Intraspecific competition reduces the quantity of excreted nutrients in tadpoles
Noelikanto Ramamonjisoa
A E , Harisoa Rakotonoely B , TaeOh Kwon C , Kosuke Nakanishi D and Yosihiro Natuhara A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
B Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan.
C Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Kita 8 Nishi 5, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808, Japan.
D National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa 16-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
E Corresponding author. Email: noelikanto@gmail.com
Marine and Freshwater Research - https://doi.org/10.1071/MF20018
Submitted: 16 January 2020 Accepted: 5 June 2020 Published online: 20 July 2020
Abstract
Anuran larvae can form the largest animal biomass seasonally in freshwater environments, yet, they are still one of the least-studied taxa in terms of nutrient regeneration. The present study tested whether sympatric tadpoles regenerate nutrients at similar rates and ratios, and whether increased intraspecific competition (hereafter ‘competition’) alters patterns of excretion. We quantified rates and ratios of excretion (dissolved nitrogen (N) from ammonia, phosphorus (P) from total dissolved P, and N : P ratio) in three pond-dwelling Japanese tadpoles (Pelophylax nigromaculatus, Rhacophorus schlegelii, Hyla japonica), and tested the effect of competition on excretion in Pelophylax nigromaculatus and Rhacophorus arboreus. The three co-occurring species regenerated nutrients at different rates and ratios; H. japonica excreted nutrients and produced faecal pellets at the lowest rates. Inside field enclosures, increasing tadpole density reduced the quantity but not the quality of excretion by the tadpoles, suggesting higher nutrient sequestration, likely to maintain a stoichiometrically balanced growth under limited resources. Differences in rates and ratios of excretion have previously been shown to have various effects on community structure by affecting primary productivity, highlighting the importance of species identity and interactions on ecosystem function.
Additional keywords: competitor density, functional redundancy, nutrient recycling, paddy fields, pond-dwelling tadpoles.
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