MARTIN, A. L.; University of Missouri, Rolla: Effects of Geographic Distance and Dispersal Barriers on Amphibian Polymorphism

Understanding the natural history of a species is critical to developing sound management practices. This is especially true for indicator species such as amphibians that play a large role in our understanding of an ecosystem’s general health. While much is considered common knowledge about amphibians (such as their reliance on water) some information may be misinterpreted or incorrectly used in creating conservation plans. For example, the inability of frogs to disperse and interbreed over a geographic barrier, such as a large river, may pose many lethal deterrents to movement, and thus effectively isolate amphibian populations in very close proximity. In an effort to determine what effect such a phenomenon may have on amphibian populations, I am studying several populations of Acris crepitans and Pseudacris crucifer on either side of the Mississippi River. I will discuss preliminary results that include comparisons of morphology (e.g., morphometric characters, color patters) and molecular data (e.g., AFLPs), and will discuss variation within and among populations.