Speaker

Dr. Bibiana Rojas

Abstract

Anuran larvae generally inhabit freshwater bodies with a wide variety of sizes and abiotic characteristics (pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, etc.). Depending on the water body in which they develop, tadpoles may exhibit different morphological, physiological, behavioral, and life-history traits. One of the most interesting cases is that of tadpoles that complete their development in ephemeral water bodies that form in plant structures (i.e., phytotelmata). Unlike large, permanent bodies of water, where predators are abundant, phytotelmata are environments with scarce food resources and high desiccation risk, where there may be high levels of intra- and interspecific competition. This competition can also take the form of predation, and even cannibalism, depending on the order of arrival of the different inhabitants. As if that were not enough, phytotelmata can accumulate contaminants from which tadpoles cannot escape, and whose effects may even be reflected in the terrestrial stages after metamorphosis. For these reasons, these small bodies of water scattered throughout the forest represent natural microcosms, ideal for investigating predator–prey interactions, the factors that determine larval survival, the role of kinship (or the lack thereof) in the outcome of aggressive encounters among conspecifics, and even the impact of human activities. During this talk, I will address these and other aspects of the larval and adult life of a phytotelm-breeding Amazonian species from the Guiana Shield, the poison frog Dendrobates tinctorius, and will discuss the implications of our findings for communication systems, potential adaptation to changing environments, and the conservation of this and other tropical species.