Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of nitrate and ammonium on the amphibians in a pasture zone of the Catalonian Pyrenees, larvae of Rana temporaria from several ponds were exposed to different concentrations of nitrate (0–500 mg/L) and ammonium (0–1.2 mg/L). High concentrations of nitrate in the water caused mortality and reduced larval size of R. temporaria, whereas no effects on larvae were observed in ammonium conditions. The results suggest that, if the levels of nitrate reach about 100 mg/L, the possibility of survival of R. temporaria larvae may be reduced.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Pepe Guillen of the Centre for Nature and Sustainable Development in the Pyrenees, Fundacio Territori i Paisatge (Planes de Son) for help in fieldwork and to Rosa Teira of the Department of Environmental and Soil Sciences (University of Lleida) for help in the protocol used. We also thank Maximo Blanco of AQUALIA for the water analysis and his comments, and the Fundacio Territori i Paisatge (La Caixa de Catalunya) for funding this research.
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Oromí, N., Sanuy, D. & Vilches, M. Effects of Nitrate and Ammonium on Larvae of Rana temporaria from the Pyrenees. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 82, 534–537 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9667-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9667-y