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Starting on the Right Foot: Carryover Effects of Larval Hydroperiod and Terrain Moisture on Post-metamorphic Frog Movement Behavior

Evan M Bredeweg,J. Urbina,A. Morzillo,Tiffany S. Garcia

Published 2019 in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

ABSTRACT

Changing patterns of precipitation and drought will dramatically influence the distribution and persistence of lentic habitats. Pond-breeding amphibians can often respond to changes in habitat by plastically shifting behavioral and developmental trait response. However, fitness tradeoffs inherent in life history strategies can carry over to impact development, behavior, and fitness in later life stages. In this experiment, we investigated carryover effects of hydroperiod permanence on the movement behavior of newly-metamorphosed juvenile Northern Red-legged Frogs (Rana aurora). Frogs were raised through metamorphosis in mesocosms under either permanent or ephemeral hydroperiod conditions. After metamorphosis, individuals were removed from the mesocosms, measured, uniquely tagged with elastomer, and moved to holding terrariums. Movement behavior was quantified under two terrain conditions: a physiologically-taxing, dry runway treatment, or a control, moist runway treatment. Individuals were given 30 minutes to move down the 1x20m enclosed structure before distance was measured. We applied a hurdle model to examine two distinct components of movement behavior: 1) the probability of moving away from the start location, and 2) movement distance. We found that hydroperiod condition had an indirect carryover effect on movement via the relationship between individual size and the propensity to move. Individuals from ephemeral mesocosm conditions metamorphosed at a smaller size but showed increased growth rates as compared to individuals from permanent hydroperiod conditions. Individual snout-vent length and runway condition (moist or dry) were significant predictors of both aspects of movement behavior. Larger individuals were more likely to move down the runway and able to move a farther distance than smaller individuals. In addition to the influence of size, dry runway conditions reduced the probability of individuals moving from the start location, but increased the distance traveled relative to the moist runway. The demonstrated cumulative impact of stressors suggests the importance of addressing direct, indirect, and carryover effects of stressors throughout ontogeny.

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