| Abstract: | Increased exposure to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation has been proposed as a major environmental stressor leading to global amphibian declines. Prior experimental evidence from the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) indicating the acute embryonic sensitivity of at least four amphibian species to UV-B has been central to the literature about amphibian decline. However, these results have not been expanded to address population-scale effects and natural landscape variation in UV-B transparency of water at amphibian breeding sites: both necessary links to assess the importance of UV-B for amphibian declines. We quantified the UV-B transparency of 136 potential amphibian breeding sites to establish the pattern of UV-B exposure across two montane regions in the PNW. Our data suggest that 85% of sites are naturally protected by dissolved organic matter in pond water, and that only a fraction of breeding sites are expected to experience UV-B intensities exceeding levels associated with elevated egg mortality. Thus, the spectral characteristics of natural waters likely mediate the physiological effects of UV-B on amphibian eggs in all but the clearest waters. These data imply that UV-B is unlikely to cause broad amphibian declines across the landscape of the American Northwest. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 1016185 |
| Citation Author: | Palen, Wendy J.; Schindler, David E.; Adams, Michael J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; Bury, R. Bruce; Diamond, S. A. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center |
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| Citation End Page: | 2957 |
| Citation Issue: | 11 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Ecology |
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| Citation Month: | NOV |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 7 |
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| Citation Phsyical Description: | p. 2951-2957 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Optical characteristics of natural waters protect amphibians from UV-B in the U.S. Pacific Northwest; 2002; Article; Journal; Ecology; Palen, Wendy J.; Schindler, David E.; Adams, Michael J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; Bury, R. Bruce; Diamond, S. A. |
| Citation Start Page: | 2951 |
| Citation Volume: | 83 |
| Citation Year: | 2002 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Optical characteristics of natural waters protect amphibians from UV-B in the U.S. Pacific Northwest; 2002; Article; Journal; Ecology; Palen, Wendy J.; Schindler, David E.; Adams, Michael J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; Bury, R. Bruce; Diamond, S. A. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00 -0600 |
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