Bonachea, Luis
(2020)
Ecological consequences of the physiological responses of gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor to acid mine damage.
In: Pitt Momentum Fund 2020, 2020, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Abstract
Due to the historical prevalence of coal mining in the region, soil and water contamination from acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the most pressing environmental issues affecting wildlife in southwestern Pennsylvania. Amphibians in particular are strongly impacted by AMD as they are physiologically more susceptible to the effects of environmental pollutants than other terrestrial species. In addition, their complex life cycle exposes populations to both aquatic and terrestrial threats. As such, amphibians are often a focal point of research on environmental contaminants and a bellwether for impacts on the entire ecosystem. Previous research on the effects of acid mine drainage on amphibians have focused on three key areas, mostly in isolation: 1) toxicity tolerance limits, 2) sublethal effects, particularly on larval development, and 3) relationships between contamination levels and overall population dynamics. The existing literature then has two major weaknesses. First, few studies have attempted to bridge across these areas within a single system. Second, even the more ecologically focused studies overlook community level effects. Just as their dual life cycle exposes most amphibians to both terrestrial and aquatic contaminants, the population level effects of those pollutants are then felt by both the terrestrial and aquatic communities that amphibians interact with. The purpose of the requested funds is to establish a laboratory to house gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor, and establish them as a system from broadly focused, integrated studies of the effects of acid mine drainage on their development, metabolism, stress physiology, and ecological interactions.
Share
| Citation/Export: |
|
| Social Networking: |
|
Details
Metrics
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Altmetric.com
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}