The role of introduced mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) in excluding the native green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) from original habitats in south-eastern Australia.

Abstract

The introduction of fish has decimated many amphibian populations through increased predation, primarily on their larvae. Some amphibian species now occupy marginal habitats as a response to the presence of introduced fish predators. Such habitats may include ephemeral water bodies where fish do not usually occur, although breeding in these suboptimal environments may incur some cost to a species if its larvae are not adapted to develop under these conditions. We investigated this scenario of amphibian decline using the endangered green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) and the introduced mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) in a factorial experiment to determine the responses of tadpoles to..