Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea.
Recent anthropogenic influences on freshwater habitats are forcing anuran populations to rapidly adapt to high magnitude changes in environmental conditions or face local extinction. We examined the effects of ecologically relevant elevated salinity levels on larval growth, metamorphosis and surviva...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3423355?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818258658022129664 |
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| author | Brian D Kearney Phillip G Byrne Richard D Reina |
| author_facet | Brian D Kearney Phillip G Byrne Richard D Reina |
| author_sort | Brian D Kearney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent anthropogenic influences on freshwater habitats are forcing anuran populations to rapidly adapt to high magnitude changes in environmental conditions or face local extinction. We examined the effects of ecologically relevant elevated salinity levels on larval growth, metamorphosis and survival of three species of Australian anuran; the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis), the painted burrowing frog (Neobatrachus sudelli) and the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), in order to better understand the responses of these animals to environmental change. Elevated salinity (16% seawater) negatively impacted on the survival of L. tasmaniensis (35% survival) and N sudelli (0% survival), while reduced salinity had a negative impact on L. aurea. (16% seawater: 85% survival; 0.4% seawater: 35% survival). L. aurea tadpoles survived in salinities much higher than previously reported for this species, indicating the potential for inter-populations differences in salinity tolerance. In L. tasmaniensis and L. aurea, development to metamorphosis was fastest in low and high salinity treatments suggesting it is advantageous for tadpoles to invest energy in development in both highly favourable and developmentally challenging environments. We propose that this response might either maximise potential lifetime fecundity when tadpoles experience favourable environments, or, facilitate a more rapid escape from pond environments where there is a reduced probability of survival. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T18:03:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-08308f4a3c6d4b84b550a523cdacea65 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T18:03:02Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-08308f4a3c6d4b84b550a523cdacea652022-12-22T00:16:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0178e4342710.1371/journal.pone.0043427Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea.Brian D KearneyPhillip G ByrneRichard D ReinaRecent anthropogenic influences on freshwater habitats are forcing anuran populations to rapidly adapt to high magnitude changes in environmental conditions or face local extinction. We examined the effects of ecologically relevant elevated salinity levels on larval growth, metamorphosis and survival of three species of Australian anuran; the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis), the painted burrowing frog (Neobatrachus sudelli) and the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), in order to better understand the responses of these animals to environmental change. Elevated salinity (16% seawater) negatively impacted on the survival of L. tasmaniensis (35% survival) and N sudelli (0% survival), while reduced salinity had a negative impact on L. aurea. (16% seawater: 85% survival; 0.4% seawater: 35% survival). L. aurea tadpoles survived in salinities much higher than previously reported for this species, indicating the potential for inter-populations differences in salinity tolerance. In L. tasmaniensis and L. aurea, development to metamorphosis was fastest in low and high salinity treatments suggesting it is advantageous for tadpoles to invest energy in development in both highly favourable and developmentally challenging environments. We propose that this response might either maximise potential lifetime fecundity when tadpoles experience favourable environments, or, facilitate a more rapid escape from pond environments where there is a reduced probability of survival.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3423355?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Brian D Kearney Phillip G Byrne Richard D Reina Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. PLoS ONE |
| title | Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. |
| title_full | Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. |
| title_fullStr | Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. |
| title_short | Larval tolerance to salinity in three species of Australian anuran: an indication of saline specialisation in Litoria aurea. |
| title_sort | larval tolerance to salinity in three species of australian anuran an indication of saline specialisation in litoria aurea |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3423355?pdf=render |
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