Evolution and plasticity of anuran larval development in response to desiccation. A comparative analysis

Abstract

Anurans breed in a variety of aquatic habitats with contrasting levels of desiccation risk, which may result in selection for faster development during larval stages. Previous studies suggest that species in ephemeral ponds reduce their developmental times to minimize desiccation risks, although it is not clear how variation in desiccation risk affects developmental strategies in different species. Employing a comparative phylogenetic approach including data from published and unpublished studies encompassing 62 observations across 30 species, we tested if species breeding in ephemeral ponds (High risk) develop faster than those from permanent ponds (Low risk) and/or show increased developmental plasticity in response to drying conditions. Our analyses support shorter developmental times in High risk, primarily by decreasing body mass at metamorphosis. Plasticity in developmental times was small and did not differ between groups. However, accelerated development in High risk species generally resulted in reduced sizes at metamorphosis, while some Low risk species were able compensate this effect by increasing mean growth rates. Taken together, our results suggest that plastic responses in species breeding in ephemeral ponds are constrained by a general trade-off between development and growth rates.

Plastic patterns in larval development of Endangered endemic Atelognathus patagonicus: implications for conservation strategies

“…In contrast, in the temporary pond (Batea Pond), the reduction of the water column, with the consequent changes in water quality and competition for resources (volume effect), exerts environmental pressure, resulting in tadpoles with a short larval period (Richter-Boix et al 2011). In Batea Pond, we only recorded seasonal tadpoles that metamorphosed in the summer and autumn, at the end of the hydroperiod, with no record of mortality.…”

Effects of food limitation and pharmaceutical compounds on the larval development and morphology of Palaemon serratus

“…The magnitude of the reduction in juvenile body mass caused by CLZ reported in the present study (17%, larvae exposed to CLZ at 3.16 μg L −1 ) was lower than that reported previously for larvae hatching with larger body mass (35%, larvae exposed to CLZ at 2.78 μg L −1 : González-Ortegón et al, 2013). The growth rate of larvae hatching from small females was higher than larvae of larger overwintering females used in the previous study (González-Ortegón et al, 2013), perhaps as a mechanism to compensate for effects of body mass at hatching on body mass of the first juvenile stage (Richter-Boix et al, 2011;Saastamoinen and Rantala, 2013). This may explain why comparisons of juvenile body size between large and small females (Appendix Fig.…”

Developmental plasticity increases at the northern range margin in a warm-dependent amphibian

“…No differences between areas were apparent at the low temperature regime, rejecting the hypothesis of northern populations showing overall faster developmental rates rather than greater plasticity. In amphibians, shorter larval period is usually linked to higher fitness (Semlitsch et al 1988;Altwegg and Reyer 2003) and is expected to be highly beneficial for time-constrained species such as those living at high latitudes or under high desiccation risk (Richter-Boix et al 2011;Orizaola et al 2013). Although our experimental design cannot exclude differences among geographic areas in maternal or early environment effects, conditions prior to the start of the experiment were similar among populations and maternal effects appear to be small compared to genetic effects across latitude in other amphibian species (e.g.…”