Temporary Pools Research Articles

Exploration of Microbial Biodiversity in Ephemeral Pools

Ephemeral pools have been well studied in regard to eukaryotic life but are understudied in regard to the microorganisms found in these ecosystems. We examined the microbial composition of six ephemeral pools in the Southern Utah area for a 12-day period from the beginning of hydration. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene sequence (EMP 16S primers) was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq system and the reads were analyzed using Mothur bioinformatics analysis software. We identified 58 genera that were present in all six pools, suggesting that these could form a core set of bacteria common to the local ephemeral pool ecosystem. Two pools experienced cyanobacterial blooms, which greatly decreased the microbial diversity of the affected pools. Further research will elucidate any relation these bacteria have with the microfauna found in these pools.

Vernal Pool Amphibian Inventories in the Temperate Forests of Eastern North America: Can Environmental DNA Replace the Traditional Methods?

Amphibian populations have been globally declining since at least 1990. In the temperate forests of eastern North America, vernal pools offer important breeding habitats to many amphibians but are usually not considered for forest management because of their small size and temporary status. The effective monitoring and management of amphibians rely on accurate knowledge of their spatiotemporal distributions, which is often expensive to collect due to the amount of fieldwork required. In this study, we tested whether eDNA metabarcoding could identify the same amphibian communities as the traditional inventory protocols. We collected eDNA samples in twelve vernal pools in the spring of 2019 and identified their communities via metabarcoding. At each pool, three traditional amphibian inventory methods were used: call surveys, trapping, and active search surveys. In total, 13 amphibian species were detected, with most of them being detected using both eDNA and the traditional methods. When comparing the results of eDNA with the traditional methods, we found that species ecology and behavior are key factors of its detectability via a specific method. With its higher taxonomical precision and repeatability, eDNA metabarcoding allows for the inventorying of amphibian species living and reproducing in vernal pools and their vicinity with accuracy. As eDNA metabarcoding is inexpensive compared to the traditional methods, we conclude that eDNA sampling should be considered for integration as a standard monitoring tool, after an initial assessment of amphibian diversity.

Conserved satellite DNA motif and lack of interstitial telomeric sites in highly rearranged African Nothobranchius killifish karyotypes.

Using African annual killifishes of the genus Nothobranchius from temporary savannah pools with rapid karyotype and sex chromosome evolution, we analysed the chromosomal distribution of telomeric (TTAGGG)n repeat and Nfu-SatC satellite DNA (satDNA; isolated from Nothobranchius furzeri) in 15 species across the Nothobranchius killifish phylogeny, and with Fundulosoma thierryi as an out-group. Our fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments revealed that all analysed taxa share the presence of Nfu-SatC repeat but with diverse organization and distribution on chromosomes. Nfu-SatC landscape was similar in conspecific populations of Nothobranchius guentheri and Nothobranchius melanospilus but slightly-to-moderately differed between populations of Nothobranchius pienaari, and between closely related Nothobranchius kuhntae and Nothobranchius orthonotus. Inter-individual variability in Nfu-SatC patterns was found in N. orthonotus and Nothobranchius krysanovi. We revealed mostly no sex-linked patterns of studied repetitive DNA distribution. Only in Nothobranchius brieni, possessing multiple sex chromosomes, Nfu-SatC repeat occupied a substantial portion of the neo-Y chromosome, similarly as formerly found in the XY sex chromosome system of turquoise killifish N. furzeri and its sister species Nothobranchius kadleci-representatives not closely related to N. brieni. All studied species further shared patterns of expected telomeric repeats at the ends of all chromosomes and no additional interstitial telomeric sites. In summary, we revealed (i) the presence of conserved satDNA class in Nothobranchius clades (a rare pattern among ray-finned fishes); (ii) independent trajectories of Nothobranchius sex chromosome differentiation, with recurrent and convergent accumulation of Nfu-SatC on the Y chromosome in some species; and (iii) genus-wide shared tendency to loss of telomeric repeats during interchromosomal rearrangements. Collectively, our findings advance our understanding of genome structure, mechanisms of karyotype reshuffling, and sex chromosome differentiation in Nothobranchius killifishes from the genus-wide perspective.

Effects of temperature and precipitation changes on shifts in breeding phenology of an endangered toad

In the last century, a plethora of species have shown rapid phenological changes in response to climate change. Among animals, amphibians exhibit some of the greatest responses since their activity strongly depends on temperature and rainfall regimes. These shifts in phenology can have negative consequences for amphibian fitness. Thus, understanding phenological changes in amphibians is pivotal to design conservation actions to mitigate climate change effects. We used data on Common Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates fuscus) reproductive migration to wetlands over a period of 8 years in Italy to (i) identify the factors related to breeding migrations, (ii) assess potential phenological shifts in the breeding period, and (iii) determine which climatic factors are related to the observed phenological shifts. Our results showed that toads migrate to spawning sites preferably in early spring, on rainy days with temperatures of 9–14 °C, and with high humidity. Furthermore, despite an increase in average temperature across the study period, we observed a delay in the start of breeding migrations of 12.4 days over 8 years. This counterintuitive pattern was the result of a succession of hot and dry years that occurred in the study area, highlighting that for ephemeral pond breeders, precipitation could have a larger impact than temperature on phenology. Our results belie the strong presumption that climate change will shift amphibian phenology toward an earlier breeding migration and underline the importance of closely investigating the environmental factors related to species phenology.

Paleoecology and paleoenvironment of the Early Cretaceous theropod-dominated ichnoassemblage of the Los Corrales del Pelejón tracksite, Teruel Province, Spain

The earliest Cretaceous (mid-late Berriasian) tracksite Los Corrales del Pelejón is an important dinosaur trackway site in Teruel Province in Spain. The ichnoassemblage occurs in the Galve Formation (Galve sub-basin, Maestrazgo Basin) and comprises around 40 tracks assigned to theropods and ornithopods. In this paper, we undertake a paleoenvironmental analysis of the succession, which includes the overbank deposits of a fluvial environment, and discuss the implications of these findings for trackway preservation and orientation. The track-bearing unit is composed of fine- to very fine-grained, thinly bedded sandstone layers with wave ripples and traces of the Mermia ichnofacies, which were deposited as splay deposits within an ephemeral overbank pond. Two different theropod ichnotaxa (Megalosauripus cf. transjuranicus and Grallatoridae indet.) of three different size classes occur as small-, medium-, and large-sized tracks. The ornithopod tracks are classified as cf. Iguanodontipus isp. Five theropod trackways (M. cf. transjuranicus) show a bimodal orientation pattern with a similar orientation to NE-SW wave ripple crests, suggesting that these animals were walking parallel to the shoreline of the ephemeral overbank pond. Three of them walked in a similar subparallel orientation, but there is no evidence suggesting gregarious behavior as they have slightly different orientations and/or speed values. The Los Corrales del Pelejón site is an example of environmental influence on dinosaur behavior.

First record of leucism in a primary burrowing crayfish:Distocambarus crockeriHobbs & Carlson, 1983 (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae) from South Carolina, USA

AbstractThe piedmont prairie burrowing crayfish, Distocambarus crockeri Hobbs & Carlson, 1983, is a primary burrowing crayfish endemic to South Carolina, USA. The species is the most widely distributed and studied of the five species of Distocambarus Hobbs, 1981. Surveys have clarified the species distribution and habitat, but, like other burrowing crayfishes, our understanding of its ecology is lacking. We report the discovery of two leucistic specimens of D. crockeri collected in an ephemeral pool in a roadside ditch on 14 March 2022 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. To the best of our knowledge, our discovery represents the first documented case of leucism in a primary burrowing crayfish. We discuss the significance of this observation in relation to other recorded observations of color anomalies throughout crayfishes as well as potential environmental causes of leucism.

Embryonic development of natural annual killifish populations of the genus Austrolebias: Evolutionary parallelism and the role of environment

Abstract Repeated, independent emergence of the same trait within different phylogenetic lineages is termed parallel evolution. It typically occurs as a result of similar selective pressures. Annual killifish have adapted to survive in the extreme habitat of temporary pools on three continents and present an especially amenable system for studying fundamental principles of evolutionary parallelism. When the pools dry, annual killifish embryos survive through the dry phase in the bottom substrate in a stage of dormancy—a diapause. The diapause is a complex set of three different developmental stages, none of which is obligate, thus leading to a multitude of potential developmental trajectories. While the intricacy of the killifishes' embryonic development has been thoroughly studied in the laboratory, information on their natural development is virtually absent. We hypothesised that the natural development of annual killifishes is largely synchronised and governed by ambient conditions as shown in the lineage of the African genus Nothobranchius. We sampled wild embryo banks of the South American genus Austrolebias, which evolved its diapause independently of the African lineage. We sampled during two consecutive dry seasons, using both longitudinal and snapshot monitoring, and conducted transplant experiments to determine the extent of the evolutionary parallelism and role of the environment in Austrolebias spp. embryo development. Main habitat phases were characterised by largely synchronised embryo banks. Different inter‐seasonal or local environmental conditions were reflected in a different developmental profile of the embryo banks, suggesting a high degree of environmental control. We found striking similarity in the habitat phase–embryo stage associations between the two lineages. The diapause in the two annual killifish lineages represents a unique example of evolutionary parallelism, with the analogy manifested in very close detail. We highlight the similarity of the selective forces in the two genera despite the different geographic origins, climate zones and reversed seasonality. The repeatedly occurring strict association of the same developmental stages with the same habitat conditions suggests a limited array of developmental settings that can be applied to cope with the given environmental challenges.

Effects of the Herbicide Metolachlor and Pond Drying on Growth and Development of Wood Frog Tadpoles (Lithobates sylvaticus).

Pesticides and climate change are both thought to contribute to the global amphibian decline, yet their combined effects are still poorly understood. Metolachlor is a widespread herbicide applied across North America, but little is known about its effects on amphibians. We used a replicated mesocosm experimental design with different levels of drying (i.e., no drying and medium and rapid drying) and metolachlor concentrations (0, 0.8, 8, and 80 µg/L) to assess their respective and combined effects on wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) larvae throughout metamorphosis. Metolachlor had no significant effect on survival and development of tadpoles. However, metolachlor significantly interacted with drying levels to reduce the growth of tadpoles, which was mainly due to a difference detected among metolachlor concentrations under the rapid drying treatment. Drying also directly reduced growth and body mass at metamorphosis. Our results suggest that environmental stressors, such as drying, should be considered in toxicological experiments to provide relevant exposure conditions to pesticides for ephemeral pond species in the context of global climate change. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1772-1781. © 2023 SETAC.

Triassic palynology of the Swiss Belchentunnel: a restudy of the Scheuring samples

Well-preserved Carnian (Late Triassic) palynomorphs are rare in Switzerland, despite sediments include one of the important plant fossil localities, Neue Welt near Basel. Modern detailed palynological studies on Triassic palynomorphs in general and especially in the Carnian are scarce, most palynological studies were carried out more than 50 years ago. Nevertheless (Late) Triassic sediments still yield surprises for palynological research. Here, we present the results of the re-study of the famous Belchentunnel samples that were studied and published by Bernhard Scheuring in 1970. The less cheerful result concerns the preservation of slides: more than 60% of the slides are degraded. On the other hand, the restudy of the well-preserved slides showed an unexpected number of algae, acritarchs, and spore taxa not described so far. Especially the spores facilitate the correlation with the well-known biostratigraphic schemes established for the Germanic Basin. The distribution of Porcellispora longdonensis throughout the Belchentunnel succession is especially striking. The acme just below the Schilfsandstein might suggest the presence of ephemeral ponds.

De-fi Based Payment Gateway System

Abstract: By using Decentralized Finance based payment gateway system, users are able to pay for a product only when it reaches their home. The payment is stored in a temporary pool until the product is delivered. This approach offers a number of benefits for both consumers and businesses. For consumers, the ability to pay only when the product is received can provide greater peace of mind and reduce the risk of fraud or scams. It also allows users to avoid paying upfront for a product that they have not yet received or had the opportunity to inspect. For businesses, this approach can improve cash flow and reduce the risk of non- payment. By holding the payment in a temporary pool until the product is delivered, businesses can ensure that they are paid for the goods or services they provide. This can be particularly useful for small businesses or those operating in sectors with a high risk of nonpayment. Also by the Ethereum and the Etherscan API, this system can promote efficiency in charitable giving by enabling fund donors to verify and track the use of their donations.

On stomatocysts of Paraphysomonas caelifrica (Stramenopiles, Paraphysomonadida).

Stomatocysts of the rare heterotrophic chrysophyte, Paraphysomonas caelifrica, were discovered from a shallow ephemeral pond Tavolgasai ("Orenburgskiy" State Nature Reserve, Orenburg Region, Russia). Morphology of stomatocysts was studied using scanning electron microscopy. Stomatocysts of P. caelifrica are spherical and smooth with a cylindrical collar surrounding the regular pore. So, they do not belong to the stomatocyst 1 Duff and Smol as previously thought. The description of a new stomatocyst morphotype is provided.

Hydrology is a major influence on amphibian abundance in a large European floodplain.

River-floodplain ecosystems play a crucial role in connecting landscape patches through hydrological connectivity, but they are among the most threatened ecosystems. Floodplains provide important habitat for amphibians by connecting aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Modifications to floodplain hydrology can impact amphibian communities, yet few studies have examined amphibian metacommunities in floodplain wetlands.In this study, we assessed patterns in amphibian breeding abundance in one of the largest floodplains of the Danube River, Hungary, relative to hydrological connectivity and multi-scale variables at 30 waterbody sites. Our aim was to determine whether these patterns aligned with the pond-permanence gradient hypothesis, where breeding amphibian abundance is predicted to be highest in ephemeral ponds without large predatory fish. We used Bayesian hierarchical modelling to estimate multi-species abundance from repeated survey (count) data collected over one breeding season.We detected the eggs and larvae of four amphibian species. The best model of abundance included covariates describing two principal component axes associated with waterbody hydrology and landscape composition within a 500-m radius of a site. There was a positive relationship between mean community abundance at a site and hydrological disconnection from the main river channel; however, the common toad (Bufo bufo) was associated with hydrologically connected waterbodies. There was a positive relationship between mean community abundance and a high proportion of forest cover and low cover of agricultural land within a 500-m radius around a site, although this relationship was clear for only two species. There was no support for models containing the number of large predatory fish species detected at a site.Although our results showed that amphibian abundance declined with hydrological connectivity, based on model selection we could not ascribe this relationship to an increased number of large predatory fish species detected in waterbodies close to the main river channel. Differences in life history and habitat requirements are likely to have explained interspecific responses to hydrological connectivity. Our results underscore the importance of addressing amphibian abundance at multiple spatial scales in floodplain wetlands, as landscape composition partly explained patterns in abundance.Application of multi-species abundance modelling allowed us to investigate environmental relationships for common and infrequently detected species. Habitat restoration programmes in floodplains should provide waterbodies disconnected from main river channels as potential amphibian breeding sites and protect or restore forest as terrestrial habitat.

All in one: single‐season multi‐clutching in an ephemeral pool‐breeding frog that is otherwise virtually semelparous

AbstractThe sandpaper frog, Lechriodus fletcheri, is a temperate anuran that has previously been shown to be virtually semelparous, with adults overwhelmingly reproducing in a single year of life. Yet, this species almost exclusively oviposits in highly ephemeral pools where there is a high chance of total reproductive failure due to hydroperiods often being unpredictable and too short for their offspring to reach metamorphosis. We sought to understand how L. fletcheri copes reproductively in such a risky breeding environment in the absence of a classical iteroparous life history. We investigated aspects of reproduction in wild and laboratory‐reared individuals to determine whether females are capable of intra‐seasonal multi‐clutching and/or clutch partitioning, and males of fertilizing multiple clutches. Direct field evidence was obtained that males participated in multiple mating events within season, while indirect evidence of this ability in females was obtained based on laboratory‐held individuals that produced an additional batch of mature oocytes weeks after an initial release of eggs. Our findings suggest that both males and females likely have the capacity to participate in multiple reproductive events within season and, while most adults may not reproduce more than once, that they are abbreviate iteroparous rather than truly semelparous. Our findings provide evidence that short‐lived anurans may exploit alternative bet‐hedging strategies that mimic the fitness benefits of multi‐year iteroparity.

Cryptomonas pyrenoidifera organellar genomes and estimation of its ITS2 sequence diversity using lineage directed barcode primers

ABSTRACT Cryptomonas is a common metropolitan freshwater microalgal genus that is easily recognizable due to its distinctive asymmetric cellular morphology and swimming pattern. There are currently 71 recognized Cryptomonas species but these can be difficult to identify by cellular morphology alone. This makes estimation of Cryptomonas diversity from environmental samples challenging as it requires culturing of strains followed by sequencing of genetic markers for clear identifications. In this paper we describe the isolation and culture of Cryptomonas pyrenoidifera from a small ephemeral pool in Southwestern Virginia, USA, with an annual recurrent population of this genus. Genomic resources from this isolate, including complete chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, and nuclear and nucleomorph rRNA regions, were completed and archived. Metabarcoding, using lineage-directed primers designed to amplify the ITS2 region of Cryptomonas, was used to estimate an intra-specific variation of 99.3% for the C. pyrenoidifera ITS2 barcode from this natural environment. Metabarcoding also revealed that at least twelve phylogenetic species were present in this body of water. Our results provide new genomic resources for C. pyrenoidifera and suggest that metabarcoding with the ITS2 marker is a feasible approach to estimating Cryptomonas diversity and identification.

PREVALENCE OF RANAVIRUS IN SPOTTED SALAMANDER (AMBYSTOMA MACULATUM) LARVAE FROM CREATED VERNAL POOLS IN WEST VIRGINIA, USA.

Ranavirosis is a disease of high concern for amphibians due to widespread documentation of its lethal and sublethal impacts and its high transmission potential across populations and species. We investigated whether spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) ranavirus prevalence and viral load were associated with habitat characteristics, genetic diversity, corticosterone levels, and body size. In 2015 and 2016, we sampled 34 recently created vernal pools in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA. We collected tail clippings from 1,128 spotted salamander larvae and waterborne hormone samples from 436 of those larvae, along with eight environmental characteristics of the pools. Over the 2-yr period, we detected ranavirus in 62% of pools, with prevalence ranging from 0% to 63% (mean, 7.68%). Spotted salamander size was positively correlated with ranavirus presence and viral load; however, we did not find associations between ranavirus prevalence or viral load and habitat characteristics, spotted salamander genetic diversity, relatedness, effective number of breeders, or corticosterone levels. The widespread occurrence of ranavirus in the vernal pools illustrates the potential for rapid natural introduction of the pathogen to created wetlands. Managers could consider monitoring local distributions of ranavirus before creation of new vernal pools to guide strategic placement of the wetlands to minimize occurrence and prevalence of this pathogen.

Description of Cylindrospermum solincola sp. nov. from Jammu and Kashmir, India and Further Insights into the Ecological Distribution and Morphological Attributes of Cylindrospermum badium

Two cyanobacterial strains KUT1-PS and 18C-PS were collected from the soil surface and vernal pool, respectively, from the Basantgarh village, Udhampur district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India and characterized by a polyphasic approach. The morphological characterization indicated that both the strains showed typical Cylindrospermum-like morphology and probably belonged to the genus Cylindrospermum. Further, phylogenetic interpretations at the genus level were made using the 16S rRNA gene while the 16S-23S ITS region phylogenetic analysis and secondary structure analysis were conducted to enhance the resolution at the species level. The results from the comparative morphological analysis, the 16S rRNA gene percent similarity and phylogenetic analyses, the 16S-23S ITS percent dissimilarity and the ITS secondary structure analyses provided enough evidence that the strain 18C-PS is a representative of Cylindrospermum badium, providing further insights into its ecological distribution and morphological attributes. Additionally, the strain KUT1-PS was a novel species of the genus Cylindrospermum and is referred to herein as Cylindrospermum solincola sp. nov., in accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants. This study also discusses the importance of comparing the newly sequenced strains with previously established species before making final taxonomic interpretations.

New leptestherid clam shrimps (Pancrustacea: Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata: Leptestheriidae) from peninsular India.

Spinicaudatan clam shrimps are an evolutionarily ancient lineage restricted to temporary freshwater pools. Use of classical morpho-taxonomic approaches alone have led to some issues in the taxonomy of this group, which are now being resolved through integrative taxonomy. Here, we describe two new leptestherid spiny clam shrimps Leptestheria chalukyae sp. nov. and Leptestheria gomantaki sp. nov. from peninsular India based on their unique morphological characters and distinct phylogenetic position. We also re-describe Leptestheria nobilis and present an overview of the morphological characters of all the Indian leptestherids. Most of the conventional taxonomic characters appear to overlap among all the Indian species, although the combination of occipital condyle shape and the cercopod marginal spines arrangement in combination, appear to be useful in separating leptestherid species.

Statewide prioritization of vernal pools for pond-breeding amphibians in New Jersey

Vernal pools are required habitat of pond-breeding amphibians, yet their legal protections in the United States are not established, leaving vernal pools vulnerable to development and habitat fragmentation. Seasonally, amphibians migrate to breed in vernal pools. Roads and upland forest loss can jeopardize that migration, resulting in mortality. Vernal pools surrounded by fewer roads and more upland forest are of greater preservation priority in the management of amphibian populations. This study presents a statewide preservation prioritization of New Jersey's 13,594 vernal pools mapped in a previous work. The prioritization builds on that work by calculating a preservation score based on a combination of six characteristics regarding habitat fragmentation in the migratory area surrounding a vernal pool. The scores are calculated at a range of migration distances to account for a variety of amphibian species, and it is found that the different distances make little difference to preservation scores because of the overall small scale at which amphibians migrate. Results are presented that show clear parts of the state that should be prioritized for vernal pool preservation, mainly in areas where fewer roads lead to less development and habitat fragmentation. Areas of preservation priority are further refined using geographic clusters which show assemblages of vernal pools with favorable migratory areas. A special class of vernal pools has migratory areas that are uninterrupted by roads. These vernal pools and the assemblages of favorable migratory areas are often in preserved lands, but those that are not should receive special attention in both the field confirmation of amphibian habitat and subsequent protective measures, which can vary from conservation easements to citizen science interventions in sustaining local amphibian populations. Furthermore, surrounding states that also have a significant amount of vernal pools may be able to use this prioritization framework for preservation and conservation.

A review of zooplankton research in Chile

This study is a review of literature records on diversity, distribution and ecology of the Chilean inland water zooplankton including microcrustaceans (Copepoda, Branchiopoda), rotifera (Bdelloida and Monogononta) and ciliated protozoa. For that, several databases were consulted, and about 239 records were analysed and evaluated. The results revealed that in total about 109 water bodies have been sampled in Chile. Crustacea are well studied in the entire Chilean territory, whereas records on Rotifera and Ciliata are more restricted to the Central and Southern zones. Within Crustacea calanoid copepods of the genus Boeckella and to lower degree Cladocera (Branchiopoda) predominate. Anostraca are reported for hypersaline waterbodies and ephemeral pools, whereas Laevicaudata and Spinicaudata (Branchiopoda) are only found in shallow ephemeral pools. Regarding rotifers, 121 species were identified, whereas 46 species of ciliated protozoa were registered in lentic water bodies of the Southern zone. Ecological studies included different aspects as population dynamics, vertical migration, diapause, role of ultraviolet radiation among others. We discuss also shortcomings and future studies. Future studies should consider more in detail population dynamics, molecular topics to better assess taxonomical determinations, trophic interactions within the food webs and effects of global changes at population and community level.

Restoring functional forested peatlands by combining ditch-blocking and partial cutting: An amphibian perspective

Artificial drainage for forestry has caused major degradation of temperate peatland ecosystems. Partial restoration of those ecosystems is now widely considered, but feasible targets and effectiveness of restoration practices are not well established. In this study, we analyse a forested peatland restoration experiment in Estonia from a functional perspective of amphibian populations. In 2014–2020, we surveyed a before-after-control-impact experiment that combined two habitat manipulations: partial cuttings for restoring sparse tree canopy cover, and ditch blocking with soil filling to restore the water table. We monitored the responses in the aquatic habitats and breeding of brown frogs (moor frog Rana arvalis and common frog R. temporaria). Along with the expected habitat changes (ditch blocking quadrupled water depths and tree cutting reduced the shade), we found that ditch blocking restored the soil-type specific water acidity levels that the draining had homogenized. Partial ditch blocking reduced frog breeding activity in the first year, but it recovered and increased later on, specifically on sapric Histosols and supported by temporary wetlands, floods and pools created. However, the number of offspring did not clearly respond to the restoration and instead varied much among years. Our results indicate that, in drained forested wetlands: (i) near-natural aquatic habitats are a distinct restoration target and several years of post-restoration monitoring are needed to confirm the development of ecological integrity; (ii) increased breeding activity of amphibians may not result in improved recruitment; and thus, (iii) integrative wetland restoration techniques could benefit from an “amphibian perspective” of sustaining their whole life cycles and the food webs they support.