Publication Date:
2010-06-01
Description:
SUMMARYOpen fish ponds are a potential consideration in the conservation of biodiversity, yet information on their suitability for breeding amphibians remains lacking. This study examined amphibian responses to attributes of pond habitats at common carp Cyprinus carpio farms in eastern Poland, focusing on features typical of traditional European cyprinid culture. Canonical correspondence analysis identified age of fish stocks, density of predatory Anisoptera and pond hydroperiod as the factors most strongly influencing amphibian community composition expressed in terms of larval abundance. Separation of fish age-cohorts into different growing ponds was decisive for differential occurrence patterns of individual amphibian taxa. The amphibian assemblage was significantly nested: ponds stocked with young-of-the-year fish supported relatively high numbers of amphibian taxa, including endangered species known to be vulnerable to fish, while ponds containing one- and two-year-old carp harboured only more common taxa. These results suggest that traditional carp pond culture characterized by a spatially discrete distribution of inter-annual cohorts includes habitats compatible with amphibian conservation. However, a flexible conservational approach is needed: ponds stocked with young fish produce secondary breeding habitats for amphibians, but presence of large-sized carp is associated with severe species loss.
Print ISSN:
0376-8929
Electronic ISSN:
1469-4387
Topics:
Biology
