ECOLOGY AND BREEDING PHENOLOGY OF LARVAL HYLA-ANDERSONII - THE DISADVANTAGES OF BREEDING LATE

Additions of aquatic insects and Bufo woodhousii tadpoles, separately or together, did not significantly affect survival in either 2 successive Pine Barrens tree frog cohorts. Although the initial larval density of the 1st cohort was 1.5 times that of the 2nd, of the former survived better, grew and developed more rapidly, and metamorphosed at larger size. Competition from Bufo tadpoles and insects was more pronounced in the 1st cohort, conciding with reduced standing crops of periphyton, an important food. Although breeding late in the season reduced the growth and survival of offpsring, potential reductions in the fitness of late-breeding adults are problematic because of uncertainties about the number of breeding efforts made by each female each year. If late breeding efforts represent additional clutches deposited by adults that have already reproduced earlier that year, production of additional offspring could increase fitness. -from Authors