Meeting Abstract
P1.32 Saturday, Jan. 4 15:30 The Distribution of Anurans Among Pools on Assateague Island, Virginia LUNARDI, P.N.*; DODGIN, S.R.; HRANITZ, J.M.; Bloomsburg Univ. of Pennsylvania; Bloomsburg Univ. of Pennsylvania; Bloomsburg Univ. of Pennsylvania pnl16991@gmail.com
Barrier islands are dynamic systems with limited freshwater habitats in a relatively small area compared to other coastal landforms. The scarcity of favorable habitat results in an anuran community with low diversity and potentially unique solutions to niche overlap. As sea level rises, saltwater intrusion may accelerate suitable habitat loss. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of anurans in vernal pools present in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island. We determined the presence of larval, juvenile, and adult life stages in or around vernal pools of different areas and salinities. By doing this, we were able to examine the potential for interspecific competition and vernal pool partitioning. Species presence or absence for each site was recorded between May and August 2013. Out of the 87 vernal pools sampled, 40 pools were inhabited by anurans. Most pools (72.5%) contained a single species whereas the remaining 27.5% of the pools were inhabited by two or more species. Salinity of pools was determined using a refractometer in the field. Soil salinity of dried pools was not measured. Salinity was recorded for 44 pools, 24 of which were freshwater (0-1 ppt) and 20 of which were brackish (2-24 ppt). All species present on the island were found in freshwater and brackish pools. Juvenile toads were found with the vernal pool with highest salinity, which was 25 ppt. The highest salinity pool associated with Hyla cinerea or Rana occurred was 8 ppt. Overall, the life stages occurring at the highest salinities were juvenile anurans. Larval A. fowleri and Rana were recorded in the larger vernal pools ranging from 2.7m2 to 2996 m2, whereas H. cinerea larvae were found in smaller vernal pools ranging from 9 m2 to 60.8 m2.
