Can stable isotopes assess habitat use in complex coastal wetlands? A case study in an amphibian species

Lorrain-Soligon, Léa; Robin, Frédéric; Lelong, Vincent; Janković, Marko A.; Bustamante, Paco; Cherel, Yves; Brischoux, François

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2022.107953

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Alternatively, growth rates are widely dependant on prey availability, which may fluctuate according to local environmental conditions (Hota, 1994; Smith, 1976). As a consequence, higher growth rates farther from the seashore might be related to higher resource availability, notably as the trophic ecology of P. cultripes vary with distance to the sea (Lorrain‐Soligon, Robin, Lelong, Jankovic, Bustamante, et al., 2022). Yet we believe this hypothesis is unlikely as prey availability seemed very abundant on the beach where individuals forage for sand hoppers ( Talitrus saltator ) on the wrack line (Lorrain‐Soligon, Robin, Lelong, Jankovic, Bustamante, et al., 2022); L. Lorrain‐Soligon pers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, sand hoppers (an important prey for toads located on the beach, see above) are situated on the wrack line, close to the seawater limit. It is plausible that toads captured on the beach shelter in the sand during the day at the upper beach limit and forage at night moving to the wrack line where sand hoppers, a mobile prey easily available, are located (Lorrain‐Soligon, Robin, Lelong, Jankovic, Bustamante, et al., 2022). Such hypothesis is consistent with the fact that distances between captures for individuals who moved from beach to inland were larger than those of individuals who moved from inland to beach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, we used a capture–mark–recapture design during 3 consecutive years (in autumn, outside the reproductive period of the species) to investigate how distance to the sea influences growth rates and foraging movements in the western spadefoot toad ( Pelobates cultripes ), in three populations from the French Atlantic coast. We posit that (1) growth rates should be higher in juveniles because growth rates decrease with increasing body size (Hota, 1994; Turner, 1962), growth rates should be higher in females because they reach larger body size than males of the same age (Hota, 1994; Wells, 2007), and that growth rates should be higher farther to the seashore according to the physiological constraint of salinity near the coast (Lorrain‐Soligon, Robin, Lelong, Jankovic, Bustamante, et al., 2022), (2) movements (distance traveled) outside the reproductive season (i.e., linked to foraging, Jreidini & Green, 2022a; Jreidini & Green, 2022b; Pittman et al., 2014; Russell et al., 2005) should be higher in juveniles (Bulger et al., 2003; Smith & Green, 2006) and females (Trochet et al., 2016) to sustain higher growth rates (Hota, 1994; Wells, 2007) and should be lower near the seashore if exposure to salinity negatively affects activity (Feder & Londos, 1984; Lorrain‐Soligon, Robin, Lelong, Jankovic, Barbraud, et al., 2022; Titon Jr et al., 2010), and (3) that individuals should express high site fidelity according to their ecology (Priol, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life on the beach: Movements and growth of a coastal amphibian vary with distance to the sea

Lorrain‐Soligon,

Robin,

Palier

et al. 2023

Journal of Zoology

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Proximity to the seashore is a critical structuring factor of coastal wetlands due to its influence on varying sources of nutrients (marine and terrestrial) and on the spatial gradient of salinity (higher salinity closer to the seashore). The spatial gradient of salinity may impact organisms because most organisms need to maintain an osmotic balance. Osmoregulation is energetically costly, and exposure to salinity should induce a trade‐off in energetic allocation between osmoregulation and other competing functions such as growth rates and movement patterns. In this study, we used a capture–mark–recapture design during 3 consecutive years to investigate how distance to the sea influences growth rates and foraging movements (outside reproduction) in the western spadefoot toad (Pelobates cultripes), a typical coastal amphibian, in three populations from the French Atlantic coast. Growth rates were lower in larger individuals and in individuals living closer to the seashore. Distances travelled between captures were very limited (~20 m). Between years, these distances were larger for individuals located on the beach rather than inland, but were not influenced by body size or sex. Exposure to salinity and associated costs of osmoregulation may explain lower growth rates closer to the shoreline. The mechanisms underlying the effects of location on distances between captures remain to be identified, but may be related to foraging for abundant prey items on the wrack line. Our study confirms the remarkable terrestrial site fidelity in P. cultripes, which might be detrimental to coastal populations if localized perturbations affect coastal environments.

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