Assessing the Impact of Algae Management Strategies on Anurans and Aquatic Communities

Residential areas are increasing on the landscape but their ability to provide suitable habitat is often based on management for recreational use and aesthetics. Amphibians rely on both aquatic and terrestrial habitat making them susceptible to changes in land-cover and land-use. As anthropogenic land-use change increases, it is imperative to assess how pond management practices impact aquatic communities. We assessed the impact of Aquashade (a common non-toxic pond dye) and copper sulfate (a toxic algaecide) on American toad ( Anaxyrus americanus ), northern leopard frog ( Lithobates pipiens ), and Cope’s gray treefrog ( Hyla chrysoscelis ) metamorphosis in outdoor mesocosm experiments. We also evaluated the relative impact of tadpole grazing and chemical treatment on phytoplankton and periphyton abundance. We found no significant effects of pond management treatment on anuran metamorphosis, suggesting that addition of Aquashade and copper sulfate does not significantly impact anurans under these experimental conditions. However, while we found no differences in phytoplankton and periphyton abundance due to pond management treatment, presence of tadpoles significantly decreased phytoplankton and periphyton abundance over time. This result suggests that the creation of suitable pond habitat for anuran tadpoles may be an efficient and ecologically beneficial form of pond management treatment to maintain water quality.