Predation of Native Anurans by Invasive Bullfrogs in Southeastern Brazil: Spatial Variation and Effect of Microhabitat use by Prey

Silva, Emanuel Teixeira da; Filho, Oswaldo Pinto Ribeiro; Feio, Renato Neves

doi:10.2994/057.006.0101

Cited by 39 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Indeed, the species is able to tolerate phenolic and quinone compounds, produced by the repugnant glands of diplopods, as suggested by Silva et al (). The diffuse predation of native amphibians reported in many studies (Boelter & Cechin, ; Silva et al, ; Silva et al, ) is probably related to the larger body size of American bullfrogs with respect to the native species, and to the occupation of similar spatial niches (Pombal, ; Silva et al, ; Silva et al, ; A. M. Bissattini, pers. comm., April 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field data and worldwide literature review reveal that alien crayfish mitigate the predation impact of the American bullfrog on native amphibians

Bissattini

Buono

Vignoli

2018

Aquatic Conservation

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Biological invasion studies have focused mostly on the competition and predation impact of invaders on native species; however, introduced species frequently interact with each other and, contrary to the ‘invasional meltdown theory’, such interactions may have non‐interactive effects on native fauna. Here, the effects of the interaction between American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and decapod crayfish on native amphibians have been investigated. Introduced American bullfrog populations were studied at two sites in central Italy (Rome, Latium), with their selection based on the presence or absence of the alien Procambarus clarkii. The pattern emerging from the fieldwork was then verified by a worldwide literature review on the trophic niche of the American bullfrog. Both field surveys and global diet analysis showed that the abundance of native amphibians in the American bullfrog diet was reduced when introduced crayfish occurred in both native and non‐native ranges. Thus, an alternative invasion model can be proposed in which the occurrence of one invader (P. clarkii) may reduce the negative effect of an alien predator (L. catesbeianus) on native species. The present findings suggest that the removal of invaders may not always be the best solution for protecting native prey, especially when alien species are interspersed with other introduced species. In such cases, multispecies operations, sequenced appropriately or undertaken simultaneously, would be preferable. Moreover, the identification of mechanisms facilitating the coexistence of native species with invaders can offer important management options.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field data and worldwide literature review reveal that alien crayfish mitigate the predation impact of the American bullfrog on native amphibians

Bissattini

Buono

Vignoli

2018

Aquatic Conservation

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“…Bullfrogs have been considered opportunistic predators, often preying on other amphibians, including conspecifics, which share related microhabitats with them (Govindarajulu et al, 2006;Toledo et al, 2007). The importance of amphibians in the bullfrog diet was demonstrated in field studies that quantified the different food categories consumed by invasive populations (e.g., Wu et al, 2005;Boelter and Cechin, 2007;Silva et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive bullfrogs as predators in a Neotropical assemblage: What frog species do they eat?

et al. 2012

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Anurans are important prey for the American buUfrog Lithobates catesbeianus, but field assessments of its diet in the context of a local prey assemblage are lacking. We aimed to identify the frog species consumed by an invasive bullfrog population in subtropical South America, and to assess their relative importance among other types of prey. Characterization of the frog assemblage in the study area also allowed us to calculate the degree of electivity of the recorded anuran prey, in order to gain insight regarding bullfrog feeding preferences and to test if the bullfrog prey composition differed from a random sample of the assemblage. A total of 32.6% of the bullfrogs had at least one anuran in the stomach contents, and post-metamorphic anurans represented 49.1% of the relative prey importance for adult bullfrogs. Anurans were preyed on by all size classes, and constituted the volumetrically most important prey category in the diet of individuals heavier than 100 g. Cycloramphidae, HyMdae and Leiuperidae were positively selected, and Hypsiboas pulchellus and Physalaemus cuvieri were the species most often taken. We found a low occurrence of cannibalism, despite the high density of bullfrogs at the study site. Our results showed that the degree of electivity differed among bullfrog prey types, suggesting that some frog species may be preyed on in a higher proportion than their relative abundance in the assemblage. Testing the clues provided by this assemblage-level approach may lead to a better assessment of the interactions between buUfrogs and the native frog fauna.

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“…Despite predation threats by invasive species being commonly reported for taxa worldwide including anurans (Kats & Ferrer, 2003;Silva, Filho, & Feio, 2011), this study offers evidence that invasive invertebrate species can also have negative impacts to local vertebrate species. This phenomenon may be more common than our current understanding and should be further studied to assess the real impact of invasive invertebrate species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Attendance to egg clutches by male Kurixalus eiffingeri increases hatching success and decreases predation by invasive slugs (Parmarion martensi) in Taiwan

2018

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Invasive species have a significant impact on amphibians, and most notably Chytrid fungi together with a few vertebrates. However, invasive terrestrial invertebrates are seldomly demonstrated to have a negative effect on their host environment, and few studies investigated the behavioural interactions between invasive and local species, limiting our knowledge of the adaptive response adopted by local organisms. These responses include whether parenting animals recognize predators as threats to their offspring and whether parental care is adequately corrected. Here, through manipulative experiments on a population of phytotelm‐breeder Kurixalus eiffingeri in central Taiwan, we demonstrated the positive effects of parental care against predation by the invasive slug Parmarion martensi, and against mould infection. Treatment groups, in the absence of caring males, displayed a higher rate of predation by slugs and mould infections. The presence of the caring males was linked to an increase in hatching success in control groups, suggesting hydration by the males, while skin peptides may be the factor limiting mould infection. We recommend further research on the impact of the invasive but widespread P. martensi on amphibian populations.

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Predation of Native Anurans by Invasive Bullfrogs in Southeastern Brazil: Spatial Variation and Effect of Microhabitat use by Prey

Cited by 39 publications

References 24 publications

Field data and worldwide literature review reveal that alien crayfish mitigate the predation impact of the American bullfrog on native amphibians

Field data and worldwide literature review reveal that alien crayfish mitigate the predation impact of the American bullfrog on native amphibians

Invasive bullfrogs as predators in a Neotropical assemblage: What frog species do they eat?

Attendance to egg clutches by male Kurixalus eiffingeri increases hatching success and decreases predation by invasive slugs (Parmarion martensi) in Taiwan

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