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Testud G, Canonne C, Le Petitcorps Q, Picard D, Lengagne T, Labarraque D, Miaud C. Improving trajectories of amphibians in wildlife passages. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.958655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Linear transport infrastructure can alter the viability of populations and wildlife passages are used to mitigate their impacts. The assessment of their outcomes is often limited to recording the use of the tunnels by a focal species. For amphibians, the effectiveness of tunnels is poorly evaluated with little information about whether certain features encourage individuals that may be reluctant to pass through tunnels. One study showed that acoustic enrichment with anuran calls can increase the crossing of tunnels by newts. This study recorded the behavior of three European amphibian species in three tunnels, tracking them with PIT tags and detection with four RFID antennas installed on the floor of the tunnels. We tested (1) the effectiveness of the antennas in detecting the species, (2) the effect of the length of the tunnels, and (3) the effect of acoustic enrichment. Using a multi-state capture–recapture model, we evaluated the probability of an individual advancing between the tunnel sections. The effectiveness of the antennas varied according to species, higher for Urodela species than for Anuran species. Several types of paths were detected (constant and varying speeds, halt, and back-and-forth movements). The fire salamander and the great crested newt individuals exhibited a similar variety of movements in the tunnels (21 and 40 m length). Triturus cristatus made similar movements in the tunnels with and without acoustic enrichment. In water frogs, all the individuals (n = 16) made a complete crossing in the tunnel with enrichment vs. 75% (n = 71) in the tunnel without enrichment. In T. cristatus, the probability of going forward at the entrance of the tunnel was 18% higher with enrichment in one tunnel. No significant effect of acoustic enrichment was observed in two others tunnels for this species. In Pelophylax esculentus, this probability was 78% higher in the tunnel with enrichment. This multi-antenna RFID system was able to provide valuable information on the behavior of these small animals when traversing the tunnels, as well as to test the effectiveness of tunnel features. The findings indicate that acoustic enrichment to attract animals to specific locations holds promise as a new conservation tool.
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Abstract
Anurans have been introduced in many parts of the world and have often become invasive over large geographic areas. Although predation is involved in the declines of invaded amphibian populations, there is a lack of quantitative assessments evaluating the potential risk posed to native species. This is particularly true for Pelophylax water frogs, which have invaded large parts of western Europe, but no studies to date have examined their predation on other amphibians in their invaded range. Predation of native amphibians by marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus) was assessed by stomach flushing once a month over four months in 21 ponds in southern France. Nine percent of stomachs contained amphibians. Seasonality was a major determinant of amphibian consumption. This effect was mediated by body size, with the largest invaders ingesting bigger natives, such as tree frogs. These results show that invasive marsh frogs represent a threat through their ability to forage on natives, particularly at the adult stage. The results also indicate that large numbers of native amphibians are predated. More broadly, the fact that predation was site- and time-specific highlights the need for repeated samplings across habitats and key periods for a clear understanding of the impact of invaders.
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Kopecký O. Factors Affecting the Retention of Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) Tags in Smooth Newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) During the Breeding Period. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00036.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oldřich Kopecký
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 21, Czech Republic
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Weber L, Šmejkal M, Bartoň D, Rulík M. Testing the applicability of tagging the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) using passive integrated transponders. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219069. [PMID: 31283761 PMCID: PMC6613694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking individual animals with small-sized passive integrated transponder tags (PIT tags) has become a popular and widespread method, one which can be used for investigating life history traits, including dispersal patterns of small protected animals such as newts. In this study, we tested the applicability of PIT tag usage for individual marking with the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) as a model amphibian species, and to test the detection of the newts in nature using a passive telemetry system. Clove oil was used as an anaesthetic before surgery. We implanted PIT tags under the skin of 140 newts. The survival rate of newts was 98.57%. X-ray images were taken to check the exact positions of the PIT tags. Since approximately 15.71% of the newts were capable of expelling the tag from their bodies, tag loss has to be accounted for in future behavioural studies dealing with newts and other amphibians potentially capable of frequent tag expulsion. Lastly, we detected by passive telemetry 97 individuals out of 100 released into a natural breeding pond. Males had higher activity (13 detected males vs 7 females per hour) than females, thus males could be detected if present with more certainty. The result of the movement behaviour showed that e.g. the male of T. cristatus in a breeding pond can travel up to 20 m in 78 seconds. In summary, this promising method could allow the automatic data collection of marked newts in aquatic as well as in terrestrial biotopes, providing data on their dispersal, diurnal activity and movement behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Weber
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Marek Šmejkal
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Bartoň
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Rulík
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Soto-Rojas C, Suazo-Ortuño I, Montoya Laos JA, Alvarado-Díaz J. Habitat quality affects the incidence of morphological abnormalities in the endangered salamander Ambystoma ordinarium. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183573. [PMID: 28846723 PMCID: PMC5593498 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Identification of early warning signals previous to the occurrence of population decline or extinction is a major challenge for the conservation of animal species. Prevalence of morphological abnormalities in a population can be one of these signals. We registered morphological abnormalities in the salamander Ambystoma ordinarium. We also evaluated the relation between habitat quality and the prevalence of abnormalities in this species. We used scores from rapid bioassessment protocols (RBPs) to assess the habitat quality of streams inhabited by A. ordinarium. A preliminary survey indicated that of 29 streams where this species has been historically registered, 13 might have few or no A. ordinarium. The association between habitat quality and the incidence of morphological abnormalities was evaluated in these 16 streams. Of 502 sampled individuals, 224 (44.62%) had at least one body abnormality. Of the 224 individuals with body abnormalities, 84 (37.5%) presented more than one abnormality. Of a total of 5,522 evaluated morphological characters, 344 (6.74%) were abnormal. Partial loss of gills and missing digits were the most frequent abnormalities. Results of a binomial logistic regression indicated that the probability of a character of an individual to be abnormal was significantly associated with habitat quality; as the levels of the quality of the habitat increased, the prevalence of morphological abnormalities decreased. These results suggest that RBPs are a quick and useful method for assessing the habitat quality of streams inhabited by A. ordinarium. Given that RBPs provide rapid and cost-effective assessments of the ecological health of aquatic ecosystems, it will be important to test if the RBPs protocols can be used to rapidly assess habitat quality for other species of stream amphibians. The negative association between habitat quality and the prevalence of morpohological abnormalities that we found indicates that habitat condition plays an important role in the high number of abnormalities registered in A. ordinarium. Therefore, our results suggest that one of the several negative effects of habitat degradation on amphibians is an increase in the frequency of morphological abnormalities with marked consequences for the survival and general fitness of aquatic amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Soto-Rojas
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Col. Nueva Esperanza, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Ireri Suazo-Ortuño
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Col. Nueva Esperanza, Morelia, Michoacán, México
- * E-mail:
| | - José Arturo Montoya Laos
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad de Sonora, Col. Centro, C.P., Hermosillo, Sonora, México
| | - Javier Alvarado-Díaz
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Col. Nueva Esperanza, Morelia, Michoacán, México
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Matthé M, Sannolo M, Winiarski K, Spitzen-van der Sluijs A, Goedbloed D, Steinfartz S, Stachow U. Comparison of photo-matching algorithms commonly used for photographic capture-recapture studies. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:5861-5872. [PMID: 28811886 PMCID: PMC5552938 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Photographic capture–recapture is a valuable tool for obtaining demographic information on wildlife populations due to its noninvasive nature and cost‐effectiveness. Recently, several computer‐aided photo‐matching algorithms have been developed to more efficiently match images of unique individuals in databases with thousands of images. However, the identification accuracy of these algorithms can severely bias estimates of vital rates and population size. Therefore, it is important to understand the performance and limitations of state‐of‐the‐art photo‐matching algorithms prior to implementation in capture–recapture studies involving possibly thousands of images. Here, we compared the performance of four photo‐matching algorithms; Wild‐ID, I3S Pattern+, APHIS, and AmphIdent using multiple amphibian databases of varying image quality. We measured the performance of each algorithm and evaluated the performance in relation to database size and the number of matching images in the database. We found that algorithm performance differed greatly by algorithm and image database, with recognition rates ranging from 100% to 22.6% when limiting the review to the 10 highest ranking images. We found that recognition rate degraded marginally with increased database size and could be improved considerably with a higher number of matching images in the database. In our study, the pixel‐based algorithm of AmphIdent exhibited superior recognition rates compared to the other approaches. We recommend carefully evaluating algorithm performance prior to using it to match a complete database. By choosing a suitable matching algorithm, databases of sizes that are unfeasible to match “by eye” can be easily translated to accurate individual capture histories necessary for robust demographic estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Matthé
- Vodafone Chair Mobile Communication Systems Technical University Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Marco Sannolo
- CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources InBIO Universidade do Porto Campus de Vairão Vila do Conde Portugal
| | - Kristopher Winiarski
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
| | | | - Daniel Goedbloed
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Zoological Institute Technische Universität Braunschweig Braunschweig Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Zoological Institute Technische Universität Braunschweig Braunschweig Germany
| | - Ulrich Stachow
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research ZALF Müncheberg Germany
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Winandy L, Legrand P, Denoël M. Habitat selection and reproduction of newts in networks of fish and fishless aquatic patches. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Luhring T, Connette GM, Schalk C. Trap characteristics and species morphology explain size-biased sampling of two salamander species. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Demographic studies often depend on sampling techniques providing representative samples from populations. However, the sequence of events leading up to a successful capture or detection is susceptible to biases introduced through individual-level behaviour or physiology. Passive sampling techniques may be especially prone to sampling bias caused by size-related phenomena (e.g., physical limitations on trap entrance). We tested for size-biased sampling among five types of passive traps using a 9-year data set for two species of aquatic salamanders that have a 20 and 61 fold change in length over their ontogeny (Amphiuma means, Siren lacertina). Size-biased trapping was evident for both species, with body size distributions (body length mean and SD) of captured individuals differing among sampling techniques. Because our two species differed in girth at similar lengths, we were able to show that size biases (in length) were most likely caused by girth limitations on trap entry rates, and potentially by differences in retention rates. Accounting for the biases of sampling techniques may be critical when assessing current population status and demographic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Luhring
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
- Current Address: Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, 410 Manter Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Grant M. Connette
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, USA
| | - Christopher M. Schalk
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
- Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 210 Nagle Hall, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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9
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Winandy L, Darnet E, Denoël M. Amphibians forgo aquatic life in response to alien fish introduction. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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10
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Winandy L, Denoël M. The aggressive personality of an introduced fish affects foraging behavior in a polymorphic newt. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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11
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Drechsler A, Helling T, Steinfartz S. Genetic fingerprinting proves cross-correlated automatic photo-identification of individuals as highly efficient in large capture-mark-recapture studies. Ecol Evol 2014; 5:141-51. [PMID: 25628871 PMCID: PMC4298441 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Capture-mark-recapture (CMR) approaches are the backbone of many studies in population ecology to gain insight on the life cycle, migration, habitat use, and demography of target species. The reliable and repeatable recognition of an individual throughout its lifetime is the basic requirement of a CMR study. Although invasive techniques are available to mark individuals permanently, noninvasive methods for individual recognition mainly rest on photographic identification of external body markings, which are unique at the individual level. The re-identification of an individual based on comparing shape patterns of photographs by eye is commonly used. Automated processes for photographic re-identification have been recently established, but their performance in large datasets (i.e., > 1000 individuals) has rarely been tested thoroughly. Here, we evaluated the performance of the program AMPHIDENT, an automatic algorithm to identify individuals on the basis of ventral spot patterns in the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) versus the genotypic fingerprint of individuals based on highly polymorphic microsatellite loci using GENECAP. Between 2008 and 2010, we captured, sampled and photographed adult newts and calculated for 1648 samples/photographs recapture rates for both approaches. Recapture rates differed slightly with 8.34% for GENECAP and 9.83% for AMPHIDENT. With an estimated rate of 2% false rejections (FRR) and 0.00% false acceptances (FAR), AMPHIDENT proved to be a highly reliable algorithm for CMR studies of large datasets. We conclude that the application of automatic recognition software of individual photographs can be a rather powerful and reliable tool in noninvasive CMR studies for a large number of individuals. Because the cross-correlation of standardized shape patterns is generally applicable to any pattern that provides enough information, this algorithm is capable of becoming a single application with broad use in CMR studies for many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Drechsler
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Unit of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, University of Bielefeld Morgenbreede 45, D-33619, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tobias Helling
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Unit of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, University of Bielefeld Morgenbreede 45, D-33619, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Unit of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, University of Bielefeld Morgenbreede 45, D-33619, Bielefeld, Germany ; Zoological Institute, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Unit Molecular Ecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
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12
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Introduced goldfish affect amphibians through inhibition of sexual behaviour in risky habitats: an experimental approach. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82736. [PMID: 24312432 PMCID: PMC3843724 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of alien species is one of the major causes of current and global biodiversity loss. The introduction of fish can be a particular threat to native amphibian populations, which are declining worldwide. One way for amphibians to persist in such altered environments is to adopt anti-predator strategies especially at the behavioural level. However, although it has been shown that avoidance behaviour may decrease the probability of being detected by a potential predator, little is known on the consequences on sexual behaviour. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that adult Alpine newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris) use shelters more often and exhibit less sexual activity in the presence of goldfish (Carassius auratus) and that they reduce sexual activity more in risky micro-habitats than in safe environments. To this end, we assessed behavioural patterns of adult newts in a replicated laboratory design. Goldfish were present in direct contact with newts in half of the tanks. Consistently throughout the study period, significantly more newts used shelter in the presence of fish than in their absence. Newts also significantly decreased their sexual activity level overall, but specially outside the shelter when they were in direct contact with fish. These results show that fish presence can affect newts in complex ways, such as through inhibition of their reproduction. Our work highlights that integrating behaviour in conservation studies is essential to understanding the patterns of coexistence and exclusion between introduced fish and amphibians.
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Lavorato M, Bernabò I, Crescente A, Denoël M, Tripepi S, Brunelli E. Endosulfan effects on Rana dalmatina tadpoles: quantitative developmental and behavioural analysis. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2013; 64:253-262. [PMID: 23064781 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9819-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Endosulfan is an organochlorine pesticide that was recently labeled as a persistent organic pollutant, but it is still widely employed, particularly in developing countries. The goal of this study is to evaluate the acute (LC(50)) and chronic effects (developmental and behavioural traits) of this insecticide on Rana dalmatina tadpoles after exposure to ecologically relevant concentrations (0.005, 0.01, and 0.05 mg/L) by applying video-tracking techniques to evaluate the quantitative effect of endosulfan on amphibian behavioural patterns. The 96 h LC(50) value was 0.074 mg endosulfan/L. Tadpoles chronically exposed to 0.01 and 0.05 mg endosulfan/L underwent high mortality rate, decreased larval growth, delayed development, and increased incidence of malformations, and they did not reach metamorphosis by the end of the experiment. Moreover, tadpoles exposed to these concentrations exhibited several abnormalities in swimming patterns, such as shorter distance moved, swirling, resting, and unusual use of space. The exposure to 0.005 mg endosulfan/L did not cause any significant effects on behaviour, larval growth, or development, but we observed a significant decrease in both survival and time to metamorphosis. We showed that developmental abnormalities are dose-dependent and that the pesticide effects could differ depending on the endosulfan concentration and the species tested. We also validated the hypothesis that behavioural analysis, along with the use of new analytical methods, could be a useful tool in amphibian ecotoxicological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Lavorato
- Department of Ecology, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Rende, Cosenza, Italy
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Denoël M, Libon S, Kestemont P, Brasseur C, Focant JF, De Pauw E. Effects of a sublethal pesticide exposure on locomotor behavior: a video-tracking analysis in larval amphibians. CHEMOSPHERE 2013; 90:945-951. [PMID: 22824732 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2012] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Organochlorine pesticides such as endosulfan have been shown to have both lethal and sublethal effects on amphibians. In this context, behavioral endpoints have proved their usefulness in evidencing impacts of such chemicals at environmental concentrations that do not necessarily cause mortality. The recent development of video-tracking technologies now offers the possibility of accurately quantifying locomotor behaviors. However, these techniques have not yet been applied to evaluating the toxicity of pesticides in amphibians. We therefore aimed at determining the potential toxicity of endosulfan on endpoints associated with locomotion after short-term environmental endosulfan exposure in Rana temporaria tadpoles and at using these data as warning systems for survival alterations after a longer exposure. To this end, we analyzed video-tracks of 64 tadpoles (two pesticide treatments: 5 and 50 μg L(-1), one control and one solvent-control) with Ethovision XT 7 software. The highest endosulfan concentration had a significant effect on all four behavioral endpoints. Contaminated tadpoles traveled shorter distances, swam less often, at a lower mean speed, and occupied a less peripherical position than control tadpoles. The lowest endosulfan concentration had similar but lower effects, and did not affect mean speed during swimming. Survival was reduced only after a long-term exposure to endosulfan and was associated with short-term behavioral dysfunctions. These results show that endosulfan strongly affects the behavioral repertory of amphibian tadpoles, but in different ways depending on concentration, thus suggesting that the pesticide has complex modes of action. Given the importance of locomotion and space use in tadpole success in their aquatic environment, these results confirm the toxic action of endosulfan. By highlighting effects before mortality markers, video-tracking systems also show their potential as sentinels of sublethal effects of pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Denoël
- Laboratory of Fish and Amphibian Ethology, Behavioural Biology Unit, Department of Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of Liège, 22 Quai van Beneden, 4020 Liège, Belgium.
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15
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Winandy L, Denoël M. Cues from Introduced Fish Alter Shelter Use and Feeding Behaviour in Adult Alpine Newts. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laurane Winandy
- Behavioural Biology Unit; University of Liège; Liège; Belgium
| | - Mathieu Denoël
- Behavioural Biology Unit; University of Liège; Liège; Belgium
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Denoël M, D'Hooghe B, Ficetola GF, Brasseur C, De Pauw E, Thomé JP, Kestemont P. Using sets of behavioral biomarkers to assess short-term effects of pesticide: a study case with endosulfan on frog tadpoles. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2012; 21:1240-1250. [PMID: 22383141 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-012-0878-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides and other chemicals often have detrimental effects at environmental concentrations. Many amphibian species are particularly threatened because of their susceptibility but also because wetlands are often polluted. Behavioral assessments of toxicity have the advantage of showing sublethal effects but quantitative measures at varied scales of integrations are rarely considered together. In this study, we aimed at showing that these behavioral endpoints could be differently affected across time and concentrations, and be biomarkers of toxicity. To this end, we tested the effects of an organochlorine pesticide (endosulfan) on amphibians during a standard 96 h test. We evaluated possible lag effects in continuing the analyses after removal of the pesticide. The study was based on 240 tadpoles (4 pesticide treatments: 0.4, 3, 22, and 282 μg/l, 1 control and 1 solvent-control). Abnormal behaviors such as lying and swirling rapidly were exhibited only in the presence of the pesticide. Essential functions such as breathing and feeding were deeply affected by the pesticide: contaminated tadpoles breathed and fed less than control tadpoles. They also moved less and occupied a more central position in the aquariums in the presence of the pesticide. A higher mortality was only found at the highest concentration. These results suggest that endosulfan is toxic to amphibians at environmental concentrations. Behavioral markers showed potential as early warning systems. They should thus be used in complement to other markers to detect sublethal effects only a few days after application of the pesticide and at concentrations where mortality does not occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Denoël
- Laboratory of Fish and Amphibian Ethology, Behavioural Biology Unit, 22 Quai van Beneden, Liège, Belgium.
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