Date of Award

2015

Degree Name

Biological Sciences

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Jayme Waldron

Second Advisor

Thomas K. Pauley

Third Advisor

Elmer Price

Fourth Advisor

Shane Welch

Abstract

Direct application liming (DAL) has been used to neutralize acidified streams to restore aquatic biota. This mitigation technique has been used globally for decades, yet little data exist on its effects on amphibian populations. My study investigated the effects of liming on amphibians by measuring variability in life histories of larval Gyrinophilus porphyriticus. I collected larvae from six streams in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. I examined the effects of DAL on age structure, and I failed to detect a treatment effect. I used ANCOVAs to examine differences in body condition, body size, and gape size. I observed that larvae located directly below DAL reached significantly larger body sizes at younger ages and appeared to have higher body conditions. Larvae below DAL had significantly smaller gape sizes than larvae in the treatment reference. By identifying the impacts of DAL on amphibian life history strategies, biologists can better manage aquatic habitats.

Subject(s)

Gyrinophilus - Ecology.

Gyrinophilus - Life cycles.

Download

Share

COinS