, matings with preferred females produced fewer and lower-quality offspring than did those with nonpreferred females. Our results are inconsistent with the idea that mate choice confers benefits on the choosing sex. We instead propose that, in scramble systems, males will be more likely to amplex females that are easier to capture, which may correlate with lower quality but increases male likelihood of successfully mating. Such male choice may not favor increased fitness when the operational sex ratio is less biased toward males in scramble mating systems but is, instead, a bet-hedging tactic benefitting males when available females are limited.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document