Microcosm investigations of stormwater pond sediment toxicity to embryonic and larval amphibians: Variation in sensitivity among species

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2008-07, Vol.154 (2), p.291-297
• Main Authors: Snodgrass, Joel W., Casey, Ryan E., Joseph, Debra, Simon, Judith A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amphibians; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Bufo americanus; Bufo bufo - embryology; chlorides; Chlorides - analysis; Chlorides - toxicity; Ecology - methods; ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; embryo (animal); embryotoxicity; Environmental Pollution - adverse effects; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Fresh Water; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; habitat availability; habitats; heavy metals; Larva - drug effects; Metals; Metals - analysis; Metals - toxicity; Metamorphosis, Biological - drug effects; ponds; Rana; Rana sylvatica; Ranidae - embryology; Road salt; sediments; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; species differences; Species Specificity; stormwater; Stormwater management; sublethal effects; Synecology; tadpoles; toxicity; Urbanization; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; wild animals; wildlife
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2007.10.003

Stormwater ponds have become common features of modern development and often represent significant amounts of open space in urbanized areas. Although stormwater ponds may provide habitat for wildlife, factors responsible for producing variation in wildlife use of ponds have received limited attention. To investigate the role of variation in species tolerances of pollutants in structuring pond-breeding amphibian assemblages, we exposed species tolerant ( Bufo americanus) and not tolerant ( Rana sylvatica) of urbanization to pond sediments in laboratory microcosms. Pond microcosms had elevated sediment metal levels and chloride water concentrations. Among R. sylvatica embryos, exposure to pond sediments resulted in 100% mortality. In contrast, B. americanus embryos and larvae experienced only sublethal effects (i.e., reduced size at metamorphosis) due to pond sediment exposure. Our results suggest variation in pollutant tolerance among early developmental stages of amphibians may act in concert with terrestrial habitat availability to structure amphibian assemblages associated with stormwater ponds. Variation among species in sensitivity to pollutants can influence stormwater pond amphibian assemblages.