Asynchrony, density dependence, and persistence in an amphibian.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Population Dynamics
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Metapopulation dynamics are crucial for species resilience to widespread disturbances.
• Synchrony in population dynamics influences a metapopulation's ability to withstand environmental changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate spatial synchrony in wood frog (Rana sylvatica) abundance across a network of freshwater ponds.
• To identify local and regional factors driving wood frog population dynamics and resilience.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 21 years of wood frog egg mass count data from 64 ponds in Connecticut, USA.
• Statistical assessment of abundance patterns, population growth rates, and influencing environmental factors.

Main Results:

• No evidence of spatial synchrony in wood frog abundance was found, except during a severe drought year.
• Local pond conditions, such as depth and density dependence, were stronger predictors of population dynamics than regional factors.
• Larger neighboring pond populations negatively impacted focal ponds, and drought/warm winters had detrimental effects.

Conclusions:

• The wood frog system exhibits surprising resilience to widespread disturbances due to infrequent spatial synchrony.
• Understanding factors that promote or inhibit synchronous dynamics is key to predicting species' vulnerability to climate change and habitat loss.