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Invasive Frog, Eleutherodactylus Coqui, Increases New Leaf Production And Leaf Litter Decomposition Rates Through Nutrient Cycling In Hawaii, Karen H. Beard
Invasive Frog, Eleutherodactylus Coqui, Increases New Leaf Production And Leaf Litter Decomposition Rates Through Nutrient Cycling In Hawaii, Karen H. Beard
Karen H. Beard
A frog endemic to Puerto Rico, Eleutherodactylus coqui, invaded Hawaii in the late 1980s, where it can reach densities of 50,000 individuals ha(-1). Effects of this introduced insectivore on invertebrate communities and ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling, are largely unknown. In two study sites on the Island of Hawaii, we studied the top-down effects of E. coqui on aerial, herbivorous, and leaf litter invertebrates; herbivory, plant growth, and leaf litter decomposition rates; and leaf litter and throughfall chemistry over 6 months. We found that E. coqui reduced all invertebrate communities at one of the two study sites. Across sites, …