Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems

Earl, Julia E.; Blomquist, Sean M.; Harper, Elizabeth B.; Hocking, Daniel J.; Hunter, Malcolm L.; Johnson, Jarrett R.; Osbourn, Michael S.; Patrick, David A.; Popescu, Viorel D.; Rittenhouse, Tracy A. G.; Rothermel, Betsie B.

doi:10.3390/d14030163

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Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems

^1,*

²,

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Malcolm L. Hunter, Jr.

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Tracy A. G. Rittenhouse

¹⁰ and

Betsie B. Rothermel

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School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA

Branch of SSA Science Support, US Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: ES, 5725 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041, USA

Division of Science, Health and Education, New England College, Henniker, NH 03242, USA

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Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA

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Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA

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Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42103, USA

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Wildlife Biology Program, Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC 28604, USA

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Chief Conservation Office, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Dr. #100, Arlington, VA 22203, USA

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Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, 107 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH 45701, USA

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Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, 1376 Storrs Rd, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

¹¹

Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL 33960, USA

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Academic Editors: Luc Legal, David E. Scott and Stacey Lance

Diversity 2022, 14(3), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14030163

Received: 21 December 2021 / Revised: 18 February 2022 / Accepted: 23 February 2022 / Published: 25 February 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Amphibian Ecology in Geographically Isolated Wetlands)

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Abstract

Recently metamorphosed amphibians transport substantial biomass and nutrients from wetlands to terrestrial ecosystems. Previous estimates (except 1) were limited to either a subset of the community or a single year. Our goal was to examine temporal variability in biomass export of all amphibians within breeding ponds and the composition of that export. We completely encircled ponds with drift fences to capture, count, and weigh emerging recently metamorphosed individuals in Maine (four wetlands, six years) and Missouri (eight wetlands, 2–4 years). We estimated total amphibian biomass export, export scaled by pond surface area, species diversity, and percentage of biomass from anurans. Biomass export and export composition varied greatly among ponds and years. Our estimates were of similar magnitude to previous studies. Amphibian biomass export was higher when species diversity was low and the proportion of anurans was higher. Biomass estimates tended to be highest for juvenile cohorts dominated by a single ranid species: green frogs (Missouri) or wood frogs (Maine). Ranid frogs made up a substantial proportion of amphibian biomass export, suggesting that terrestrial impacts will likely occur in the leaf litter of forests. Future studies should examine the impacts of ranid juveniles on terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. View Full-Text

Keywords: spatial subsidy; aquatic-terrestrial linkages; species diversity; Ranidae; Ambystomatidae; recently metamorphosed

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MDPI and ACS Style

Earl, J.E.; Blomquist, S.M.; Harper, E.B.; Hocking, D.J.; Hunter, M.L., Jr.; Johnson, J.R.; Osbourn, M.S.; Patrick, D.A.; Popescu, V.D.; Rittenhouse, T.A.G.; Rothermel, B.B. Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems. Diversity 2022, 14, 163. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14030163

AMA Style

Earl JE, Blomquist SM, Harper EB, Hocking DJ, Hunter ML Jr., Johnson JR, Osbourn MS, Patrick DA, Popescu VD, Rittenhouse TAG, Rothermel BB. Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems. Diversity. 2022; 14(3):163. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14030163

Chicago/Turabian Style

Earl, Julia E., Sean M. Blomquist, Elizabeth B. Harper, Daniel J. Hocking, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr., Jarrett R. Johnson, Michael S. Osbourn, David A. Patrick, Viorel D. Popescu, Tracy A.G. Rittenhouse, and Betsie B. Rothermel. 2022. "Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems" Diversity 14, no. 3: 163. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14030163

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Amphibian Biomass Export from Geographically Isolated Wetlands: Temporal Variability, Species Composition, and Potential Implications for Terrestrial Ecosystems

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