Natural disturbance allows multiple anuran taxa to persist in a dynamic wetland complex

The maintenance of biological diversity is frequently enhanced in a heterogenous landscape by some level of disturbance. Thus, when a landscape becomes stabilized and homogenized through the spread of an invasive plant species, there may be consequences for native biodiversity, particularly for thos...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 2024-07, Vol.88 (5), p.n/a
Main Authors: Tawa, Victoria, Tozer, Douglas C., Green, David M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amphibians
Anaxyrus fowleri
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic plants
Biodiversity
biological diversity
Disturbance
Disturbances
Dune stabilization
Dunes
Frogs
herbicide
Herbicides
Human influences
Introduced species
Invasive plants
Invasive species
landscape heterogeneity
Long Point
Natural disturbance
Phragmites australis
Plant species
Sandspits
Surveys
Threatened species
Toads
Water levels
Wildlife management
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Summary:The maintenance of biological diversity is frequently enhanced in a heterogenous landscape by some level of disturbance. Thus, when a landscape becomes stabilized and homogenized through the spread of an invasive plant species, there may be consequences for native biodiversity, particularly for those biotas that depend on the pre‐existing, natural disturbance regime of that landscape. At Long Point, Ontario, Canada, a sandspit in Lake Erie, the community of anuran amphibians experienced the co‐incidence of 2 major disturbance events, 1 anthropogenic and 1 natural: an intervention to remove the invasive form of the common reed (Phragmites australis australis) and a spate of extensive dune washouts caused by high water levels and storms. As a result of the unequal distribution of disturbance in the landscape, different areas were affected by only the dune washouts, only the common reed treatment, both disturbances, or neither disturbance. From May to August 2021, we explored how the disturbances affected the resident frog and toad species habitat associations in the 4 different disturbance conditions in the landscape. By means of minnow traps, acoustic surveys, and visual surveys, we determined that the dune washouts had a greater influence on resident anurans than the common reed treatment. Ranid frogs (Ranidae) tended to inhabit non‐washout sites, whereas Fowler's toads (Anaxyrus fowleri) congregated in the newly formed, sand flats and shallow, de‐vegetated pools resulting from the washouts. Neither ranid frogs nor Fowler's toads demonstrated avoidance of the sites affected by the herbicide treatment and mechanical rollover of the common reed. This evidence of species sorting, which enables multiple species to persist in a dynamic and heterogeneous landscape, suggests that wildlife management in aid of threatened species recovery may find success by encouraging natural disturbance regimes in dynamic landscapes. Future management endeavors should consider refraining from complete dune stabilization in these landscapes to allow the natural washouts to occur at a higher frequency, while ensuring the continued effectiveness of the invasive common reed eradication. Disturbance can have profound effects on biota. Using minnow traps, acoustic, and visual surveys, we demonstrate evidence of habitat‐partitioning between the federally endangered Fowler's toad and other frog taxa, in accordance with the natural disturbance regime, not anthropogenic disturbance, affec
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.1002/jwmg.22617