Pond-Breeding Amphibian Community Composition in Missouri

Abstract

We examined pond-breeding amphibian community composition at 210 ponds in Missouri between 2002 and 2012 using drift fence, dipnet, and funnel trap data. We encountered a total of 20 pond-breeding amphibian species in the combined surveys. We also examined whether the presence of American Bullfrogs, Lithobates catesbeianus, and fish influenced these patterns of diversity. Our results indicate the presence of American Bullfrogs, fish, and their interaction influenced the community composition of amphibians at these sites but in opposite patterns. American Bullfrogs often had a positive relationship with the total number of species, total caudate species, and total anuran species, whereas fish presence was negatively associated overall with species diversity, and the presence of both American Bullfrogs and fish was negatively associated with anuran species diversity. It is important to have baseline community species composition data from wide geographical ranges so spatiotemporal changes in community structure can be noted and assessed.