DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/NAZS-7E58

Defense Date

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. James Vonesh

Second Advisor

Dr. Kristine Grayson

Abstract

Fire may alter both aquatic and terrestrial habitat used by all amphibian life stages, yet, our knowledge of its effects on amphibians is primarily limited to adult responses. I present an integrated approach to test the response of Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) to fire by examining responses in tadpole performance and survivorship, adult abundance, and oviposition. Tadpoles raised with burned leaf litter had similar survival, but total mass and total length were 440% and 170% greater, respectively, for tadpoles raised in unburned litter. I assessed terrestrial and aquatic oviposition cues by embedding burned and unburned litter treatments within burned and unburned terrestrial plots. Oviposition was an order of magnitude higher in unburned plots, regardless of the litter treatment. This difference was not statistically significant or driven by adult abundance. My results indicate the need to explore the dynamic effects forest management practices can have on amphibians across life stages.

Rights

© Logan McDonald

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

5-10-2017

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