Non-target Impacts of Chemical Management for Invasive Plants on Lithobates Pipiens Tadpoles
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Invasive plants impact amphibians by altering habitat, predator-prey interactions, and reproductive sites.Despite being costly and having serious non-target impacts to wildlife, chemical management is the most common method to reduce or eliminate invasive plants.In spite of previous studies indicating that individual effects of invasive plants or pesticides can be harmful to amphibian populations, the impact of the interaction between invasive plants and herbicide management on amphibians has not yet been evaluated.In Chapter I, a controlled laboratory experiment was performed to assess the impact of the invasive aquatic plant Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), the terrestrial invasive European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), the herbicide triclopyr and the combination of invasive plant leachate and herbicide on the growth, morphology and survival of northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) tadpoles.Tadpoles were raised in treatments groups for a number of weeks, after which treatment additions were stopped in order to assess for lag effects.Multiple factors including habitat loss/modification, pollutants, invasive species, and disease have contributed to the global decline of amphibians and declines in their abundance are expected to continue due to changes in climate.Climate change is expected to cause range expansion of many invasive plants; therefore, the use of chemicals to manage invasive plants may increase.Chapter II examined the effects of the invasive plant European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), the herbicide triclopyr, and increased temperature on the on the survival, behavior, growth and morphology of Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) tadpoles.Results from this study encourage further examination of the effect of chemical management, but more importantly the potential impacts of climate change on declining amphibian populations.This work is dedicated to my family, who will never actually understand what I do as a "scientist", but fully support me regardless.
Author: Amanda N. Curtis
Institution: Bowling Green State University
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2601284093