Current Research, Panama
Evaluating the Impact of Tropical Stream Dwelling Tadpoles on Stream Ecosystems

Scott Connelly and Catherine M. Pringle, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
Amphibians are an abundant and diverse component of trophic structure in tropical systems.  Unfortunately, many anuran populations are declining at an alarming rate.  While the causes of these losses are not entirely clear, recent studies have suggested a number of possible explanations.  Frogs are the most abundant terrestrial vertebrate in some parts of the tropics, occupying a wide range of habitats, and interacting with a variety of organisms (e.g. invertebrates, mammals, birds, and other herpetofauna).

This project examines the impact of larval stream dwelling frogs on stream ecosystem processes.  We are conducting experiments within two Panamanian streams to assess the impact of tadpoles on primary production and decomposition.  Experimental manipulation of tadpole presence and absence was done using an electric exclusion technique in two streams - one in which they were recently extirpated.  Differences in primary producer biomass, algal and insect community composition, primary production, and inorganic sediment accrual between study sites found during the 2003 field season will be discussed.  Also, proposed research investigating differences in decomposition processes and an overview of work expanding the geographic scale of this project will be presented.

 
 
 

 


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