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Ontogenetic dietary shifts in European common frog (Rana temporaria) revealed by stable isotopes

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Abstract

During migrations and ontogeny amphibians change their habitat and feeding, and thus are important in linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We measured δ 13C and δ 15N values of early stages (egg, embryo, tadpole) and toes of adult frogs Rana temporaria, collected from a small wetland in Lithuania. We compared the isotopic composition of these tissues with potential food sources, excrements of tadpoles, and filled intestinal tracts. We found that δ 13C values in R. temporaria tadpoles were markedly depleted in comparison to adults, eggs or embryos, demonstrating a terrestrial to aquatic shift in energy sources. After the onset of feeding, tadpoles approached isotopic equilibrium with available food (algae and litter). Tadpoles had higher δ 15N than both algae and litter, differing by 3.6 and 2.4‰, respectively, and similar δ 13C to these sources. However, tadpole excrements and body tissue diverged, with mean δ 13C values of excrements (−30.3 ± 1.6‰ SD) more similar to litter (−31.7 ± 1.2‰ SD) and body tissue δ 13C (−34.8 ± 0.7‰ SD) more similar to algae (−34.2 ± 4.1‰ SD). This suggests that algal resources are critical in early life stages of this anuran, particularly at stages characterized by high growth and low development (stages: 25–35).

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Acknowledgments

We thank Rasa Gvozdaitė for assistance in the lab, Jolanta Kostkevičienė for identifying algae, and Laura Jardine for providing helpful comments on the manuscript. This research was partially supported through a Vilnius University research program (Ecosystems’ and Climate Changes, Preservation of Environment and Use of Natural Resources) to Giedrius Trakimas.

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  1. Center for Ecology & Environmental Research, Vilnius University, M.K. Čiurlionio 21/27, LT-03101, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Giedrius Trakimas & Raminta Skipitytė

  2. Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan Brisbane, QLD, 4111, Australia

    Timothy D. Jardine

  3. Nuclear & Environmental Research Laboratory, Center for Physical Sciences & Technology, Savanoriu ave. 231, LT-02300, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Rūta Barisevičiūtė, Andrius Garbaras & Vidmantas Remeikis

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  1. Giedrius Trakimas
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Correspondence to Giedrius Trakimas.

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Trakimas, G., Jardine, T.D., Barisevičiūtė, R. et al. Ontogenetic dietary shifts in European common frog (Rana temporaria) revealed by stable isotopes. Hydrobiologia 675, 87–95 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0804-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0804-3

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