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Miller DAW, Grant EHC, Muths E, Amburgey SM, Adams MJ, Joseph MB, Waddle JH, Johnson PTJ, Ryan ME, Schmidt BR, Calhoun DL, Davis CL, Fisher RN, Green DM, Hossack BR, Rittenhouse TAG, Walls SC, Bailey LL, Cruickshank SS, Fellers GM, Gorman TA, Haas CA, Hughson W, Pilliod DS, Price SJ, Ray AM, Sadinski W, Saenz D, Barichivich WJ, Brand A, Brehme CS, Dagit R, Delaney KS, Glorioso BM, Kats LB, Kleeman PM, Pearl CA, Rochester CJ, Riley SPD, Roth M, Sigafus BH. Quantifying climate sensitivity and climate-driven change in North American amphibian communities. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3926. [PMID: 30254220 PMCID: PMC6156563 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06157-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Changing climate will impact species' ranges only when environmental variability directly impacts the demography of local populations. However, measurement of demographic responses to climate change has largely been limited to single species and locations. Here we show that amphibian communities are responsive to climatic variability, using >500,000 time-series observations for 81 species across 86 North American study areas. The effect of climate on local colonization and persistence probabilities varies among eco-regions and depends on local climate, species life-histories, and taxonomic classification. We found that local species richness is most sensitive to changes in water availability during breeding and changes in winter conditions. Based on the relationships we measure, recent changes in climate cannot explain why local species richness of North American amphibians has rapidly declined. However, changing climate does explain why some populations are declining faster than others. Our results provide important insights into how amphibians respond to climate and a general framework for measuring climate impacts on species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A W Miller
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Evan H Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, SO Conte Anadromous Fish Lab, 1 Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, USA.
| | - Erin Muths
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Staci M Amburgey
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Ecology Program, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Michael J Adams
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Maxwell B Joseph
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - J Hardin Waddle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, 70506, USA
| | - Pieter T J Johnson
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Maureen E Ryan
- School of Environment and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Conservation Science Partners, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - Benedikt R Schmidt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- Info Fauna Karch, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel L Calhoun
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Norcross, GA, 30093, USA
| | - Courtney L Davis
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Ecology Program, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Robert N Fisher
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, CA, 92101, USA
| | - David M Green
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Blake R Hossack
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Missoula, MT, 59801, USA
| | - Tracy A G Rittenhouse
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Susan C Walls
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA
| | - Larissa L Bailey
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Sam S Cruickshank
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Gary M Fellers
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, USA
| | - Thomas A Gorman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Carola A Haas
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | | | - David S Pilliod
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, 83706, USA
| | - Steven J Price
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Andrew M Ray
- Greater Yellowstone Network, National Park Service, Bozeman, MT, 59715, USA
| | - Walt Sadinski
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA
| | - Daniel Saenz
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Southern Research Station, Forest Service, Nacogdoches, TX, 75965, USA
| | - William J Barichivich
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA
| | - Adrianne Brand
- U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, SO Conte Anadromous Fish Lab, 1 Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, USA
| | - Cheryl S Brehme
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, CA, 92101, USA
| | - Rosi Dagit
- Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, Topanga, CA, 90290, USA
| | - Katy S Delaney
- National Park Service-Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | - Brad M Glorioso
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, 70506, USA
| | - Lee B Kats
- Natural Sciences Division, Seaver College, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, 90263, USA
| | - Patrick M Kleeman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, USA
| | - Christopher A Pearl
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Carlton J Rochester
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, CA, 92101, USA
| | - Seth P D Riley
- National Park Service-Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | - Mark Roth
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA
| | - Brent H Sigafus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
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Sadinski W, Gallant AL, Roth M, Brown J, Senay G, Brininger W, Jones PM, Stoker J. Multi-year data from satellite- and ground-based sensors show details and scale matter in assessing climate's effects on wetland surface water, amphibians, and landscape conditions. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201951. [PMID: 30192764 PMCID: PMC6128473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term, interdisciplinary studies of relations between climate and ecological conditions on wetland-upland landscapes have been lacking, especially studies integrated across scales meaningful for adaptive resource management. We collected data in situ at individual wetlands, and via satellite for surrounding 4-km2 landscape blocks, to assess relations between annual weather dynamics, snow duration, phenology, wetland surface-water availability, amphibian presence and calling activity, greenness, and evapotranspiration in four U.S. conservation areas from 2008 to 2012. Amid recent decades of relatively warm growing seasons, 2012 and 2010 were the first and second warmest seasons, respectively, dating back to 1895. Accordingly, we observed the earliest starts of springtime biological activity during those two years. In all years, early-season amphibians first called soon after daily mean air temperatures were ≥ 0°C and snow had mostly melted. Similarly, satellite-based indicators suggested seasonal leaf-out happened soon after snowmelt and temperature thresholds for plant growth had occurred. Daily fluctuations in weather and water levels were related to amphibian calling activity, including decoupling the timing of the onset of calling at the start of season from the onset of calling events later in the season. Within-season variation in temperature and precipitation also was related to vegetation greenness and evapotranspiration, but more at monthly and seasonal scales. Wetland water levels were moderately to strongly associated with precipitation and early or intermittent wetland drying likely reduced amphibian reproduction success in some years, even though Pseudacris crucifer occupied sites at consistently high levels. Notably, satellite-based indicators of landscape water availability did not suggest such consequential, intra-seasonal variability in wetland surface-water availability. Our cross-disciplinary data show how temperature and precipitation interacted to affect key ecological relations and outcomes on our study landscapes. These results demonstrate the value of multi-year studies and the importance of scale for understanding actual climate-related effects in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walt Sadinski
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Alisa L. Gallant
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Mark Roth
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jesslyn Brown
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Senay
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Wayne Brininger
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Rochert, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Perry M. Jones
- U.S. Geological Survey, Minnesota Water Science Center, Mounds View, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jason Stoker
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Program, Reston, Virginia, United States of America
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Gallant AL, Sadinski W, Brown JF, Senay GB, Roth MF. Challenges in Complementing Data from Ground-Based Sensors with Satellite-Derived Products to Measure Ecological Changes in Relation to Climate-Lessons from Temperate Wetland-Upland Landscapes. Sensors (Basel) 2018; 18:s18030880. [PMID: 29547531 PMCID: PMC5876606 DOI: 10.3390/s18030880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Assessing climate-related ecological changes across spatiotemporal scales meaningful to resource managers is challenging because no one method reliably produces essential data at both fine and broad scales. We recently confronted such challenges while integrating data from ground- and satellite-based sensors for an assessment of four wetland-rich study areas in the U.S. Midwest. We examined relations between temperature and precipitation and a set of variables measured on the ground at individual wetlands and another set measured via satellite sensors within surrounding 4 km2 landscape blocks. At the block scale, we used evapotranspiration and vegetation greenness as remotely sensed proxies for water availability and to estimate seasonal photosynthetic activity. We used sensors on the ground to coincidentally measure surface-water availability and amphibian calling activity at individual wetlands within blocks. Responses of landscape blocks generally paralleled changes in conditions measured on the ground, but the latter were more dynamic, and changes in ecological conditions on the ground that were critical for biota were not always apparent in measurements of related parameters in blocks. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of decisions and assumptions we made in applying the remotely sensed data for the assessment and the value of integrating observations across scales, sensors, and disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa L Gallant
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, US Geological Survey, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USA.
| | - Walt Sadinski
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, US Geological Survey, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA.
| | - Jesslyn F Brown
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, US Geological Survey, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USA.
| | - Gabriel B Senay
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, US Geological Survey, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USA.
| | - Mark F Roth
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, US Geological Survey, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA.
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Sadinski W, Roth M, Hayes T, Jones P, Gallant A. Indicators of the statuses of amphibian populations and their potential for exposure to atrazine in four midwestern U.S. conservation areas. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107018. [PMID: 25216249 PMCID: PMC4162561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive corn production in the midwestern United States has physically eliminated or fragmented vast areas of historical amphibian habitat. Midwestern corn farmers also apply large quantities of fertilizers and herbicides, which can cause direct and indirect effects on amphibians. Limited field research regarding the statuses of midwestern amphibian populations near areas of corn production has left resource managers, conservation planners, and other stakeholders needing more information to improve conservation strategies and management plans. We repeatedly sampled amphibians in wetlands in four conservation areas along a gradient of proximity to corn production in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin from 2002 to 2005 and estimated site occupancy. We measured frequencies of gross physical deformities in recent metamorphs and triazine concentrations in the water at breeding sites. We also measured trematode infection rates in kidneys of recently metamorphosed Lithobates pipiens collected from nine wetlands in 2003 and 2004. We detected all possible amphibian species in each study area. The amount of nearby row crops was limited in importance as a covariate for estimating site occupancy. We observed deformities in <5% of metamorphs sampled and proportions were not associated with triazine concentrations. Trematode infections were high in metamorphs from all sites we sampled, but not associated with site triazine concentrations, except perhaps for a subset of sites sampled in both years. We detected triazines more often and in higher concentrations in breeding wetlands closer to corn production. Triazine concentrations increased in floodplain wetlands as water levels rose after rainfall and were similar among lotic and lentic sites. Overall, our results suggest amphibian populations were not faring differently among these four conservation areas, regardless of their proximity to corn production, and that the ecological dynamics of atrazine exposure were complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walt Sadinski
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mark Roth
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Tyrone Hayes
- Laboratory for Integrative Studies in Amphibian Biology, Molecular Toxicology, Energy and Resources Group, Group in Endocrinology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Perry Jones
- Minnesota Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Mounds View, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Alisa Gallant
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States of America
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