Amphibian species richness and distribution in northwestern Ontario: The importance of hydroperiod

The preservation of biodiversity has become a fundamental ecological goal in recent years. If we wish to prevent or reverse worldwide amphibian declines it is imperative that we understand patterns of abundance and distribution and the causal factors. Virtually every aspect of the amphibian life cycle depends on water, and therefore wetland hydroperiod plays an important part in amphibian species richness and the distribution of individual species, particularly since two major perceived stresses on amphibians are desiccation stress and predation by fish. I used repeated surveys (breeding call and visual surveys) to investigate amphibian species richness and incidence of 93 wetlands (31 each of permanent, semi-permanent and temporary) in Northwestern Ontario in relation to hydroperiod and a number of other wetland characteristics. Amphibian species richness and incidence differed among hydroperiod categories. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...