Asia - fwf.ag.utk.edu
Transcript of Asia - fwf.ag.utk.edu
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Amphibian Decline: Effects of Acid Rain
By: Asia Montgomery
What is Acid Rain?
� A broad term that describes the several ways that acid falls from the atmosphere � Dry deposition � Acid rain
� Acid snow
� Forms nitric acid and sulfuric acid from gaseous pollutants � Sulfur dioxide – sulfuric acid
� Nitrogen dioxide – nitric acid
(Singh, 2008)
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What it Effects
� All bodies of water � Higher effect on ephemeral pools because of little dilution
� Phytoplankton, zooplankton, invertebrates � Zooplankton disappear below pH 5
� Amphibians, Fish
� Vegetation � Strips soil of essential nutrients
� Small watersheds = little soil buffering
� Reducing cover, breeding sites, and egg-laying sites
(Singh, 2008)
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Why are they Vulnerable?
� Acid rain effects water bodies, where amphibians spend the developmental and reproductive stages of life
� Highly permeable skin
� Effects all aspects of their life � Food – decreased zooplankton, leading to decreased insects � Cover – decreased/damaged vegetation � Reproduction – destroy breeding sites, external fertilization � Highest mortality rates in embryos � Damages larvae and adults
Effects to Embryos � Embryo mortality in pH < 4.5
� Depends on species tolerance level
� Curling of embryo � Depends on species tolerance level � Causes deformation of spine and tail, dorsal arching, and preventing ability to swim in larvae
� Yolk plugs fail to retract � Depends on species
� Stunted, or kinked gills
� Body wall swelling near heart
� Study found, “hatching success fell from >90% at pH > 6.5 to 60% at pH < 6.5” in spotted salamanders
(Sandinski, 1992; Pough, 1977)
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Effects to Larvae
� Decreased growth rate � Short exposure (3 days) � Small metamorphosis size
� Decreased survival, due to acid sensitivity
� Increased predation � Smaller larval size, prey for gape-limited predators � Limited mobility for escape
� Loss of body sodium � Death happens when 50% of body sodium is lost
(Blaustein, 1990; Clark, 1985; Freda, 1986; Pierce, 1993)
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Effects to Adults
� Damage to skin � Important for respiration
� Decreased size
� Acid related stress � Low soil pH
� Loss of water and sodium � Especially in salamanders
� Avoid possible breeding grounds � Acid decreases competition and predators
(Pierce, 1993; Stallard, 2001)
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Indirect Effects of Acid Rain
� Delayed hatching
� Delayed metamorphosis � From delayed hatching, reduced food availability
� Increasing stress
� Increasing effects of other declining factors � Aluminum toxicity � Temperature � Disease
(Freda et al., 1991; Sandinski, 1992)
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Species Declines
� Tiger Salamanders � Episodic acidification of the Rockies � 65% decline in 7 yr.
� Natterjack toad � Extinct in lowland heaths � Held 50% of British pop.
� Jefferson salamander, Spotted salamander � Decreased reproduction
� American Toad � Decreased hatching success
(Blaustein, 1990; Clark, 1985; Freda et al., 1991; Pough, 1977)
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Think About It: Why is it Important?
� Increases the effects of other declining factors
� Effects all aspects of life � Acid rain is a HUMAN made
problem
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References � Blaustein, Andrew R., and David B. Wake. "Declining Amphibian Populations: A Global Phenomenon?"
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 5.7 (1990): 203-04. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Clark, Karen L., and Ronald J. Hill. "Effects of Elevated Hydrogen Ion and Aluminum Concentrations on the Survival of Amphibian Embryos and Larvae." Canadian Journal of Zoology 63 (1985): 116-23. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Freda, Joseph, Walter J. Sadinski, and William A. Dunson. "Long-term Monitoring of Amphibian Populations with Respect to the Effects of Acidic Deposition." Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 55 (1991): 445-62. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Freda, Joseph, and William A. Dunson. "Effects of Low pH and other Chemical Variables on the Local Distribution of Amphibians." Copeia 2 (1986): 454-66. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Pierce, Benjamin A. "The Effects of Acid Precipitation on Amphibians." Ecotoxicology 2 (1993): 65-77. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Pough, F. H., and Richard E. Wilson. "Acid Precipitation and Reproductive Success of Ambystoma Salamanders." Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 7 (1977): 307-16. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Sadinski, Walter J., and William A. Dunson. "A Multilevel Study of Effects of Low pH on Amphibians of Temporary Ponds." Journal of Herpetology 26.4 (1992): 413-22. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Singh, Anita, and Madhoolika Agrawal. "Acid Rain and its Ecological Consequences." Journal of Environmental Biology 29.1 (2008): 15-24. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
� Stallard, Robert F. "Possible Environmental Factors Underlying Amphibian Decline in Eastern Puerto Rico: Analysis of U.S. Government Data Archives." Conservation Biology 15.4 (2001): 943-53. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
Picture References 1. http://study.com/cimages/multimages/16/acid_rain_diagram.jpg
2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XO4QaIEYl8U/T-4dQ4hrAdI/AAAAAAAABrI/8oAOGCO97vw/s1600/acid3.png
3. http://www.windows2universe.org/milagro/images/clover_acidrain.gif
4. http://imgarcade.com/1/acid-rain-effects-on-animals/
5. http://savethefrogs.com/amphibians/images/north-america/Ambystoma-macrodactylum-croceum-larva-Robert-Shields-328.jpg
6. http://www.sea-way.org/blog/New_Amphibians1.JPG
7. p://www.waterencyclopedia.com/images/wsci_01_img0009.jpg
8. https://beetlesinthebush.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/img_3409_enh_crp_1200x800_usm.jpg
9. http://www.animalspot.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Natterjack-Toad-Photos.jpg
10. http://www.vernalpool.org/images/21_ys_a.jpg
11. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/salamanders/salamander_images/Jefferson1_DaveKazyak.jpg
12. http://amphibiaweb.org/amphibian/speciesnums.html
13. tp://acidrain.pbworks.com/w/page/1319116/What%20is%20Acid%20Rain