Distribution patterns of lentic-breeding amphibians in relation to ultraviolet radiation exposure in western North America

Ecosystems
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Abstract

An increase in ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation has been posited to be a potential factor in the decline of some amphibian population. This hypothesis has received support from laboratory and field experiments showing that current levels of UV-B can cause embryo mortality in some species, but little research has addressed whether UV-B is influencing the distribution of amphibian populations. We compared patterns of amphibian presence to site-specific estimates of UV-B dose at 683 ponds and lakes in Glacier, Olympic, and Sequoia–Kings Canyon National Parks. All three parks are located in western North America, a region with a concentration of documented amphibian declines. Site-specific daily UV-B dose was estimated using modeled and field-collected data to incorporate the effects of elevation, landscape, and water-column dissolved organic carbon. Of the eight species we examined (Ambystoma gracile, Ambystoma macrodactylum, Bufo boreas, Pseudacris regilla, Rana cascadae, Rana leuteiventris, Rana muscosa, Taricha granulosa), two species (T. granulosa and A. macrodactylum) had quadratic relationships with UV-B that could have resulted from negative UV-B effects. Both species were most likely to occur at moderate UV-B levels. Ambystoma macrodactylum showed this pattern only in Glacier National Park. Occurrence of A. macrodactylum increased as UV-B increased in Olympic National Park despite UV-B levels similar to those recorded in Glacier. We also found marginal support for a negative association with UV-B for P. regilla in one of the two parks where it occurred. We did not find evidence of a negative UV-B effect for any other species. Much more work is still needed to determine whether UV-B, either alone or in concert with other factors, is causing widespread population losses in amphibians.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Distribution patterns of lentic-breeding amphibians in relation to ultraviolet radiation exposure in western North America
Series title Ecosystems
DOI 10.1007/s10021-003-0033-3
Volume 8
Issue 5
Year Published 2005
Language English
Publisher Springer
Publisher location New York
Contributing office(s) Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Description 13 p.
First page 488
Last page 500
Country United States
State California, Montana, Washington
Other Geospatial Glacier National Park, Olympic National Park, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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