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Factors Influencing Oviposition Among Pond-Breeding Amphibians: Exotic Vegetation, Oviposition Braces, And Cover, Catherine Mary Callison

Dissertations and Theses

I examined oviposition in four pond-breeding amphibians (northwestern salamander [Ambystoma gracile], long-toed salamander [Ambystoma macrodactylum], Pacific treefrog [Hyla regilla], northern red-legged frog [Rana aurora aurora]), at Burlington Bottoms, a lowland riverine site in northwestern Oregon, to determine whether differential use of native versus exotic plant substrates occurs. I found differential use in all four species, but use was inconsistent with the hypothesis that selection for native plants (or selection against exotic plants) was occurring. If selection was occurring, the pattern implied that reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), a widespread exotic in this lowland system, was sometimes favored. However, inconsistent use of …