1
|
Kijanović A, Vukov T, Mirč M, Krizmanić I, Tomašević Kolarov N. Inability of yellow‐bellied toad to accelerate metamorphosis in desiccation conditions. J Zool (1987) 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Kijanović
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - T. Vukov
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - M. Mirč
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - I. Krizmanić
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - N. Tomašević Kolarov
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Saha K, Prakash H, Mohapatra PP, Balakrishnan R. Is flying riskier for female katydids than for males? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03298-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
|
3
|
Aiyer A, Bunuba Rangers, Bell T, Shine R, Somaweera R, Bruny M, Ward‐Fear G. Taking the bait: Developing a bait delivery system to target free-ranging crocodiles and varanid lizards with a novel conservation strategy. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8933. [PMID: 35784020 PMCID: PMC9163195 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In tropical Australia, conditioned taste aversion (CTA) can buffer vulnerable native predators from the invasion of a toxic prey species (cane toads, Rhinella marina). Thus, we need to develop methods to deploy aversion-inducing baits in the field, in ways that maximize uptake by vulnerable species (but not other taxa). We constructed and field-tested baiting devices, in situ with wild animals. Apparatus were set next to waterbodies and baited concurrently at multiple locations (over water, water's edge, and on the bank). Baits were checked and replaced twice daily during the trial; remote cameras recorded visitation by native predators. Bait longevity was compared at sun-exposed and shaded locations over 12 h. The strength required to remove baits from apparatus was measured in varanids and crocodiles. The device promoted high rates of bait uptake by freshwater crocodiles (47% baits consumed), varanid lizards (19% baits consumed), and non-target taxa (34% baits consumed). Targeting specific predators can be achieved by manipulating bait location and time of deployment, as well as the force required to dislodge the bait. Crocodiles were best targeted with over-water baits, whereas varanid lizards preferred baits located at the edges of waterbodies. When testing bait longevity in ambient conditions, during the daytime baits desiccated fully within 12 h, and faster in the sun than in the shade. Based on studies using captive animals, the "pulling force" strength of reptilian predators scaled with body size and was greater in crocodiles than in varanid lizards. We present the first conservation baiting protocol designed specifically for reptiles. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of widespread and taxon-specific deployment of aversion-inducing baits to buffer the impacts of invasive cane toads, and our methods are applicable (with modification) to other research and management programs globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhilasha Aiyer
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Bunuba Rangers
- Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal CorporationFitzroy CrossingWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Tina Bell
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ruchira Somaweera
- Stantec AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Miles Bruny
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsWannerooWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Georgia Ward‐Fear
- School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen A, Deng H, Song X, Liu X, Chai L. Effects of Separate and Combined Exposure of Cadmium and Lead on the Endochondral Ossification in Bufo gargarizans. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1228-1245. [PMID: 35040517 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and most studies have examined the potential effects of Cd or Pb alone on aquatic organisms. In the present study, chronic effects of Cd and Pb, alone and in combination, on Bufo gargarizans were investigated by exposing embryos to these contaminants throughout metamorphosis. Significant reductions in body mass and snout-to-vent length were observed in B. gargarizans at Gosner stage 42 (Gs 42) and Gs 46 exposed to a Cd/Pb mixture. Single and combined exposure with Cd and Pb induced histological alterations of the thyroid gland characterized by reduced colloid area and thickness of epithelial cells. There was a significant decrease in the maximum jump distance of froglets exposed to Cd alone and the Cd/Pb mixture, and the jumping capacity showed a positive correlation with hind limb length and tibia/fibula. Moreover, single metals and their mixture induced reduction of endochondral bone formation in B. gargarizans. Transcriptomic and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that genes involved in skeletal ossification (TRα, TRβ, Dio2, Dio3, MMP9, MMP13, Runx1, Runx2, and Runx3) were transcriptionally dysregulated by Cd and Pb exposure alone or in combination. Our results suggested that despite the low concentration tested, the Cd/Pb mixture induced more severe impacts on B. gargarizans. In addition, the Cd/Pb mixture might reduce chances of survival for B. gargarizans froglets by decreasing size at metamorphosis, impaired skeletal ossification, and reduction in jumping ability, which might result from dysregulation of genes involved in thyroid hormone action and endochondral ossification. The findings obtained could add a new dimension to understanding of the mechanisms underpinning skeletal ossification response to heavy metals in amphibians. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1228-1245. © 2022 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Chen
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongzhang Deng
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiuling Song
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lihong Chai
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pettit L, Ward‐Fear G, Shine R. A biological invasion impacts ecosystem services: cane toads change the rate of scavenging and the suite of scavengers. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan Pettit
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales2006Australia
| | - Georgia Ward‐Fear
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales2019Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales2006Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales2019Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Székely D, Cogălniceanu D, Székely P, Armijos-Ojeda D, Espinosa-Mogrovejo V, Denoël M. How to recover from a bad start: size at metamorphosis affects growth and survival in a tropical amphibian. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:24. [PMID: 32316956 PMCID: PMC7175581 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00291-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In species with complex life cycles, size at metamorphosis is a key life-history trait which reflects the complex interactions between costs and benefits of life in the aquatic and terrestrial environments. Whereas the effects of a deteriorating larval habitat (e.g. pond desiccation) on triggering an early metamorphosis have been extensively investigated in amphibians, the consequences of the resulting reduced size at metamorphosis on fitness in the post-metamorphic terrestrial stage remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that a smaller size at metamorphosis negatively affects performance and survival in the ensuing terrestrial stage. Using as model a tropical amphibian (Ceratophrys stolzmanni) showing a large phenotypic plasticity in metamorphosing traits, we evaluated the effects of size at metamorphosis on fitness-related trophic and locomotor performance traits, as well as on growth and survival rates. Results Our results support the hypothesis that a larger size at metamorphosis is correlated with better survival and performance. The survival rate of large metamorphosing individuals was 95%, compared to 60% for those completing metamorphosis at a small size. Locomotor performance and gape size were positively correlated with body size, larger animals being more mobile and capable to ingest larger prey. However, smaller individuals achieved higher growth rates, thus reducing the size gap. Conclusions Overall, size at metamorphosis affected profoundly the chances of survival in the short term, but smaller surviving individuals partly compensated their initial disadvantages by increasing growth rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Székely
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, EcoSs Lab, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador.,Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University Constanța, Constanța, Romania.,Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians (LECA), Freshwater and OCeanic Science Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Dan Cogălniceanu
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University Constanța, Constanța, Romania. .,Asociation Chelonia, Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Paul Székely
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, EcoSs Lab, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador.,Asociation Chelonia, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Diego Armijos-Ojeda
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, EcoSs Lab, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador.,Programa de Doctorado en Conservación de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
| | | | - Mathieu Denoël
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians (LECA), Freshwater and OCeanic Science Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tingley R, Ward-Fear G, Schwarzkopf L, Greenlees MJ, Phillips BL, Brown G, Clulow S, Webb J, Capon R, Sheppard A, Strive T, Tizard M, Shine R. New Weapons in the Toad Toolkit: A Review of Methods to Control and Mitigate the Biodiversity Impacts of Invasive Cane Toads (Rhinella Marina). QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2018; 92:123-49. [PMID: 29562120 DOI: 10.1086/692167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Our best hope of developing innovative methods to combat invasive species is likely to come from the study of high-profile invaders that have attracted intensive research not only into control, but also basic biology. Here we illustrate that point by reviewing current thinking about novel ways to control one of the world’s most well-studied invasions: that of the cane toad in Australia. Recently developed methods for population suppression include more effective traps based on the toad’s acoustic and pheromonal biology. New tools for containing spread include surveillance technologies (e.g., eDNA sampling and automated call detectors), as well as landscape-level barriers that exploit the toad’s vulnerability to desiccation—a strategy that could be significantly enhanced through the introduction of sedentary, range-core genotypes ahead of the invasion front. New methods to reduce the ecological impacts of toads include conditioned taste aversion in free-ranging predators, gene banking, and targeted gene flow. Lastly, recent advances in gene editing and gene drive technology hold the promise of modifying toad phenotypes in ways that may facilitate control or buffer impact. Synergies between these approaches hold great promise for novel and more effective means to combat the toad invasion and its consequent impacts on biodiversity.
Collapse
|
8
|
Wijethunga U, Greenlees M, Shine R. Moving south: effects of water temperatures on the larval development of invasive cane toads ( Rhinella marina) in cool-temperate Australia. Ecol Evol 2017; 6:6993-7003. [PMID: 28725376 PMCID: PMC5513214 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The distributional limits of many ectothermic species are set by thermal tolerances of early‐developmental stages in the life history; embryos and larvae often are less able to buffer environmental variation than are conspecific adults. In pond‐breeding amphibians, for example, cold water may constrain viability of eggs and larvae, even if adults can find suitable thermal conditions in terrestrial niches. Invasive species provide robust model systems for exploring these questions, because we can quantify thermal challenges at the expanding range edge (from field surveys) and larval responses to thermal conditions (in the laboratory). Our studies on invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) at the southern (cool‐climate) edge of their expanding range in Australia show that available ponds often average around 20°C during the breeding period, 10°C lower than in many areas of the toads’ native range, or in the Australian tropics. Our laboratory experiments showed that cane toad eggs and larvae cannot develop successfully at 16°C, but hatching success and larval survival rates were higher at 20°C than in warmer conditions. Lower temperatures slowed growth rates, increasing the duration of tadpole life, but also increased metamorph body mass. Water temperature also influenced metamorph body shape (high temperatures reduced relative limb length, head width, and body mass) and locomotor performance (increased speed from intermediate temperatures, longer hops from high temperatures). In combination with previous studies, our data suggest that lower water temperatures may enhance rather than reduce recruitment of cane toads, at least in areas where pond temperatures reach or exceed 20°C. That condition is fulfilled over a wide area of southern Australia, suggesting that the continuing expansion of this invasive species is unlikely to be curtailed by the impacts of relatively low water temperatures on the viability of early life‐history stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uditha Wijethunga
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Matthew Greenlees
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Haramura T, Takeuchi H, Crossland MR, Shine R. Biotic Resistance to an Alien Amphibian: Larval Competition between Japanese Frogs and Invasive Cane Toads. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156396. [PMID: 27253973 PMCID: PMC4890810 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding negative effects of native species on introduced taxa may suggest novel ways to control the invasive species by enhancing such effects. Previous studies have reported that the larvae of invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) are suppressed by competition with the larvae of native anurans in Australia, but not in North America. We conducted laboratory trials to measure the effect of exposure to the larvae of Japanese frogs (Microhyla ornata, Fejervarya sakishimensis, Rhacophorus owstoni) on rates of survival, growth and development of cane toad tadpoles in Ishigaki Island, in southern Japan. Survival rates were not affected by native species, but competition with Dicroglossids and Rhacophorids (but not Microhylids) strongly reduced rates of growth and development in the tadpoles of cane toads. Dicroglossid tadpoles also reduced the body condition to toad tadpoles in addition to effects on SVL and mass. Encouraging populations of native frogs in toad-invaded areas of Japan thus may help to reduce the numbers of invasive cane toads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Haramura
- The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606–8501, Japan
- Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Shirahama, Wakayama, 649–2211, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hirohiko Takeuchi
- Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Shirahama, Wakayama, 649–2211, Japan
| | - Michael R. Crossland
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cabrera-Guzmán E, Crossland MR, Shine R. Invasive Cane Toads as Prey for Native Arthropod Predators in Tropical Australia. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2015. [DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-13-00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
11
|
Charbonnier JF, Vonesh JR. Consequences of life history switch point plasticity for juvenile morphology and locomotion in the Túngara frog. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1268. [PMID: 26417546 PMCID: PMC4582954 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals with complex life cycles can cope with environmental uncertainty by altering the timing of life history switch points through plasticity. Pond hydroperiod has important consequences for the fitness of aquatic organisms and many taxa alter the timing of life history switch points in response to habitat desiccation. For example, larval amphibians can metamorphose early to escape drying ponds. Such plasticity may induce variation in size and morphology of juveniles which can result in carry-over effects on jumping performance. To investigate the carry-over effects of metamorphic plasticity to pond drying, we studied the Túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, a tropical anuran that breeds in highly ephemeral habitats. We conducted an outdoor field mesocosm experiment in which we manipulated water depth and desiccation and measured time and size at metamorphosis, tibiofibula length and jumping performance. We also conducted a complimentary laboratory experiment in which we manipulated resources, water depth and desiccation. In the field experiment, metamorphs from dry-down treatments emerged earlier, but at a similar size to metamorphs from constant depth treatments. In the laboratory experiment, metamorphs from the low depth and dry-down treatments emerged earlier and smaller. In both experiments, frogs from dry-down treatments had relatively shorter legs, which negatively impacted their absolute jumping performance. In contrast, reductions in resources delayed and reduced size at metamorphosis, but had no negative effect on jumping performance. To place these results in a broader context, we review past studies on carry-over effects of the larval environment on jumping performance. Reductions in mass and limb length generally resulted in lower jumping performance across juvenile anurans tested to date. Understanding the consequences of plasticity on size, morphology and performance can elucidate the linkages between life stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie F Charbonnier
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA , USA
| | - James R Vonesh
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Clarke GS, Crossland MR, Shilton C, Shine R. Chemical suppression of embryonic cane toadsRhinella marinaby larval conspecifics. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S. Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Michael R. Crossland
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Cathy Shilton
- Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines; Berrimah Veterinary Laboratories; Darwin NT 0801 Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Cabrera-Guzmán E, Crossland MR, González-Bernal E, Shine R. The interacting effects of ungulate hoofprints and predatory native ants on metamorph cane toads in tropical Australia. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79496. [PMID: 24255703 PMCID: PMC3821862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many invasive species exploit the disturbed habitats created by human activities. Understanding the effects of habitat disturbance on invasion success, and how disturbance interacts with other factors (such as biotic resistance to the invaders from the native fauna) may suggest new ways to reduce invader viability. In tropical Australia, commercial livestock production can facilitate invasion by the cane toad (Rhinella marina), because hoofprints left by cattle and horses around waterbody margins provide distinctive (cool, moist) microhabitats; nevertheless the same microhabitat can inhibit the success of cane toads by increasing the risks of predation or drowning. Metamorph cane toads actively select hoofprints as retreat-sites to escape dangerous thermal and hydric conditions in the surrounding landscape. However, hoofprint geometry is important: in hoofprints with steep sides the young toads are more likely to be attacked by predatory ants (Iridomyrmex reburrus) and are more likely to drown following heavy rain. Thus, anthropogenic changes to the landscape interact with predation by native taxa to affect the ability of cane toads in this vulnerable life-history stage to thrive in the harsh abiotic conditions of tropical Australia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cabrera-Guzmán
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael R. Crossland
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Edna González-Bernal
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Morphological differentiation among populations of Rhinella marina (Amphibia: Anura) in western Mexico. Evol Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-013-9667-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
15
|
Cabrera-Guzmán E, Crossland MR, Brown GP, Shine R. Larger body size at metamorphosis enhances survival, growth and performance of young cane toads (Rhinella marina). PLoS One 2013; 8:e70121. [PMID: 23922930 PMCID: PMC3726449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Body size at metamorphosis is a key trait in species (such as many anurans) with biphasic life-histories. Experimental studies have shown that metamorph size is highly plastic, depending upon larval density and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, food supply, water quality, chemical cues from conspecifics, predators and competitors). To test the hypothesis that this developmental plasticity is adaptive, or to determine if inducing plasticity can be used to control an invasive species, we need to know whether or not a metamorphosing anuran's body size influences its subsequent viability. For logistical reasons, there are few data on this topic under field conditions. We studied cane toads (Rhinella marina) within their invasive Australian range. Metamorph body size is highly plastic in this species, and our laboratory studies showed that larger metamorphs had better locomotor performance (both on land and in the water), and were more adept at catching and consuming prey. In mark-recapture trials in outdoor enclosures, larger body size enhanced metamorph survival and growth rate under some seasonal conditions. Larger metamorphs maintained their size advantage over smaller siblings for at least a month. Our data support the critical but rarely-tested assumption that all else being equal, larger body size at metamorphosis is likely to enhance an individual's long term viability. Thus, manipulations to reduce body size at metamorphosis in cane toads may help to reduce the ecological impact of this invasive species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cabrera-Guzmán
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Behavioral plasticity mitigates risk across environments and predators during anuran metamorphosis. Oecologia 2013; 173:801-11. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2714-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
17
|
Shine R. A review of ecological interactions between native frogs and invasive cane toads in Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cabrera-Guzmán E, Crossland MR, Shine R. Competing tadpoles: Australian native frogs affect invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) in natural waterbodies. AUSTRAL ECOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cabrera-Guzmán
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Michael R. Crossland
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences A08; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kelehear C, Cabrera-Guzmán E, Shine R. Inadvertent consequences of community-based efforts to control invasive species. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2012.00251.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
|
20
|
Crossland MR, Shine R. Embryonic exposure to conspecific chemicals suppresses cane toad growth and survival. Biol Lett 2011; 8:226-9. [PMID: 21880623 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptations to suppress the viability of conspecifics may provide novel ways to control invasive taxa. The spread of cane toads (Rhinella marina) through tropical Australia has had severe ecological impacts, stimulating a search for biocontrol. Our experiments show that cane toad tadpoles produce waterborne chemical cues that suppress the viability of conspecifics encountering those cues during embryonic development. Brief (72 h) exposure to these cues in the egg and post-hatching phases massively reduced rates of survival and growth of larvae. Body sizes at metamorphosis (about three weeks later) were almost twice as great in control larvae as in tadpole-exposed larvae. The waterborne cue responsible for these effects might provide a weapon to reduce toad recruitment within the species' invaded range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Crossland
- School of Biological Sciences, A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Responses of Australian wading birds to a novel toxic prey type, the invasive cane toad Rhinella marina. Biol Invasions 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-011-9974-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
23
|
Toad’s tongue for breakfast: exploitation of a novel prey type, the invasive cane toad, by scavenging raptors in tropical Australia. Biol Invasions 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-010-9903-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
24
|
Shine R. The ecological impact of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) in Australia. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2010; 85:253-91. [PMID: 20919631 DOI: 10.1086/655116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 403] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Although invasive species are viewed as major threats to ecosystems worldwide, few such species have been studied in enough detail to identify the pathways, magnitudes, and timescales of their impact on native fauna. One of the most intensively studied invasive taxa in this respect is the cane toad (Bufo marinus), which was introduced to Australia in 1935. A review of these studies suggests that a single pathway-lethal toxic ingestion of toads by frog-eating predators-is the major mechanism of impact, but that the magnitude of impact varies dramatically among predator taxa, as well as through space and time. Populations of large predators (e.g., varanid and scincid lizards, elapid snakes, freshwater crocodiles, and dasyurid marsupials) may be imperilled by toad invasion, but impacts vary spatially even within the same predator species. Some of the taxa severely impacted by toad invasion recover within a few decades, via aversion learning and longer-term adaptive changes. No native species have gone extinct as a result of toad invasion, and many native taxa widely imagined to be at risk are not affected, largely as a result of their physiological ability to tolerate toad toxins (e.g., as found in many birds and rodents), as well as the reluctance of many native anuran-eating predators to consume toads, either innately or as a learned response. Indirect effects of cane toads as mediated through trophic webs are likely as important as direct effects, but they are more difficult to study. Overall, some Australian native species (mostly large predators) have declined due to cane toads; others, especially species formerly consumed by those predators, have benefited. For yet others, effects have been minor or have been mediated indirectly rather than through direct interactions with the invasive toads. Factors that increase a predator's vulnerability to toad invasion include habitat overlap with toads, anurophagy, large body size, inability to develop rapid behavioral aversion to toads as prey items, and physiological vulnerability to bufotoxins as a result of a lack of coevolutionary history of exposure to other bufonid taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
NELSON DAVIDWM, CROSSLAND MICHAELR, SHINE RICHARD. Behavioural responses of native predators to an invasive toxic prey species. AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02187.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
26
|
Ward-Fear G, Brown GP, Shine R. Using a native predator (the meat ant,Iridomyrmex reburrus) to reduce the abundance of an invasive species (the cane toad,Bufo marinus) in tropical Australia. J Appl Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01773.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|