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Rana Clamitans and R. Catesbeiana) Susan Z University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn Doctoral Dissertations University of Connecticut Graduate School 8-23-2013 Ecological and Behavioral Interactions Between Two Closely Related North American Frogs (Rana clamitans and R. catesbeiana) Susan Z. Herrick Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Herrick, Susan Z., "Ecological and Behavioral Interactions Between Two Closely Related North American Frogs (Rana clamitans and R. catesbeiana)" (2013). Doctoral Dissertations. 214. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/214 Ecological and Behavioral Interactions Between Two Closely Related North American frogs ( Rana clamitans and R. catesbeiana ) Susan Zator Herrick, PhD University of Connecticut, 2013 Abstract Resource partitioning within the ecological niche space in which there is a high level of overlap between species can alleviate the tendency toward competitive exclusion. When competitive ability is asymmetrical due to predation or other ecological factors, it may be more effective for the less competitive species to lessen direct competition by contracting their use of local resources. Species occurring in mixed assemblages may come into direct contact with each other throughout their respective breeding seasons. Where competition for breeding habitat and acoustic space exists, the level of interference is expected to vary widely, depending upon the ecological and breeding similarities between the species involved and the relative importance of the resource. In this study, I investigated the breeding season interspecific interactions of two species of ranid frog in eastern North America, the American bullfrog ( Rana catesbeiana ) and the green frog ( R. clamitans ). The ecological and behavioral similarities between these species combined with phylogenetic relatedness and comparable natural distributions make them an ideal system for studying interspecific dynamics related to their breeding ecology. Specifically, I examined the influence bullfrogs have on the breeding behavior of green frogs over several timescales, including physical avoidance of encounters i Susan Zator Herrick – University of Connecticut, 2013 through counter movements of green frogs away from bullfrog territories, an adjustment of green frog microhabitat use, and green frog avoidance of acoustic masking by bullfrogs. I found that green frogs defend territories and lay eggs closer to shore than bullfrogs. Also, both green frog territories and eggs are under heavier overhead cover than bullfrog eggs and territories. I found green frogs respond to bullfrog chorusing on a fine temporal scale by placing their calls between the notes of bullfrog calls. ii Ecological and Behavioral Interactions Between Two Closely Related North American frogs ( Rana clamitans and R. catesbeiana ) Susan Zator Herrick B. S., Eastern Connecticut State University, 2000 M. S., Central Connecticut State University, 2002 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut 2013 iii Copyright by Susan Zator Herrick 2013 iv APPROVAL PAGE Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Ecological and Behavioral Interactions Between Two Closely Related North American Frogs ( Rana catesbeiana and R. clamitans ) Presented by Susan Zator Herrick, B.S., M.S. Major Advisor____________________________________________________________ Kentwood D. Wells Associate Advisor_______________________________________________________________ Charles S. Henry Associate Advisor_______________________________________________________________ Eric T. Schultz University of Connecticut 2013 v Acknowledgements I would first like to acknowledge the financial support I have received over the past few years. Funding from several sources supported this work. Equipment funding from Sigma Xi and AAUP is greatly appreciated. Financial support from a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Connecticut Graduate School was much appreciated. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists funded my travel to an annual meeting and the Ralph M. Wetzel Fund to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology supported purchases of essential field equipment. The George Lamson Fund to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology supported my participation in a field course and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Departmental Fellowship research support is also very much appreciated. No one completes a graduate degree in a vacuum. This undertaking requires a group effort. To that end, I would like to thank the many people who helped me during this process. For assistance in the field I thank Kentwood D. Wells and Mark J. Herrick for the many long hours of assistance with nightly census work. Jadranka Rota and Katherine Les also assisted in field work. Additional help with specific tasks in the field include Angeline Herrick, Julianne Herrick, Steven Herrick, Kristiina Hurme, Suegene Noh, Pablo Arroyo, and Juan Carlos Villarreal. I greatly appreciate their efforts on my behalf. Technical assistance from Ed Lechowitz and Tom Meyer was crucial to the success of this study and I thank them. Without their expertise I would not have collected the many hours of calling activity or the location data. vi Adam Wilson and Eric Schultz contributed many hours to the statistical testing of the call data. Thiago Rangel, Kristiina Hurme, Jenica Allen and Wen Chen were instrumental in helping me manipulate R and in mapping the data for the first two chapters. The Mark Reynolds family generously allowed me free and open access to their beautiful organic farm in Lebanon, Connecticut. They offered moral support and encouragement with their enthusiasm for the activities of “The Frog Lady”. Their generosity allowed me to place expensive recording equipment in place for months at a time with no fear of damage or theft. I am indebted to their warmth and willingness to put up with my driving in and out of their property at all hours of the night for three summers and for encouraging their lovely Golden Retriever “Caleb” to accompany me for many evenings on the pond. My dissertation committee, Kentwood D. Wells, Charles S. Henry, and Eric T. Schultz, gave constructive comments on this dissertation and critically reviewed the statistical evaluation of my data. Their efforts are much appreciated and greatly improved the dissertation. Just as importantly, their encouragement and guidance through this process have been invaluable and I thank them for their continued support. Personal encouragement and enthusiasm for my project have been very important to me and I want to thank Jadranka Rota, Tsitsi McPherson, Nicola Plowes, and Roberta Engel for the role they played in my graduate school life and in my personal life. Their interest in my project and their help in working through issues and developing strategies have been instrumental to my successfully completing this degree. vii I thank my parents, my siblings, and my parents-in-law for unflagging enthusiasm and interest in my work through the years I have spent pursuing my education. My children have grown up hanging out in the field with me and assisting in many small tasks. They have also handled a few large ones, including spending several hours on very hot summer days dragging equipment and freshly cut brush down to the pond. I appreciate their good-humored efforts on my behalf. Finally, I thank my husband, Mark. None of this would have been possible without him walking by my side, offering his support in countless ways, some large and some small. Occasionally that required him getting behind me and shoving me forward. This degree belongs to him as much as it belongs to me. viii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Microhabitat partitioning of breeding green frogs ( Rana clamitans ) and bullfrogs ( R. catesbeiana ) Abstract…………………………………………………………………….….….1 Introduction……………………………………………………………….…..….2 Methods………………………………………………………………….……….7 Results…………………………………………………………………...……….10 Discussion……………………………………………………………….…..…..13 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………..……….17 Literature Cited………………………………………………………….……….18 Figures………………………………………………………………….….…….22 Appendix 1 Ponds surveyed...............………………………….……………….37 Chapter 2: Spatial interactions of green frogs ( Rana clamitans ) and bullfrogs ( R. catesbeiana ) Abstract………………………………………………………………..………..38 Introduction……………………………………………………………….…….39 Methods………………………………………………………………….…..….41 Results………………………………………………………………….……….43 Discussion………………………………………………………….……..…….46 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………….…….51 Literature Cited……………………………………………….…….……….…..52 Figures and Tables…………………………………………….…………….…..54 ix Chapter 3: Noisy neighbors: acoustic interference and vocal interactions between two syntopic species of ranid frogs, Rana clamitans and R. catesbeiana Abstract………………………………………………………….…………….55 Introduction……………………………………………………..........………56 Methods……………………………………………………………………….58 Results……………………………………………………………..…….……63 Discussion…………………………………………………………………….68 Acknowledgements……………………………………………….………….82 Literature Cited…………………………………………………….…………83 Figures…………………………………………………………….……….…89 x 1 Chapter 1 Microhabitat partitioning of breeding green frogs (Rana clamitans ) and bullfrogs ( R. catesbeiana ) Abstract North American bullfrogs ( Rana catesbeiana ) and green frogs ( R. clamitans ) are broadly sympatric and are often
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