Vol. 35 – 2009 - Ecologia Mediterranea - Université d'Avignon et des ...

TALI GOLDBERG, EVIATAR NEVO, GAD DEGANI
68
Results
Table 3 – Biomass at the aquatic site.
The larvae of amphibians are found in different
aquatic habitats at different times of the
year following the breeding periods (F = 2.53;
df = 5,77; p = 0.035 < 0.05, ANOVA)
(Table 2). The S. infraimmaculata larvae were
observed in most types of breeding sites (Figures
1 and 2). The larvae were found in
streams, springs and pits from October to
August (Figure 2) and in ponds from November
to April (Figure 3). Although H. savignyi
was found mainly in winter ponds, it was also
spotted in some springs. R. bedriagae was sited
in winter ponds and springs, and the other larvae,
B. viridis, P. syriacus and T. vittatus were
found in winter ponds (Figures 2 and 3).
The existence and interactions among amphibian
larvae at the breeding sites are listed in
Table 2 – Amphibian larvae distribution at various breeding sites.
Triturus Salamandra Pelobates Rana Hyla Bufo viridis
vittatus infraimmaculata syriacus bedriagae savignyi
vittatus
Site Taxa Average Biomass
(no.) (microgram/L)
Balad Spring (Sp1) 9 2.8E + 02
Humema Spring (Sp2) 0 0
Navoraya Spring (Sp3) 11 2.6E + 04
Tel Dan Stream (St1) 8 8.5E + 03
Maalot Pit (Pi1) 2 7.5E + 01
Nimrod Pit (Pi2) 13 9.9E + 03
Manof Pond (Po1) 7 1.4E + 04
Kash Pond (Po2) 6 1.2E + 05
Dovev Pond (Po3) 8 3.3E + 03
Matityahu Pond (Po4) 10 5.9E + 04
Lehavot Pond (Po5) 6 2.3E + 04
Sasa Pond (Po6) 7 1.7E + 05
Fara Pond (Po7) 8 9.6E + 05
Raihaniya Pond (Po8) 7 3.2E + 05
table 2, and the periods during which larvae
are found in the various bodies of water are
shown in figures 2 and 3. Only salamander larvae
populated the pits, and they were also
found in many streams and springs, e.g., Tel
Dan (St1) and Humema (Sp2). However, there
were springs, e.g., Navoraya (Sp3) and Balad
(Sp1) (Figure 2), which contained not only
salamander larvae, but other amphibian
species, as well. At such breeding sites (Sp1,
Sp3), the water temperatures were higher than
those of most streams and springs, inhabited
only by salamander larvae (Figure 2). Significant
differences were observed when comparing
temperatures of breeding sites where
water was available most of the year, if not all
year round (Figure 2) (F = 5.81; df = 5,42;
p=0.003 < 0.05, ANOVA). In rain ponds, all
six species of amphibian larvae were found in
+ + Balad Spring (Sp1)
+ Humema Spring (Sp2)
+ + + Navoraya Spring (Sp3)
+ Tel Dan Stream (St1)
+ Maalot Pit (Pi1)
+ Nimrod Pit (Pi2)
+ + Manof Pond (Po1)
+ + + + Kash Pond (Po2)
+ + + + + Dovev Pond (Po3)
+ + + + Matityahu Pond (Po4)
+ + + Lehavot Pond (Po5)
+ + + + + Sasa Pond (Po6)
+ + + + + + Fara Pond (Po7)
+ + + + Raihaniya Pond (Po8)
Table 4 – Larvae sampling below and above 20 o C.
Species Samples Samples Samples
at < 20 o C at > 20 o C (no.)
(%) (%)
Salamandra
infraimmaculata
Triturus
98.7 1.3 371
vittatus vittatus 67.4 32.6 43
Hyla savignyi 63.8 36.2 80
Bufo viridis 65.0 35.0 40
Rana bedriagae 53.7 46.3 41
Pelobates syriacus 55.6 44.4 27
ecologia mediterranea – Vol. 35 – 2009