Poster Details
EFFECT OF LEAF LITTER NUTRIENT AND PHENOLIC COMPOSITION ON WOOD FROG (RANA SYLVATICA) SIZE AND MORPHOLOGY
Terrestrial plant communities are changing across the world. These terrestrial vegetation changes have a strong influence on aquatic ecosystems, as this anthropogenic input supplies the energy (nutrient composition) and alters toxicity (secondary compounds) for aquatic life. We conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment using wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles to examine whether plants with varying nutrient and phenolic concentrations altered the size or morphology of tadpoles until metamorphosis. Our data showed that mesocosms with litter from plant species containing high phenolics and low nutrients resulted in smaller metamorphic individuals. Across plant treatments morphological variation was observed in the metamorphic frogs. These data can help illuminate the response of wetland taxa to changing plant communities resulting from global change.
Sarah Crites (Primary Presenter/Author), Loyola University Chicago, scrites@luc.edu;
Thomas Sanger ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Loyola University Chicago, tsanger@luc.edu;
Daniella DeRose ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Loyola University Chicago, dderose@luc.edu;