DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Interacting Effects of Abiotic and Biotic Risks Across the Complex Life Cycle of a Neotropical Treefrog

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This study addresses effects of variation in the physical environment and natural enemies on development and survival of the eggs and tadpoles of a tropical treefrog, Hyla ebraccata. (1) It examines how variation in the physical environment (temperature, rainfall, shading) affects egg development and survival, and how the physical environment affects predation upon eggs. (2) It examines how abiotic factors in an egg's environment may have continuing effects on tadpoles after hatching. (3) It examines how conditions in the pond environment affect tadpoles' responses to predators, and what implications this has for survival to adulthood. This research will be used to model interacting processes affecting survival from egg through adulthood, and how these vary across environments. This research will improve our understanding of the processes affecting amphibian populations, including habitat and climate change. More generally, it will reveal how development varies across complex environments. Habitat change and loss are the primary causes of declining global biodiversity, particularly of amphibians, which are more sensitive to environmental changes than many other animals. By understanding how amphibians develop in different environments, conservationists will be better informed to prepare for or ameliorate future habitat changes. This research will also provide undergraduate research opportunities, and be used in public environmental education and outreach in the US and Panama.