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Dalpasso A, Seglie D, Eusebio Bergò P, Ciracì A, Compostella M, Laddaga L, Manica M, Marino G, Pandolfo I, Soldato G, Falaschi M. Effects of temperature and precipitation changes on shifts in breeding phenology of an endangered toad. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14573. [PMID: 37666849 PMCID: PMC10477230 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40568-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last century, a plethora of species have shown rapid phenological changes in response to climate change. Among animals, amphibians exhibit some of the greatest responses since their activity strongly depends on temperature and rainfall regimes. These shifts in phenology can have negative consequences for amphibian fitness. Thus, understanding phenological changes in amphibians is pivotal to design conservation actions to mitigate climate change effects. We used data on Common Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates fuscus) reproductive migration to wetlands over a period of 8 years in Italy to (i) identify the factors related to breeding migrations, (ii) assess potential phenological shifts in the breeding period, and (iii) determine which climatic factors are related to the observed phenological shifts. Our results showed that toads migrate to spawning sites preferably in early spring, on rainy days with temperatures of 9-14 °C, and with high humidity. Furthermore, despite an increase in average temperature across the study period, we observed a delay in the start of breeding migrations of 12.4 days over 8 years. This counterintuitive pattern was the result of a succession of hot and dry years that occurred in the study area, highlighting that for ephemeral pond breeders, precipitation could have a larger impact than temperature on phenology. Our results belie the strong presumption that climate change will shift amphibian phenology toward an earlier breeding migration and underline the importance of closely investigating the environmental factors related to species phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Dalpasso
- Department of Biology, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | | | | | - Andrea Ciracì
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Compostella
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Laddaga
- Società di Scienze Naturali del Verbano Cusio Ossola, Museo di Scienze Naturali, Collegio Mellerio Rosmini, 28845, Domodossola, Italy
| | - Milo Manica
- Parco Lombardo della valle del Ticino, Via Isonzo 1, 20013, Pontevecchio di Magenta, MI, Italy
| | - Gaia Marino
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Irene Pandolfo
- Department of Chemical Science, Life and Environmental Sustainability, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Mattia Falaschi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
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Environmental Drivers of Amphibian Breeding Phenology across Multiple Sites. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of phenology, the seasonal timing of life history events, is important for understanding species’ interactions and the potential responses of ecological communities to a rapidly changing climate. We present analysis of a seven-year dataset on the breeding phenology of wood frogs (Rana sylvatica), tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum), blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale), and associated unisexual Ambystoma salamanders from six wetlands in Southeast Michigan, USA. We assess whether the ordinal date of breeding migrations varies among species, sexes, and individual wetlands, and we describe the specific environmental conditions associated with breeding migrations for each species/sex. Breeding date was significantly affected by species/sex identity, year, wetland, and the interactions between species/sex and year as well as wetland and year. There was a great deal of variation among years, with breeding occurring nearly synchronously among groups in some years but widely spaced between groups in other years. Specific environmental triggers for movement varied for each species and sex and changed as the breeding season progressed. In general, salamanders responded to longer temperature lags (more warmer days in a row) than wood frogs, whereas wood frogs required longer precipitation lags (more rainy days in a row) than salamanders. Wood frogs were more likely to migrate around the time of a new moon, whereas in contrast, Ambystoma salamander migration was not associated with a moon phase. Ordinal day was an important factor in all models, suggesting that these amphibians require a latency period or similar mechanism to avoid breeding too early in the year, even when weather conditions appear favorable. Male wood frogs migrated earlier than female wood frogs, and male blue-spotted salamanders migrated earlier than female A. laterale and associated unisexual females. Larger unisexual salamanders migrated earlier than smaller individuals. Differences in species’ responses to environmental cues led to wood frogs and A. laterale breeding later than tiger salamanders in colder years but not in warmer years. This suggests that, as the climate warms, wood frog and A. laterale larvae may experience less predation from tiger salamander larvae due to reduced size differences when they breed simultaneously. Our study is one of few to describe the proximate drivers of amphibian breeding migrations across multiple species, wetlands, and years, and it can inform models predicting how climate change may shift ecological interactions among pond-breeding amphibian species.
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Potential Threat of an Invasive Fish Species for Two Native Newts Inhabiting Wetlands of Europe Vulnerable to Climate Change. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In the modern world, when the problems of the environment are most acutely associated with climate change, amphibians are considered to be the most vulnerable group of anamniotes as an indicator of the state of wetlands. Along with a decrease of numbers among amphibians in Europe, nowadays newts especially suffer from the impact of invasive species, in particular predators such as the Chinese sleeper, Perccottus glenii. This predatory fish species has recently spread to areas of primary relevance for newt reproduction. This fish consumes eggs, larvae, and even adult newt individuals. Using an ecological niche approach and climate based species distribution models (SDM), we applied the coefficient of determination (R2) for comparing the level of similarity of the built SDM for the newts Triturus cristatus and Lissotriton vulgaris, and the Chinese sleeper. We show that by 2050, the level of climatic niche similarity for these native and invasive species will increase from 12% to 22% throughout Europe, and from 44% to 66% in Eastern Europe. This study highlights the expansion of the Chinese sleeper as a real threat to European biodiversity of wetlands in the near future, especially in their most northeastern distribution range.
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Chen Y, Tournayre O, Tian H, Lougheed SC. Assessing the breeding phenology of a threatened frog species using eDNA and automatic acoustic monitoring. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14679. [PMID: 36710869 PMCID: PMC9879156 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Climate change has driven shifts in breeding phenology of many amphibians, causing phenological mismatches (e.g., predator-prey interactions), and potentially population declines. Collecting data with high spatiotemporal sensitivity on hibernation emergence and breeding times can inform conservation best practices. However, monitoring the phenology of amphibians can be challenging because of their cryptic nature over much of their life cycle. Moreover, most salamanders and caecilians do not produce conspicuous breeding calls like frogs and toads do, presenting additional monitoring challenges. Methods In this study, we designed and evaluated the performance of an environmental DNA (eDNA) droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay as a non-invasive tool to assess the breeding phenology of a Western Chorus Frog population (Pseudacris maculata mitotype) in Eastern Ontario and compared eDNA detection patterns to hourly automatic acoustic monitoring. For two eDNA samples with strong PCR inhibition, we tested three methods to diminish the effect of inhibitors: diluting eDNA samples, adding bovine serum albumin to PCR reactions, and purifying eDNA using a commercial clean-up kit. Results We recorded the first male calling when the focal marsh was still largely frozen. Chorus frog eDNA was detected on April 6th, 6 days after acoustic monitoring revealed this first calling male, but only 2 days after males attained higher chorus activity. eDNA signals were detected at more sampling locales within the marsh and eDNA concentrations increased as more males participated in the chorus, suggesting that eDNA may be a reasonable proxy for calling assemblage size. Internal positive control revealed strong inhibition in some samples, limiting detection probability and quantification accuracy in ddPCR. We found diluting samples was the most effective in reducing inhibition and improving eDNA quantification. Conclusions Altogether, our results showed that eDNA ddPCR signals lagged behind male chorusing by a few days; thus, acoustic monitoring is preferable if the desire is to document the onset of male chorusing. However, eDNA may be an effective, non-invasive monitoring tool for amphibians that do not call and may provide a useful complement to automated acoustic recording. We found inhibition patterns were heterogeneous across time and space and we demonstrate that an internal positive control should always be included to assess inhibition for eDNA ddPCR signal interpretations.
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Montori A, Amat F. Surviving on the edge: present and future effects of climate warming on the common frog ( Rana temporaria) population in the Montseny massif (NE Iberia). PeerJ 2023; 11:e14527. [PMID: 36655044 PMCID: PMC9841900 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Montseny massif shelters the southernmost western populations of common frogs (Rana temporaria) that live in a Mediterranean climate, one which poses a challenge for the species' persistence in a scenario of rising temperatures. We evaluated the effect of climate change at three levels. First, we analysed if there has been an advancement in the onset of spawning period due to the increase in temperatures. Second, we analysed the impact of climatic variables on the onset of the spawning period and, third, how the distribution of this species could vary according to the predictions with regard to rising temperatures for the end of this century. From 2009 to 2021, we found there had been an increase in temperatures of 0.439 °C/decade, more than the 0.1 °C indicated by estimates for the second half of the previous century. We found an advancement in the onset of the reproduction process of 26 days/decade for the period 2009-2022, a change that has been even more marked during the last eight years, when data were annually recorded. Minimum temperatures and the absence of frost days in the week prior to the onset of the spawning period determine the start of reproduction. Predictions on habitat availability for spawning provided by climatic niche analysis for the period 2021-2100 show a potential contraction of the species range in the Montseny and, remarkably, much isolation from the neighbouring populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Montori
- Herpetology, Centre de Recerca i Estudis Ambientals de Calafell (CREAC/GRENP), Calafell, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fèlix Amat
- Herpetological Section (BiBIO), Natural History Museum of Granollers, Granollers, Catalonia, Spain
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Yermokhin MV, Tabachishin VG. False Spring in the Spawning Migrations of Spadefoot Toads (Pelobates, Anura): Distribution in European Russia and the Phenomenon Scale in 2020. BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
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Liu G, Kingsford RT, Callaghan CT, Rowley JJL. Anthropogenic habitat modification alters calling phenology of frogs. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6194-6208. [PMID: 35949049 PMCID: PMC9804319 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat modification significantly challenges biodiversity. With its intensification, understanding species' capacity to adapt is critical for conservation planning. However, little is known about whether and how different species are responding, particularly among frogs. We used a continental-scale citizen science dataset of >226,000 audio recordings of 42 Australian frog species to investigate how calling-a proxy for breeding-phenology varied along an anthropogenic modification gradient. Calling started earlier and breeding seasons lengthened with increasing modification intensity. Breeding seasons averaged 22.9 ± 8.25 days (standard error) longer in the most modified compared to the least modified regions, suggesting that frog breeding activity was sensitive to habitat modification. We also examined whether calls varied along a modification gradient by analysing the temporal and spectral properties of advertisement calls from a subset of 441 audio recordings of three broadly distributed frog species. There was no appreciable effect of anthropogenic habitat modification on any of the measured call variables, although there was high variability. With continued habitat modification, species may shift towards earlier and longer breeding seasons, with largely unknown ecological consequences in terms of proximate and ultimate fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracie Liu
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Australian Museum Research InstituteAustralian MuseumSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Richard T. Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Corey T. Callaghan
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) – HalleLeipzigGermany
- Faculty of Environmental SciencesCzech University of Life Sciences PraguePragueCzech Republic
| | - Jodi J. L. Rowley
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Australian Museum Research InstituteAustralian MuseumSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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Morphological Variation and Its Environmental Correlates in the Taihangshan Swelled-Vented Frog across the Qinling Mountains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182328. [PMID: 36139189 PMCID: PMC9495075 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Amphibians have weak dispersal abilities and are sensitive to environmental changes, resulting in their disproportionately high risk of extinction, with many species’ populations rapidly declining. Therefore, it is critical for amphibian conservation to understand their adaptive potential by exploring how amphibians respond to environmental changes based on morphological variations. Our results showed that morphological traits of Feirana taihangnica significantly differed among ages. Along with the increase in annual mean temperature, snout-vent length showed an anti-hump trend, indicating no support for Bergmann’s rule. Mean ultraviolet-B of the highest and lowest months were positively and negatively correlated with head width, thigh length and tibia width, respectively. The present study can help understand the effects of environmental changes on morphological variations of this mountain frog species and its adaptive potential, providing important implications for species conservation. Abstract The Taihangshan swelled-vented frog (Feirana taihangnica), an endemic species to the Qinling Mountains, central China, has experienced a dramatic population decline over the last few decades. The aim of this work was to quantify morphological variation in F. taihangnica across the Qinling Mountains and examine environmental correlates of this variation of morphological traits. We implemented a hierarchical partitioning to estimate the independent contribution of each environmental variable on morphological variations. Temperature seasonality was the greatest contributor in variations of snout-vent length (SVL) and head width, and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation of the lowest month was the most influential on both thigh length and tibia width. Then, we used generalized additive models to analyze the relationship between each environmental factor and morphological trait variations. Along the increasing of annual mean temperature, SVL decreased firstly and then increased, indicating no support for Bergmann’s rule. Furthermore, SVL was negatively correlated with annual precipitation, while positively with temperature seasonality. The mean UV-B of the highest and lowest months was positively and negatively correlated with head width, thigh length and tibia width, respectively. The results of this study help us to understand adaptive potential of this mountain frog species via morphological variations in the light of environmental changes.
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Weiskopf SR, Shiklomanov AN, Thompson L, Wheedleton S, Campbell Grant EH. Winter severity affects occupancy of spring‐ and summer‐breeding anurans across the eastern United States. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Weiskopf
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center Reston Virginia USA
| | | | - Laura Thompson
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center Reston Virginia USA
| | - Sarah Wheedleton
- Smithsonian Conservation Commons Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Evan H. Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern, Ecological Science Center Turners Falls Massachusetts USA
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Ruthsatz K, Bartels F, Stützer D, Eterovick PC. Timing of parental breeding shapes sensitivity to nitrate pollution in the common frog Rana temporaria. J Therm Biol 2022; 108:103296. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Forti LR, Hepp F, de Souza JM, Protazio A, Szabo JK. Climate drives anuran breeding phenology in a continental perspective as revealed by citizen‐collected data. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fábio Hepp
- Laboratório de Anfíbios e Répteis, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | | | - Airan Protazio
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal da Bahia Salvador Brazil
- Departamento de Ensino Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia da Bahia Irecê Brazil
| | - Judit K. Szabo
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal da Bahia Salvador Brazil
- College of Engineering, IT and Environment Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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Bensakhri Z, Bensouilah S, Zebsa R, Youcefi A, Amari H, Zouaimia A, Lazli A, Houhamdi M, Khelifa R. Trends to adaptation of the Sahara frog (Pelophylax saharicus) larvae across an environmental gradient. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01151-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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13
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Moldowan PD, Tattersall GJ, Rollinson N. Climate-associated decline of body condition in a fossorial salamander. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1725-1739. [PMID: 34542922 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Temperate ectotherms have responded to recent environmental change, likely due to the direct and indirect effects of temperature on key life cycle events. Yet, a substantial number of ectotherms are fossorial, spending the vast majority of their lives in subterranean microhabitats that are assumed to be buffered against environmental change. Here, we examine whether seasonal climatic conditions influence body condition (a measure of general health and vigor), reproductive output, and breeding phenology in a northern population of fossorial salamander (Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum). We found that breeding body condition declined over a 12-year monitoring period (2008-2019) with warmer summer and autumn temperatures at least partly responsible for the observed decline in body condition. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that elevated metabolism drives the negative association between temperature and condition. Population-level reproduction, assessed via egg mass counts, showed high interannual variation and was weakly influenced by autumn temperatures. Salamander breeding phenology was strongly correlated with lake ice melt but showed no long-term temporal trend (1986-2019). Climatic warming in the region, which has been and is forecasted to be strongest in the summer and autumn, is predicted to lead to a 5%-27% decline in salamander body condition under realistic near-future climate scenarios. Although the subterranean environment offers a thermal buffer, the observed decline in condition and relatively strong effect of summer temperature on body condition suggest that fossorial salamanders are sensitive to the effects of a warming climate. Given the diversity of fossorial taxa, heightened attention to the vulnerability of subterranean microhabitat refugia and their inhabitants is warranted amid global climatic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick D Moldowan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Algonquin Wildlife Research Station, Whitney, ON, Canada
| | - Glenn J Tattersall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Donahue ER, Krajcir KJ, Bryant LC, Raibley R, Wessels JL, Youtz J, Boves TJ. Non-Breeding Behavior and Diet of Loggerhead Shrikes in an Intensive Agricultural Region. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Donahue
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Kevin J. Krajcir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Lee C. Bryant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Rhett Raibley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Jacob L. Wessels
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Joseph Youtz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
| | - Than J. Boves
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467
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Bison M, Yoccoz NG, Carlson BZ, Klein G, Laigle I, Van Reeth C, Delestrade A. Earlier Snowmelt Advances Breeding Phenology of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) but Increases the Risk of Frost Exposure and Wetland Drying. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.645585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The alarming decline of amphibians around the world calls for complementary studies to better understand their responses to climate change. In mountain environments, water resources linked to snowmelt play a major role in allowing amphibians to complete tadpole metamorphosis. As snow cover duration has significantly decreased since the 1970s, amphibian populations could be strongly impacted by climate warming, and even more in high elevation sites where air temperatures are increasing at a higher rate than at low elevation. In this context, we investigated common frog (Rana temporaria) breeding phenology at two different elevations and explored the threats that this species faces in a climate change context. Our objectives were to understand how environmental variables influence the timing of breeding phenology of the common frog, and explore the threats that amphibians face in the context of climate change in mountain areas. To address these questions, we collected 11 years (2009–2019) of data on egg-spawning date, tadpole development stages, snowmelt date, air temperature, rainfall and drying up of wetland pools at ∼1,300 and ∼1,900 m a.s.l. in the French Alps. We found an advancement of the egg-spawning date and snowmelt date at low elevation but a delay at high elevations for both variables. Our results demonstrated a strong positive relationship between egg-spawning date and snowmelt date at both elevations. We also observed that the risk of frost exposure increased faster at high elevation as egg-spawning date advanced than at low elevation, and that drying up of wetland pools led to tadpole mortality at the high elevation site. Within the context of climate change, egg-spawning date is expected to happen earlier in the future and eggs and tadpoles of common frogs may face higher risk of frost exposure, while wetland drying may lead to higher larval mortality. However, population dynamics studies are needed to test these hypotheses and to assess impacts at the population level. Our results highlight climate-related threats to common frog populations in mountain environments, but additional research should be conducted to forecast how climate change may benefit or harm amphibian populations, and inform conservation and land management plans in the future.
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Rollins HB, Benard MF. Challenges in predicting the outcome of competition based on climate change-induced phenological and body size shifts. Oecologia 2020; 193:749-759. [PMID: 32654046 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04705-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is creating warmer, earlier springs, which are causing the phenology of many organisms to shift. Additionally, as temperatures increase, the body size of many ectotherms is decreasing. However, phenological and body size shifts are not occurring at the same rates across species, even in species that live in close proximity or have similar life history. Differing rates of phenological and body-size shifts may affect ecological interactions. We investigated whether shifts in phenology and body size had a predictable effect on interspecific competition. We tested three hypotheses. First, priority effects would indicate early arriving organisms gain a competitive advantage. Second, larger organisms would be competitively superior. Third, similarly sized organisms would compete more strongly. We manipulated aquatic larval conditions to create variation in wood frog (Rana sylvatica) size at and date of metamorphosis. Wood frogs were placed in terrestrial enclosures with unmanipulated juvenile American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) where we tracked amphibian growth over 3 months. Consistent with the size superiority hypothesis, initially smaller wood frogs did not compete as strongly with toads. However, the results of the phenological shift were the opposite of our priority effects prediction: early arrival by frogs increased toad mass. Our results could indicate that toads would experience fewer negative effects of competition with wood frogs that metamorphose earlier and smaller under climate change. Our study highlights the challenges of predicting how climate change will affect interspecific interactions and emphasizes the need to investigate the role of shifts in both phenology and body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary B Rollins
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Michael F Benard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
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Guerra V, de Queiroz Costa N, Llusia D, Márquez R, Bastos RP. Nightly patterns of calling activity in anuran assemblages of the Cerrado, Brazil. COMMUNITY ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42974-020-00013-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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McMillan KM, Lesbarrères D, Harrison XA, Garner TWJ. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity decouples infection parameters of amphibian chytridiomycosis. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1109-1121. [PMID: 31872434 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are responsible for declines in wildlife populations around the globe. Mass mortality events associated with emerging infectious diseases are often associated with high number of infected individuals (prevalence) and high pathogen loads within individuals (intensity). At the landscape scale, spatial and temporal variation in environmental conditions can alter the relationship between these infection parameters and blur the overall picture of disease dynamics. Quantitative estimates of how infection parameters covary with environmental heterogeneity at the landscape scale are scarce. If we are to identify wild populations at risk of disease epidemics, we must elucidate the factors that shape, and potentially decouple, the link between pathogen prevalence and intensity of infection over complex ecological landscapes. Using a network of 41 populations of the amphibian host Rana pipiens in Ontario, Canada, we present the spatial and temporal heterogeneity in pathogen prevalence and intensity of infection of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), across a 3-year period. We then quantify how covariation between both infection parameters measured during late summer is modified by previously experienced spatiotemporal environmental heterogeneity across 14 repeat sampled populations. Late summer Bd infection parameters are governed, at least in part, by different environmental factors operating during separate host life-history events. Our results provide evidence for a relationship between Bd prevalence and thermal regimes prior to host breeding at the site level, and a relationship between intensity of infection and aquatic conditions (precipitation, hydroshed size and river density) throughout host breeding period at the site level. This demonstrates that microclimatic variation within temporal windows can drive divergent patterns of pathogen dynamics within and across years, by effecting changes in host behaviour which interfere with the pathogen's ability to infect and re-infect hosts. A clearer understanding of the role that spatiotemporal heterogeneity has upon infection parameters will provide valuable insights into host-pathogen epidemiology, as well as more fundamental aspects of the ecology and evolution of interspecific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M McMillan
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | | | - Xavier A Harrison
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Climate-Related Correlates of Several Metrics of Breeding Phenology in a Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Population in Ohio. J HERPETOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1670/18-131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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20
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Environmental stress shapes life-history variation in the swelled-vented frog (Feirana quadranus). Evol Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-09980-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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21
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Plenderleith TL, Stratford D, Lollback GW, Chapple DG, Reina RD, Hero JM. Calling phenology of a diverse amphibian assemblage in response to meteorological conditions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:873-882. [PMID: 29242979 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1490-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The strong association between amphibian activity, breeding and recruitment with local environmental conditions raises concerns regarding how changes in climate may affect the persistence of species populations into the future. Additionally, in a highly diverse assemblage of anurans, competition for breeding sites affects the time and duration of activity, as species compete for limited resources such as water. Meteorological conditions are strong drivers of amphibian activity, so we assessed whether temperature, rainfall, atmospheric pressure and humidity were associated with the calling phenology of an assemblage of anurans in South East Queensland, Australia. We performed calling surveys and collected digital recordings at 45 ponds in an area known for high anuran diversity. We performed detection analyses to investigate the influence of 10 meteorological variables in detection of calling activity in 19 amphibian species. Our results suggest four breeding strategies in the assemblage: explosive summer breeders, prolonged breeders, opportunistic breeders and a winter breeder. Classifying these species into associations provides a framework for understanding how species respond to environmental conditions. Explosive breeders (i.e. species demonstrating short and highly synchronised breeding periods) were particularly responsive to temperature. Our findings help elucidate the breeding phenology of frogs and provide valuable information on their mating systems in native Australian forests. This study highlights the difficulties of surveying even common anurans. We highlight the importance of predictability and stability in climate and the vulnerability of species for which reproduction appears to require highly specific environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Danial Stratford
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia
| | - Gregory W Lollback
- Design Unit, Engineering, Tweed Shire Council, Murwillumbah, NSW, Australia
| | - David G Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jean-Marc Hero
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
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22
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Pintar MR, Resetarits WJ. Variation in Pond Hydroperiod Affects Larval Growth in Southern Leopard Frogs, Lithobates sphenocephalus. COPEIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-17-696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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23
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Sommers M, Randall L, Barclay R. Effects of environmental variables on the calling behaviour of Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens) in Alberta, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Breeding behaviour of Temperate Zone amphibians is influenced by environmental variables, but the initiation of calling (phenology) and influences on calling activity may vary with species and region. We investigated the influence of the timing of ice melt, water temperature, and photoperiod on the breeding phenology of the Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens (Schreber, 1782)) in southern Alberta, Canada, using automated recording units. We also examined the influence of wind speed, relative humidity, water temperature, and time of day on calling activity. The initiation of calling varied by 13 days at our three sites, suggesting that calling was influenced more by water temperature and timing of ice melt than photoperiod. Calling was first observed 8–11 days after ice melt at water temperatures of 7.5–8 °C at our sites. No calling was detected at water temperature <5 °C. We recorded nocturnal and diurnal calling at all sites; >50% of calling was diurnal, even on days with warm overnight temperatures. Calling activity was influenced by time of day, water temperature, wind, and relative humidity. Our results suggest that date of initiation of calling varies considerably among breeding ponds and that the time of day of peak calling varies with both site and water temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.D. Sommers
- Centre for Conservation Research, Calgary Zoological Society, 1300 Zoo Road Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 7V6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - L.A. Randall
- Centre for Conservation Research, Calgary Zoological Society, 1300 Zoo Road Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 7V6, Canada
| | - R.M.R. Barclay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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Lamsal P, Kumar L, Atreya K, Pant KP. Vulnerability and impacts of climate change on forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems in Nepal: A review. AMBIO 2017; 46:915-930. [PMID: 28573600 PMCID: PMC5639795 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0923-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Climate change (CC) threatens ecosystems in both developed and developing countries. As the impacts of CC are pervasive, global, and mostly irreversible, it is gaining worldwide attention. Here we review vulnerability and impacts of CC on forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems. We particularly look at investigations undertaken at different geographic regions in order to identify existing knowledge gaps and possible implications from such vulnerability in the context of Nepal along with available adaptation programs and national-level policy supports. Different categories of impacts which are attributed to disrupting structure, function, and habitat of both forest and wetland ecosystems are identified and discussed. We show that though still unaccounted, many facets of forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems of Nepal are vulnerable and likely to be impacted by CC in the near future. Provisioning ecosystem services and landscape-level ecosystem conservation are anticipated to be highly threatened with future CC. Finally, the need for prioritizing CC research in Nepal is highlighted to close the existing knowledge gap along with the implementation of adaptation measures based on existing location specific traditional socio-ecological system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pramod Lamsal
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia
| | - Lalit Kumar
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia
| | - Kishor Atreya
- Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB), P.O. Box 11035, Kathmandu, Nepal
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25
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Prodon R, Geniez P, Cheylan M, Devers F, Chuine I, Besnard A. A reversal of the shift towards earlier spring phenology in several Mediterranean reptiles and amphibians during the 1998-2013 warming slowdown. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:5481-5491. [PMID: 28712146 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Herps, especially amphibians, are particularly susceptible to climate change, as temperature tightly controls many parameters of their biological cycle-above all, their phenology. The timing of herps' activity or migration period-in particular the dates of their first appearance in spring and first breeding-and the shift to earlier dates in response to warming since the last quarter of the 20th century has often been described up to now as a nearly monotonic trend towards earlier phenological events. In this study, we used citizen science data opportunistically collected on reptiles and amphibians in the northern Mediterranean basin over a period of 32 years to explore temporal variations in herp phenology. For 17 common species, we measured shifts in the date of the species' first spring appearance-which may be the result of current changes in climate-and regressed the first appearance date against temperatures and precipitations. Our results confirmed the expected overall trend towards earlier first spring appearances from 1983 to 1997, and show that the first appearance date of both reptiles and amphibians fits well with the temperature in late winter. However, the trend towards earlier dates was stopped or even reversed in most species between 1998 and 2013. We interpret this reversal as a response to cooling related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the late winter and early spring. During the positive NAO episodes, for certain species only (mainly amphibians), the effect of a warm weather, which tends to advance the phenology, seems to be counterbalanced by the adverse effects of the relative dryness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Prodon
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Geniez
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Marc Cheylan
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Devers
- Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (UMR 7204), Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Chuine
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Aurelien Besnard
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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26
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Crump PS, Houlahan J. Designing better frog call recognition models. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3087-3099. [PMID: 28480008 PMCID: PMC5415519 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in bioacoustic technology, such as the use of automatic recording devices, allow wildlife monitoring at large spatial scales. However, such technology can produce enormous amounts of audio data that must be processed and analyzed. One potential solution to this problem is the use of automated sound recognition tools, but we lack a general framework for developing and validating these tools. Recognizers are computer models of an animal sound assembled from "training data" (i.e., actual samples of vocalizations). The settings of variables used to create recognizers can impact performance, and the use of different settings can result in large differences in error rates that can be exploited for different monitoring objectives. We used Song Scope (Wildlife Acoustics Inc.) to build recognizers and vocalizations of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) to test how different settings and amounts of training data influence recognizer performance. Performance was evaluated using precision (the probability of a recognizer match being a true match) and sensitivity (the proportion of vocalizations detected) based on a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve-determined score threshold. Evaluations were conducted using recordings not used to build the recognizer. Wood frog recognizer performance was sensitive to setting changes in four out of nine variables, and small improvements were achieved by using additional training data from different sites and from the same recording, but not from different recordings from the same site. Overall, the effect of changes to variable settings was much greater than the effect of increasing training data. Additionally, by testing the performance of the recognizer on vocalizations not used to build the recognizer, we discovered that Type I error rates appear idiosyncratic and do not recommend extrapolation from training to new data, whereas Type II errors showed more consistency and extrapolation can be justified. Optimizing variable settings on independent recordings led to a better match between recognizer performance and monitoring objectives. We provide general recommendations for application of this methodology with other species and make some suggestions for improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul S Crump
- Department of Biology University of New Brunswick-Saint John Saint John NB Canada
| | - Jeff Houlahan
- Department of Biology University of New Brunswick-Saint John Saint John NB Canada
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27
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Green DM. Amphibian breeding phenology trends under climate change: predicting the past to forecast the future. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:646-656. [PMID: 27273300 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Global climate warming is predicted to hasten the onset of spring breeding by anuran amphibians in seasonal environments. Previous data had indicated that the breeding phenology of a population of Fowler's Toads (Anaxyrus fowleri) at their northern range limit had been progressively later in spring, contrary to generally observed trends in other species. Although these animals are known to respond to environmental temperature and the lunar cycle to commence breeding, the timing of breeding should also be influenced by the onset of overwintering animals' prior upward movement through the soil column from beneath the frost line as winter becomes spring. I used recorded weather data to identify four factors of temperature, rainfall and snowfall in late winter and early spring that correlated with the toads' eventual date of emergence aboveground. Estimated dates of spring emergence of the toads calculated using a predictive model based on these factors, as well as the illumination of the moon, were highly correlated with observed dates of emergence over 24 consecutive years. Using the model to estimate of past dates of spring breeding (i.e. retrodiction) indicated that even three decades of data were insufficient to discern any appreciable phenological trend in these toads. However, by employing weather data dating back to 1876, I detected a significant trend over 140 years towards earlier spring emergence by the toads by less than half a day/decade, while, over the same period of time, average annual air temperature and annual precipitation had both increased. Changes in the springtime breeding phenology for late-breeding species, such as Fowler's Toads, therefore may conform to expectations of earlier breeding under global warming. Improved understanding of the environmental cues that bring organisms out of winter dormancy will enable better interpretation of long-term phenological trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Green
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C4, Canada
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28
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Baier F, Gruber E, Hein T, Bondar-Kunze E, Ivanković M, Mentler A, Brühl CA, Spangl B, Zaller JG. Non-target effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on Common toad larvae ( Bufo bufo, Amphibia) and associated algae are altered by temperature. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2641. [PMID: 27833808 PMCID: PMC5101619 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glyphosate-based herbicides are the most widely used pesticides in agriculture, horticulture, municipalities and private gardens that can potentially contaminate nearby water bodies inhabited by amphibians and algae. Moreover, the development and diversity of these aquatic organisms could also be affected by human-induced climate change that might lead to more periods with extreme temperatures. However, to what extent non-target effects of these herbicides on amphibians or algae are altered by varying temperature is not well known. METHODS We studied effects of five concentrations of the glyphosate-based herbicide formulation Roundup PowerFlex (0, 1.5, 3, 4 mg acid equivalent glyphosate L-1 as a one time addition and a pulse treatment of totally 4 mg a.e. glyphosate L-1) on larval development of Common toads (Bufo bufo, L.; Amphibia: Anura) and associated algae communities under two temperature regimes (15 vs. 20 °C). RESULTS Herbicide contamination reduced tail growth (-8%), induced the occurrence of tail deformations (i.e. lacerated or crooked tails) and reduced algae diversity (-6%). Higher water temperature increased tadpole growth (tail and body length (tl/bl) +66%, length-to-width ratio +4%) and decreased algae diversity (-21%). No clear relation between herbicide concentrations and tadpole growth or algae density or diversity was observed. Interactive effects of herbicides and temperature affected growth parameters, tail deformation and tadpole mortality indicating that the herbicide effects are temperature-dependent. Remarkably, herbicide-temperature interactions resulted in deformed tails in 34% of all herbicide treated tadpoles at 15 °C whereas no tail deformations were observed for the herbicide-free control at 15 °C or any tadpole at 20 °C; herbicide-induced mortality was higher at 15 °C but lower at 20 °C. DISCUSSION These herbicide- and temperature-induced changes may have decided effects on ecological interactions in freshwater ecosystems. Although no clear dose-response effect was seen, the presence of glyphosate was decisive for an effect, suggesting that the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) in our study was 1.5 mg a.e. glyphosate L-1 water. Overall, our findings also question the relevance of pesticide risk assessments conducted at standard temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Baier
- Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Edith Gruber
- Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Hein
- Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
- WasserCluster Lunz–Biologische Station GmbH, Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Bondar-Kunze
- Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
- WasserCluster Lunz–Biologische Station GmbH, Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Marina Ivanković
- Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Axel Mentler
- Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Carsten A. Brühl
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Bernhard Spangl
- Institute of Applied Statistics and Computing, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Johann G. Zaller
- Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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29
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Green T, Das E, Green DM. Springtime Emergence of Overwintering Toads,Anaxyrus fowleri, in Relation to Environmental Factors. COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-15-323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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30
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Pereyra L, Akmentins M, Sanabria E, Vaira M. Diurnal? Calling activity patterns reveal nocturnal habits in the aposematic toad Melanophryniscus rubriventris. CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In diurnal species with short breeding seasons, an extension of diel activity to the night hours could be favoured to maximize mating opportunities, but individuals must deal with physiological and behavioural constraints. We tested this hypothesis in the Yungas Red-belly Toad (Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Vellard, 1947)). We registered the diel pattern of male calling activity in two localities using automated recording systems, and related it to abiotic factors such as temperature, relative air humidity, and precipitation. The diel pattern of vocalization was mainly diurnal. Interestingly though, nocturnal calling activity was a common feature, representing between 40% and 43% of call records in both localities. Vocal activity was significantly influenced by time of the day and presence of rainfall. Calling males showed high plasticity, with activity in the entire environmental range of relative air humidity and temperature. Nocturnal calling seems to play an important role in the mating strategy of males, and it is probably more frequent in the genus Melanophryniscus than currently assumed. We discuss the implications of our findings in relation to different aspects of ecology of the species and suggest that bright colouration in M. rubriventris might result from a compromise between several nonconflicting functions (e.g., aposematism and thermoregulation).
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Affiliation(s)
- L.C. Pereyra
- Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (INECOA), Universidad Nacional de Jujuy–CONICET, Avenida Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina
| | - M.S. Akmentins
- Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (INECOA), Universidad Nacional de Jujuy–CONICET, Avenida Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina
| | - E.A. Sanabria
- Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Filosofía Humanidades y Artes, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Avenida José Ignacio de la Roza 230 (5400), San Juan, Argentina
| | - M. Vaira
- Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (INECOA), Universidad Nacional de Jujuy–CONICET, Avenida Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina
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Dervo BK, Bærum KM, Skurdal J, Museth J. Effects of Temperature and Precipitation on Breeding Migrations of Amphibian Species in Southeastern Norway. SCIENTIFICA 2016; 2016:3174316. [PMID: 27239371 PMCID: PMC4864541 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3174316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
To reveal the effects of climate, a generalized linear mixed model was used to explore the variation in onset of spawning migration for the two newt species T. cristatus and L. vulgaris in southern Norway. Amphibians are highly influenced by the physical environment, such as temperature and rainfall. The first migrating newts were observed subsequently to the three first consecutive days with mean temperature close to or above 4°C. Further, migration of L. vulgaris was facilitated at lower temperatures compared to T. cristatus, but the migration was dependent on higher precipitation levels. Northern populations of T. cristatus and L. vulgaris may already benefit from a warmer climate due to increased recruitment and juvenile survival. However, an offset in the migration phenology due to climate change might further alter the recruitment and survival rates with either positive or negative outcome. Thus, variations in migration phenology for newts due to climate change may have implications for management and protection status in many systems. In a general context, we should increase emphasis on protecting newts and support increased populations and distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Børre K. Dervo
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA), Human Dimension Department, Fakkelgården, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Kim Magnus Bærum
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA), Human Dimension Department, Fakkelgården, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Jostein Skurdal
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA), Human Dimension Department, Fakkelgården, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Jon Museth
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA), Human Dimension Department, Fakkelgården, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
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Trochet A, Moulherat S, Calvez O, Stevens VM, Clobert J, Schmeller DS. A database of life-history traits of European amphibians. Biodivers Data J 2014:e4123. [PMID: 25425939 PMCID: PMC4237922 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.2.e4123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current context of climate change and landscape fragmentation, efficient conservation strategies require the explicit consideration of life history traits. This is particularly true for amphibians, which are highly threatened worldwide, composed by more than 7400 species, which is constitute one of the most species-rich vertebrate groups. The collection of information on life history traits is difficult due to the ecology of species and remoteness of their habitats. It is therefore not surprising that our knowledge is limited, and missing information on certain life history traits are common for in this species group. We compiled data on amphibian life history traits from literature in an extensive database with morphological and behavioral traits, habitat preferences and movement abilities for 86 European amphibian species (50 Anuran and 36 Urodela species). When it were available, we reported data for males, females, juveniles and tadpoles. Our database may serve as an important starting point for further analyses regarding amphibian conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Trochet
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), Toulouse, France ; Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS at Moulis, Moulis, France
| | | | - Olivier Calvez
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS at Moulis, Moulis, France
| | | | - Jean Clobert
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS at Moulis, Moulis, France
| | - Dirk S Schmeller
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology, Leipzig, Germany ; Université de Toulouse; UPS, INPT; Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (Ecolab); CNRS, Toulouse, France
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Paull SH, Johnson PTJ. Experimental warming drives a seasonal shift in the timing of host-parasite dynamics with consequences for disease risk. Ecol Lett 2014; 17:445-53. [PMID: 24401007 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2013] [Revised: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Multi-species experiments are critical for identifying the mechanisms through which climate change influences population dynamics and community interactions within ecological systems, including infectious diseases. Using a host-parasite system involving freshwater snails, amphibians and trematode parasites, we conducted a year-long, outdoor experiment to evaluate how warming affected net parasite production, the timing of infection and the resultant pathology. Warming of 3 °C caused snail intermediate hosts to release parasites 9 months earlier and increased infected snail mortality by fourfold, leading to decreased overlap between amphibians and parasites. As a result, warming halved amphibian infection loads and reduced pathology by 67%, despite comparable total parasite production across temperature treatments. These results demonstrate that climate-disease theory should be expanded to account for predicted changes in host and parasite phenology, which may often be more important than changes in total parasite output for predicting climate-driven changes in disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara H Paull
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Ramaley N122, UCB 334, Boulder, CO, 80305, USA
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