Amphibians forgo aquatic life in response to alien fish introduction

Winandy, Laurane; Darnet, Elodie; Denoël, Mathieu

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.08.018

Cited by 35 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 83 publications

(106 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, semiaquatic organisms with complex life cycles are able to assess the predation risk in a water body and modulate breeding activity by selecting habitats with fewer predators (Stav, Blaustein, & Margalit, 2000;Winandy, Darnet, & Deno€ el, 2015). Several studies have assessed the nonconsumptive effects of predation risk by evaluating how antipredator responses enhance fitness and by measuring the costs and the trade-offs of such responses, which are keystones to understanding several ecological and conservation aspects (Amo, Lopez, & Martin, 2003;Blanchet, Bernatchez, & Dodson, 2007;Yorzinski et al, 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Antipredator responses are a key determinant of the successful persistence of prey, and behavioural modifications are a frequent antipredator strategy. However, conspecific populations often inhabit heterogeneous environments. This can determine local adaptations, and might also induce variation in antipredator responses. Nevertheless, there is limited information on whether heterogeneity of predation risk among populations determines variation in antipredator response. Here we studied the fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra, a species that can breed in both surface streams and caves, habitats that are predator-rich and predator-free, respectively, and measured differences in antipredator responses across populations with different predation risk. We combined field surveys and laboratory experiments to understand the role of predation risk on the activity patterns of larvae, while measuring behavioural differences between populations. We reared larvae from different habitats in safe and risky conditions and tested their response to predator cues before and after rearing. In the field, predation risk was much higher in surface streams than in caves; larvae moved more in the absence of predators and when the light intensity was low. During laboratory experiments, larvae were less active if reared in risky conditions, but cave larvae showed a stronger response to risk than stream larvae. Therefore, larvae from sites without predators showed higher antipredator responses than those from risky habitats. This response fits the predictions of the risk allocation model, in which prey from habitats with a high background level of risk need to be active even when predators are present, to satisfy their energetic demands. Our findings show that antipredator behaviour may differ strongly between populations and stress the importance of integrating this variability in studies on predatory responses.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Many amphibian species can experience non‐lethal attacks by predators, check for their presence or perceive (both at the larval and adult stages) their chemical cues released into the water (Kats & Dill, ; Petranka, Boone, Hopey, Baird, & Jennings, ; Winandy & Denoël, , ; Winandy, Darnet, & Denoël, ) and adopt innate antipredatory strategies to reduce the risk of mortality (Winandy et al, ). In particular the selection of the breeding (oviposition) habitat in response to risk of predation has been documented in semi‐aquatic organisms (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular the selection of the breeding (oviposition) habitat in response to risk of predation has been documented in semi‐aquatic organisms (e.g. insects with aquatic larvae) and amphibians (Blaustein, ; Winandy et al, , ). This is an antipredatory adaptation (Hopey & Petranka, ; Marsh & Borrell, ; Petranka et al, ; Resetarits & Wilbur, ) which is commonly associated with a higher resistance to native and alien predators, while, when amphibians are naïve to predators and unable to perceive the threat, they are often doomed to high mortality (Cox & Lima, ; Laurila & Aho, ; Sih et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can satellite ponds buffer the impact of introduced fish on newts in a mountain pond network?

Tiberti

2017

Aquatic Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Fish introductions into originally fishless mountain lentic habitats can affect native amphibians at different spatial scales. Introductions are often associated with local extinctions, but they can also affect amphibian metapopulations at a landscape level, intercepting amphibians when they move into reproductive and overwintering sites, preventing these movements, or reducing the overall metapopulation abundance and diversity. Freshwater habitat networks are considered more resistant to biological invasions than isolated habitats, because they usually provide safe alternative sites that can buffer the impact of introduced fish. However, few studies have attempted to understand whether fish stocking also affects amphibians in surrounding fishless habitats. This general hypothesis was tested using distribution data of Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex Laurenti 1768) in a mountain pond network collected over a 13‐year‐long study (2005–2017), encompassing the periods before (pre‐2011) and after (post‐2012) fish (Salmo trutta L. 1758) were introduced in the pond where most of the newts were initially observed. After fish introduction, visual counts dropped down close to zero in the invaded pond, but they increased in satellite ponds. This was a progressive increase not related to population size and should be regarded as a short‐term consequence of the slow colonization of satellite ponds. These results confirm the dramatic impact of fish introductions on native amphibians at a local scale, but suggest that some amphibians can counteract their impact by moving to alternative sites, when available. Halting fish stocking, lake and pond recovery, and the construction of alternative sites are proposed as management and conservation actions to preserve amphibian diversity.

show abstract

“…The consumptive effects of goldfish on amphibians are often limited to predation on the egg and larval stages, as shown for ambystomatid salamanders (Monello and Wright 2001). Non-consumptive effects on adult amphibians such as palmate newts have been shown: goldfish induce behavioural avoidance and negatively affect reproductive and foraging activities, as well as the expression of sexual ornaments (Winandy and Denoël 2015a,b;Winandy et al 2015). The most striking response of newts to the presence of goldfish was to leave water for land and then forego breeding (Winandy et al 2015).…”

Section: Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Non-consumptive effects on adult amphibians such as palmate newts have been shown: goldfish induce behavioural avoidance and negatively affect reproductive and foraging activities, as well as the expression of sexual ornaments (Winandy and Denoël 2015a,b;Winandy et al 2015). The most striking response of newts to the presence of goldfish was to leave water for land and then forego breeding (Winandy et al 2015). The newts that remained in the water with the goldfish used more aquatic shelters than in the absence of fish.…”

Section: Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of phenotypic diversity in conservation: Resilience of palmate newt morphotypes after fish removal in Larzac ponds (France)

Denoël

Winandy

2015

Biological Conservation

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Resilience of organisms after threat removal is an essential feature to justify conservation efforts. Amphibians are particularly threatened with a worldwide decline, showing a low resistance to invaders such as fish. Previous research has shown that they could recover after fish extirpation due to metamorphosed colonizers. However, not all amphibian phenotypes are able to persist after fish introduction and disperse. In many species of newts and salamanders, paedomorphs retain gills in the adult stage, which makes them fully aquatic. A proposed way to conserve this phenotype would be to remove introduced fish from their habitats. However, because paedomorphosis is usually not expressed in the presence of fish, it is unknown whether fish removal could allow the resilience of paedomorphs. This would be possible only if progenies of metamorphosed individuals could become paedomorphic in restored habitats. Through a quantitative survey in three types of ponds, including control ponds without fish, ponds in which fish were extirpated, and fish ponds, we determined abundances of paedomorphic and metamorphic palmate newts (Lissotriton helveticus). The results show that paedomorphosis resilience is possible and even highly frequent, as paedomorphs were found in 80% of ponds where fish disappeared. Abundances were similar between these ponds and control ponds whereas fish ponds had almost no newts, indicating a very low resistance to invaders. This shows that conserving common phenotypes can help to preserve endangered phenotypes, as paedomorphs were produced through the reproduction of metamorphs. There is thus hope of maintaining intraspecific biodiversity though conservation action involving threat removal.

show abstract

Amphibians forgo aquatic life in response to alien fish introduction

Cited by 35 publications

References 83 publications

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

Can satellite ponds buffer the impact of introduced fish on newts in a mountain pond network?

The importance of phenotypic diversity in conservation: Resilience of palmate newt morphotypes after fish removal in Larzac ponds (France)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About