Evol Ecol Res 7: 1025-1038 (2005)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Life history and morphology of Rana temporaria in response to pool permanence

Frank Johansson,1* Joakim Hjelm2 and Barbara E. Giles1

1Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå and  2National Board of Fisheries, Institute of Marine Research, Turistgatan 4, PO Box 4, Lysekil, Sweden

Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
e-mail: frank.johansson@emg.umu.se

ABSTRACT

Question: How are genetic differences in life history, activity and morphology among frog populations associated with differences in pool drying rates?

Organism: The common frog, Rana temporaria.

Methods: Tadpoles originating from 16 different populations located on islands were reared in the laboratory at a constant water level.

Results: Activity and growth rate were positively correlated with pool drying regime and development rate was negatively correlated with the pool drying regime where tadpoles were collected. The morphology of tadpoles was also correlated with drying regime. In contrast, the weights of tadpoles were not correlated with pool drying regime.

Conclusions: The results suggest that genetic differences in life history, behaviour and morphology occur among populations and that pool drying is one of the environmental variables causing these differences.

Keywords: development, growth, life history, pool drying, Rana temporaria, tadpoles, temporary habitats.

DOWNLOAD A FREE, FULL PDF COPY
IF you are connected using the IP of a subscribing institution (library, laboratory, etc.)
or through its VPN.

 

        © 2005 Frank Johansson. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

       Subscribing institutions/libraries may grant individuals the privilege of making a single copy of an EER article for non-commercial educational or non-commercial research purposes. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also use articles for non-commercial educational purposes by making any number of copies for course packs or course reserve collections. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also loan single copies of articles to non-commercial libraries for educational purposes.

       All copies of abstracts and articles must preserve their copyright notice without modification.