Embryo mortality for Anaxyrus canorus and Pseudacris regilla at various breeding sites near Tioga Pass, California, USA, from 1996 to 2001
Dates
Publication Date
2020-12-15
Start Date
1996-05-01
End Date
1996-06-30
Citation
Sadinksi, W., 2020, Embryo mortality for Anaxyrus canorus and Pseudacris regilla at various breeding sites near Tioga Pass, California, USA, from 1996 to 2001: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BVZDOP.
Summary
We produced this data set as part of a larger, integrated study to assess the statuses of populations of Anaxyrus canorus and the causes of observed effects on fitness at field sites, primarily in Yosemite National Park near Tioga Pass, from 1996 to 2001. We assessed the extent of annual mortality among embryos of A. canorus and Pseudacris regilla variously among breeding sites and years by measuring hatching success in as many individual egg masses as possible, given logistical constraints, at sites we surveyed annually from 1996 to 2000. We visually evaluated each individual embryo in an egg mass in situ while kneeling alongside it immediately before, at, or very soon after hatching (when individual capsules remained from hatched [...]
Summary
We produced this data set as part of a larger, integrated study to assess the statuses of populations of Anaxyrus canorus and the causes of observed effects on fitness at field sites, primarily in Yosemite National Park near Tioga Pass, from 1996 to 2001. We assessed the extent of annual mortality among embryos of A. canorus and Pseudacris regilla variously among breeding sites and years by measuring hatching success in as many individual egg masses as possible, given logistical constraints, at sites we surveyed annually from 1996 to 2000. We visually evaluated each individual embryo in an egg mass in situ while kneeling alongside it immediately before, at, or very soon after hatching (when individual capsules remained from hatched embryos and when any remnants of dead embryos typically still were visible). We did not assess mortality in any egg masses that had deteriorated too far to evaluate embryos. In 2001, a limited number of field personnel caused us to estimate the proportion dead in most egg masses instead of examining each embryo individually. We did so by visually dividing each egg mass into standard-sized groups of embryos and closely estimating the number alive and the number dead. The same person conducted all assessments of hatching success for all egg masses across sites in 2001.
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Embryo mortality for Anaxyrus canorus and Pseudacris regilla.xml Original FGDC Metadata
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Embryo mortality_96_to_01.csv
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Purpose
We used these data to help us evaluate the effects of potential exposure to freezing and UV-B on embryos of these species in our study area. Other researchers could use them to address various ecological questions related to fitness, reproduction success, recruitment, and natural history, among other topics, for A. canorus (especially) and P. regilla in our study area or elsewhere.
