Effect of Initial Mass on Growth and Mortality at Low pH in Tadpoles of Pseudacris clarkii and Bufo valliceps

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Abstract
Although depression of tadpole growth at low pH has been well documented, associations of initial mass with acid tolerance and growth rates at low pH have not been investigated. We investigated the effect of initial mass on individual growth measured as mass gain at pH 4 and pH 7.2-7.8 in two amphibian species. Tadpole growth was significantly less at pH 4 than at pH 7, and significantly more tadpoles died at pH 4 than at pH 7. Mass gain was positively correlated with initial mass at pH 7, but no correlation was identified at pH 4. More tadpoles of Pseudacris clarkii with low initial mass died than tadpoles with high initial mass at both pH 4 and pH 7. Essentially no mortality of tadpoles of B. valliceps occured.

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