Increasing evidence suggests that contaminants in the environment can have important consequences on organismal interactions. While we have a good understanding of the lethal effects of contaminants on organisms, we have a weak understanding of how contaminants can affect organisms by altering the interactions that they have with other species in the community. Using tadpoles of two anuran species (Bullfrogs, Lithobates [Rana] catesbeianus; Green Frogs, L. clamitans), we investigated the effects of low nominal concentrations (1 and 10 ppb) of two pesticides (malathion and endosulfan) on tadpole activity and survival when exposed to four predator treatments (no predators; water bugs, Belostoma flumineum; newts, Notophthalmus viridescens; and dragonfly larvae, Anax junius). In both anuran species, adding predators reduced tadpole activity and survival, with increasing rates of mortality occurring with water bugs, newts, and dragonflies, respectively. Additionally, the highest concentration of endosulfan caused tadpole mortality after 48 hrs. Most significant, tadpole species also experienced interactive effects of predators and pesticides on survival after 48 hrs. In Bullfrog treatments, all predators reduced the amount of tadpole mortality when exposed to endosulfan. In Green Frogs, additive negative effects occurred, except that newts increased the tadpole mortality when exposed to endosulfan. Our findings illustrate that pesticide effects on predator–prey interactions are often complex and have the potential to alter aquatic community composition.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Life History, Behavior, and Ecology|
December 30 2013
Sublethal Effects of Pesticides on Predator–Prey Interactions in Amphibians
Shane M. Hanlon;
Shane M. Hanlon
1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260.
2 Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152; E-mail: hanloc2107@gmail.com. Send reprint requests to this address.
Search for other works by this author on:
Rick Relyea
Rick Relyea
1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260.
Search for other works by this author on:
Copeia (2013) 2013 (4): 691–698.
Citation
Shane M. Hanlon, Rick Relyea; Sublethal Effects of Pesticides on Predator–Prey Interactions in Amphibians. Copeia 1 December 2013; 2013 (4): 691–698. doi: https://doi.org/10.1643/CE-13-019
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionCiting articles via
Investigating Ex Situ Competitive Interactions in a Novel Fish Community with Implications for the Introduction of Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) in Headwater Streams
Elizabeth Culp, Shawna Fix, Joshua Ennen, Jon Davenport, Kristen Cecala
Rapid Ossification Helps Explain Small Body Size in Urspelerpes brucei (Caudata: Plethodontidae)
Tyler L. Brock, Claire M. Crookston, Christopher K. Beachy, Carlos D. Camp
Image Processing of Thigh Color Pattern Is an Effective Method for Identifying Individual Cope’s Gray Treefrogs, Hyla chrysoscelis
Jacinda Berokoff, Iván de la Hera, Michael S. Reichert
Sexual Dimorphism in the Electric Knifefish Sternarchogiton labiatus (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae) with a Hypermorphic Snout and Oral Jaws
Maxwell J. Bernt, Aaron H. Fronk, Kory M. Evans, James S. Albert
Phylogenomics and Morphology of the African Fish Genus Brycinus with Revalidation of Brachyalestes and Description of a New Species from the Congo Basin (Teleostei: Alestidae)
Melanie L. J. Stiassny, Cooper Keane, José J. M. M. Mbimbi, Bruno F. Melo