HR: 10:30h
AN: NB32B-01 [Abstracts]
TI: Spatial and Temporal Variation in Tadpole Communities in Neotropical Montane Streams.
AU: * Brenes, R
EM: tadpole@siu.edu
AU: Lips, K R
EM: klips@zoology.siu.edu
AB:
Tadpoles transfer nutrients and energy between environments and amphibian declines are likely to affect this process. As the
first step in determining amphibian production, we quantified seasonal and microhabitat variation in abundance and diversity
of tadpoles at two sites: pre and post-decline. We quantified density of all tadpole species in riffles, runs, and pools
monthly for a year. Three species occurred at the decline site (average density = 0.0026 ± 0.0034 m-2), and 10 of 11 species occurred year-round at the healthy site (2.80 ± 4.37 m-2). Tadpole abundance varied seasonally, with more
tadpoles (X2=270.23, 10 d.f., p<0.001) at lower densities (0.50 m-2 ± 0.58) during the rainy season than
during the dry season (5.10 m-2 ± 5.31; t = 3.079, 10 d.f., P= 0.01). Microhabitats differed in overall density
(leaf packs, 1.044 ± 1.17 m-2; riffles, 0.04 ± 0.013 m-2, pools 0.38 ± 0.005 m-2; isolated pools
2.09 ± 1.03 m-2). Riffles and pools had a diverse tadpole assemblage, but leaf packs and isolated pools were
dominated by Hyalinobatrachium colymbiphyllum (3.74 ± 1.86 m-2, F= 13.47, p=0.01) and Colostethus
flotator (9.35 ± 4.56 m-2, F=32.77, p=0.002), respectively. High abundance, density, prevalence, and persistence
suggest an important role for tadpoles in these ecosystems.
UR: http://www.science.siu.edu/zoology/gradstudents/brenes/index.html
DE: 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings)
DE: 9901 NABS Student Award - Basic Research
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly