The effects of ambient pH on nitrogen excretion in early life stages of the American toad ( Bufo americanus)

Abstract

Acidification of breeding ponds has been identified as a potential threat to the survival and health of North American amphibian populations. The effects of acid exposure on ion and acid-balance are well known, but there is little information on how environmental water pH influences nitrogen balance in amphibians. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of moderately acidic water (pH 6.0) on nitrogen excretion in early life stages of the toad, Bufo americanus. Acid exposure (pH 6.0, 54 h) resulted in a 20–80% increase in ammonia-N excretion rates in embryos and early, middle and late tadpoles stages, whereas there was no significant effect on urea-N excretion. Tissue ammonia concentrations were significantly higher (+ 33%) in the embryos and 35–65% lower in the three groups of tadpoles exposed to water of pH 6.0 compared to control animals (pH 8.5). In embryos, ammonia excretion accounted for greater than 90% of total nitrogen excretion (ammonia-N + urea-N), but by the late tadpole stage this value had decreased to approximately 65%. These findings indicate that exposure of embryonic and larval B. americanus to moderately acidic water disrupts nitrogen balance by increasing nitrogen loss as ammonia, with no compensatory decrease in urea excretion.