Colonization of high-elevation lakes by long-toed salamanders (<i>Ambystoma macrodactylum</i>) after the extinction of introduced trout populations

Funk, W. Chris; Dunlap, William W.

doi:10.1139/z99-160

Cited by 34 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The potential for successful management of non-native fishes in montane environments is a rare opportunity in national and international efforts to reverse or mitigate the effects of non-native species (Kats & Ferrer, 2003). Amphibian populations can recover if fish die out following cessation of stocking (Funk & Dunlap, 1999;Knapp et al, 2001Knapp et al, , 2005Eaton et al, 2005). Experiments in California have demonstrated that non-native fish can be successfully removed from water bodies 1-2 ha in size, and native amphibian populations begin to recover within 1-2 years after fish elimination (Vredenburg, 2004;Knapp et al, 2007;Pope, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐native salmonids affect amphibian occupancy at multiple spatial scales

Pilliod

Hossack

Bahls

et al. 2010

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim The introduction of non‐native species into aquatic environments has been linked with local extinctions and altered distributions of native species. We investigated the effect of non‐native salmonids on the occupancy of two native amphibians, the long‐toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), across three spatial scales: water bodies, small catchments and large catchments.Location Mountain lakes at ≥ 1500 m elevation were surveyed across the northern Rocky Mountains, USA.Methods We surveyed 2267 water bodies for amphibian occupancy (based on evidence of reproduction) and fish presence between 1986 and 2002 and modelled the probability of amphibian occupancy at each spatial scale in relation to habitat availability and quality and fish presence.Results After accounting for habitat features, we estimated that A. macrodactylum was 2.3 times more likely to breed in fishless water bodies than in water bodies with fish. Ambystoma macrodactylum also was more likely to occupy small catchments where none of the water bodies contained fish than in catchments where at least one water body contained fish. However, the probability of salamander occupancy in small catchments was also influenced by habitat availability (i.e. the number of water bodies within a catchment) and suitability of remaining fishless water bodies. We found no relationship between fish presence and salamander occupancy at the large‐catchment scale, probably because of increased habitat availability. In contrast to A. macrodactylum, we found no relationship between fish presence and R. luteiventris occupancy at any scale.Main conclusions Our results suggest that the negative effects of non‐native salmonids can extend beyond the boundaries of individual water bodies and increase A. macrodactylum extinction risk at landscape scales. We suspect that niche overlap between non‐native fish and A. macrodactylum at higher elevations in the northern Rocky Mountains may lead to extinction in catchments with limited suitable habitat.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐native salmonids affect amphibian occupancy at multiple spatial scales

Pilliod

Hossack

Bahls

et al. 2010

Diversity and Distributions

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“…These introductions resulted in dramatic changes to the distribution of many native aquatic species (Anderson, 1980;Stoddard, 1987;Bradford et al, 1998;Carlisle and Hawkins, 1998;Knapp et al, 2001), including amphibians (Tyler et al, 1998;Knapp and Matthews, 2000;Pilliod and Peterson, 2001;Knapp, 2005). The possibility that the negative effects of introduced fish on amphibians can be reversed was suggested by studies showing that amphibians often recovered following the termination of stocking and the subsequent disappearance of introduced fish populations (Funk and Dunlap, 1999;Knapp et al, 2001;Knapp et al, 2005). This apparent reversibility was recently confirmed for the mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa, through the use of a multi-lake fish removal experiment (Vredenburg, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removal of nonnative fish results in population expansion of a declining amphibian (mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa)

Knapp¹,

Boiano

Vredenburg

2007

Biological Conservation

180

129

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The mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) was once a common inhabitant of the Sierra Nevada (California, USA), but has declined precipitously during the past century due in part to the introduction of nonnative fish into naturally fishless habitats. The objectives of the current study were to describe (1) the effect of fish removal from three lakes (located in two watersheds) on the small, remnant R. muscosa populations inhabiting those lakes, and (2) the initial development of metapopulation structure in each watershed as R. muscosa from expanding populations in fishremoval lakes dispersed to adjacent habitats. At all three fish-removal lakes, R. muscosa population densities increased significantly following the removal of predatory fish. The magnitude of these increases was significantly greater than that observed over the same time period in R. muscosa populations inhabiting control lakes that remained in their natural fishless condition. Following these population increases, R. muscosa dispersed to adjacent suitable (but unoccupied) sites, moving between 200 and 900 m along streams or across dry land. Together, these results suggest that largescale removal of introduced fish could result in at least partial reversal of the decline of R. muscosa. Continued monitoring of R. muscosa at the fish-removal sites will be necessary to determine whether the positive effects of fish eradication are sustained over the long-term, especially in light of the increasingly important role played by an emerging infectious disease (chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in influencing R. muscosa populations.

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“…In the case of Gambusia for mosquito control, accumulating evidence suggests that this small poeciliid fish is far from a panacea; due presumably to their generalist feeding habits (GarciaBerthou, 1999), they are not always effective at reducing mosquitoes (Hoy, Kauffman & O'Berg, 1972;Arthington & Lloyd, 1989;Blaustein, 1992) and they may negatively impact non-target organisms including endangered amphibian species, fishes and invertebrates (Courtenay & Meffe, 1989;Alcaraz, Bisazza & Garc´ıa-Berthou, 2008). In the case of amphibians, negative effects of Gambusia species (Gamradt & Kats, 1996;Goodsell & Kats, 1999;Lawler et al, 1999;Hamer, Lane & Mahony, 2002) and other fishes (Tyler et al, 1998;Funk & Dunlap, 1999;Hoffman, Larson & Samora, 2004;Denoel, Dzukic & Kalezic, 2005) have been documented on populations of a number of amphibian species. Most of these studies have considered anurans, and not urodeles, and even fewer studies have considered how mosquitofish in particular affect urodeles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deleterious effects by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) on the endangered fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)

Segev

Mangel

Blaustein

2009

Animal Conservation

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Invasive fishes, via competition and predation, may be an important factor in endangering populations of amphibians and other aquatic fauna. The mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, commonly stocked into amphibian breeding sites for mosquito control worldwide, has recently been found in some breeding sites of the endangered fire salamander Salamandra infraimmaculata in northern Israel. A comparison of Salamandra larvae in natural pools varying in Gambusia densities suggested that Gambusia negatively affects Salamandra by causing damage to its appendages, in particular, its tailfin (as manifested in a smaller tail:body ratio). Comparison of the same pool before and after mosquitofish introduction suggested strong negative effects on larval performance and number of emerging metamorphs. To explicitly test the hypothesis that Gambusia negatively affects Salamandra larval development, growth and survival, we conducted a replicated outdoor mesocosm experiment. In this experiment, we also tested how habitat structural complexity, in the form of radiating cords simulating artificial vegetation, might mediate damage caused by Gambusia. We used a two‐by‐two factorial design: the presence or absence of increased structural complexity crossed with the presence or absence of mosquitofish. After a short period, mosquitofish strongly reduced larval wet weight and survival, and increased body damage in the form of a reduced larval tail:body ratio and partially missing gills and limbs. No Salamandra larvae exposed to mosquitofish survived to metamorphosis in either habitat type. We conclude that Gambusia strongly and negatively affects Salamandra larvae and that the introduction of Gambusia into sites containing Salamandra is inconsistent with the goal of preserving this endangered urodele.

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Colonization of high-elevation lakes by long-toed salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum) after the extinction of introduced trout populations

Cited by 34 publications

References 39 publications

Non‐native salmonids affect amphibian occupancy at multiple spatial scales

Non‐native salmonids affect amphibian occupancy at multiple spatial scales

Removal of nonnative fish results in population expansion of a declining amphibian (mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa)

Deleterious effects by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) on the endangered fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)

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