Data from: Ecosystem effects of intraspecific variation in a color polymorphic amphibian
Data files
Mar 14, 2024 version files 32.08 KB
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common_garden.csv
781 B
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mesocosm_data.csv
11.95 KB
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metamorph_data.csv
16.15 KB
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README.md
3.20 KB
Abstract
An emerging consensus suggests that evolved intraspecific variation can be ecologically important. However, evidence that evolved trait variation within vertebrates can influence fundamental ecosystem-level processes remains sparse. In this study we sought to assess the potential for evolved variation in the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) to affect aquatic ecosystem properties. Spotted Salamanders exhibit a conspicuous polymorphism in the color of egg masses—some egg masses are clear, others are white. We assessed the potential for morph frequency variation in the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) to influence fundamental physiochemical and ecosystem properties: dissolved organic carbon, conductivity, acidity, and primary production with a mesocosm experiment. By manipulating morph frequency across a range of larvae densities, we were able to show that density and morph variation are ecologically relevant. However, the effects of density and morph differed. Population density reduced dissolved organic carbon and increased primary production while mesocosms stocked with the white morph tended to have higher dissolved organic carbon and conductivity. Thus, while an adaptive significance of jelly coloration remains hypothetical, our results show that morphs differentially influence key ecosystem properties–dissolved organic carbon and conductivity.
README
1. Title: Ecosystem effects of intraspecific variation in a color polymorphic amphibian
2. Dryad link: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73n5tb342
3. Author Information
Name: Sean T. Giery
Institution: Ohio University
Address: Athens, Ohio, USA
Email: mailto: giery@ohio.edu
Name: Jon M. Davenport
Institution: Appalachian State University
Address: Boone, NC, USA
Email: davenportjm@appstate.edu
4. Data: The dataset consists of three data files: common_garden.csv, mesocosm_data.csv, and metamorph_data.csv. Description of the data and file structure is below:
common_garden.csv: Each row contains data for a single egg mass in the common garden
row: Just a placeholder to order rows.
block: Experimental blocks A - F are the shallow tubs used to house sets of egg masses during development.
em: Egg mass identity within each block.
morph: The color of the egg mass: white or clear.
total.eggs: The number of eggs within each individual egg mass.
survive: The number of hatchlings per egg mass.
dev_mean: The average developmental stage of five embryos after 18 days in the common garden. Developmental stage was based on Harrison.
mesocosm_data.csv: Each row contains data for a single sampling date
ID: Just a placeholder to order rows.
block: Experimental blocks A - F are the shallow tubs used to house sets of egg masses during development.
tank: An identifier for each replicate mesocosm.
label: An identifier for each replicate mesocosm including the block and replicate number.
treatment: The combination of stocking density and color morph treatments for each mesocosm.
morph: The color of the egg mass: white or clear, that the larvae were derived from.
density: The stocking density of each mesocosm.
sample: The date that the sample was taken.
rfu: Relative fluorescence unit (RFU).
ph: Acidity measure.
ph_i: Acidity measure at the start of the experiment.
cond: Conductivity measure in microsiemens.
cond_i: Conductivity in microsiemens measured at the start of the experiment.
algae_mg: Algae drymass in milligrams.
doy: Day of year from 1-365 in 2022.
doc: Dissolved organic carbon in mg carbon per liter.
doc_i: Dissolved organic carbon in mg carbon per liter measured at the start of the experiment.
metamorph_data.csv: Each row contains data for an individual salamander collected at metamorphosis
treatment: The combination of stocking density and color morph treatments for each mesocosm.
label: An identifier foreach replicate mesocosm including the block and replicate number.
block: Experimental blocks A - F are the shallow tubs used to house sets of egg masses during development.
morph: The color of the egg mass: white or clear, that the larvae were derived from.
density: The stocking density of each mesocosm.
mass: Wet mass of newly metamorphosed salamanders in milligrams.
svl: Body length of newly metamorphosed salamanders in millimeters.
doy: Day of year from 1-365 in 2022.
5. Code/Software
Data were analyzed in R. Packages used include: tidyverse, effects, lme4, lmerTest, emmeans, ggpubr, sjstats, lme4, effectsize.
Methods
Data were generated from a two-stage experiment. Stage one was a common garden-rearing experiment used to generate hatchling salamander larvae later used in a mesocosm experiment. The experiment was conducted in Boone, North Carolina, USA in spring and summer 2022.
Detailed methods are reported in the manuscript and the electronic supplementary materials.