Effect of sub-lethal concentrations of urea on the development of endemic arboreal tree frog, Polypedatus cruciger (Amphibia: Racophoridae)

Kithmali Gayathri Senevirathna, K.A. Mangala Sudarshani, H.C.E. Wegiriya

Abstract


Amphibian decline has become a worldwide problem today. Climate change, UV radiation, diseases, contaminants, and fertilizers could be considered as the main reasons. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of urea on the survival, growth, behaviour and morphology of the endemic arboreal tree frog Polypedatus cruciger (Anura: Ranidae). First, the Lethal Concentration 50 (LC50) of urea on 10 days old post-hatched tadpoles was determined. After the estimation of LC50, the tadpoles were exposed to three sub-lethal concentrations of urea, namely, 7.0 g/L, 7.5 g/L and 8.2 g/L. The effects were investigated from the age of 10 days until they became adults. The impact of sub-lethal concentrations of urea for the survivals, snout-vent length and weight showed significant differences (p<0.05), and a strong negative correlation existed when compared to the control. The tadpoles were very sensitive to urea as they showed several behavioural changes such as reduction in feeding, growth retardation and inability to grow up to the adult stage. The observed external morphological changes under the laboratory conditions included edema, abdominal lesions, colour change, tail deformations and rupturing of tadpoles. The impact of urea on the amphibians in the field may be severe due to the synergistic effects of different pollutants. This may adversely affect amphibians, as their life stages are associated with the agroecosystems and may cause a severe decline in amphibian fauna in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Amphibian fauna, Life stages, Pollutants, Synergistic effect, Tadpoles

Full Text:

PDF

References


Baker JR, Waights V. 1993. The effect of sodium nitrate on the growth and survival of toad tadpoles (Buro bufo) in the laboratory. Herpetological Journal 3(4): 147-148.

Baker JR, Waights V. 1994.The effects of nitrate on tadpoles of the tree frog (Litoria caerulea). Herpetological Journal 4(3): 106-108.

Balangoda A, Deepananda, KHM, Wegiriya, HCE. 2018. Effects of Environmental Contamination and Acute Toxicity of N-Nitrate on Early Life Stages of Endemic Arboreal Frog, Polypedates cruciger (Blyth, 1852). Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 100(2): 195-201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2261-9.

Blaustein AR, Wake DB. 1995. The puzzle of declining amphibian populations. Scientific American 272(4): 52-57.

Blaustein AR, Kiesecker JM, Chivers DP, Anthony RG. 1997. Ambient UV-B radiation causes deformities in amphibian embryos. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 94(25): 13735-13737. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.25.13735.

Blaustein AR, Romansic JM, Kiesecker JM, Hatch AC. 2003. Ultraviolet radiation, toxic chemicals and amphibian population declines. Diversity and distributions 9(2): 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1472-4642.2003.00015.x.

Bobmanuel NOK, Gabriel UU, Ekweozor IKE. 2006. Direct toxic assessment of treated fertilizer effluents to Oreochromis niloticus, Clarias gariepinus and catfish hybrid (Heterobranchus bidorsalis x Clarias gariepinus). African Journal of Biotechnology 5(8): 635-642.

Bogardi I, Kuzelka RD, Ennenga WG. 1991. Nitrate contamination: exposure, consequence, and control. 1st edition, Springer,New york,1982-1987.

Bonin J, Ouellet M, Rodrigue J, DesGranges JL, Gagne F, Sharbel TF, Lowcock LA. 1997. Measuring the health of frogs in agricultural habitats subjected to pesticides. Amphibians in decline: Canadian studies of a global problem 1: 246-259.

Boone MD, Semlitsch RD. 2002. Interactions of an insecticide with competition and pond drying in amphibian communities. Ecological applications12 (1): 307-316. https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(2002)012[0307:IOAIWC]2.0.CO;2.

Bridges CM. 1999. Predator-prey interactions between two amphibian species: effects of insecticide exposure. Aquatic Ecology 33(2): 205-211. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009922825444.

Capkin E, Kayis S, Boran H, Altinok I. 2010. Acute toxicity of some agriculture fertilizers to rainbow trout. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 10(1): 35-45.

Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka, Annual Report .2016. https://doa.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Annualre_2016.pdf.

El-Shafai SA, El-Gohary, FA, Nasr FA, van der Steen NP, Gijzen HJ. 2004. Chronic ammonia toxicity to duckweed-fed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Aquaculture 232(1-4): 117-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0044-8486(03)00516-7.

Ghosh BC, Bhat R. 1998. Environmental hazards of nitrogen loading in wetland rice fields. Environmental pollution 102(1): 123-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(98)80024-9.

Guo HY, Zhu JG, Wang XR, Wu ZH, Zhang Z. 2004. Case study on nitrogen and phosphorus emissions from paddy field in Taihu region. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 26(2): 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EGAH.0000039583.71423.b4.

Hall RJ, Henry PF. 1992. Assessing effects of pesticides on amphibians and reptiles status and needs. Herpetological Journal 2(3): 65-71.

Hatch AC, Belden LK, Scheessele E, Blaustein AR. 2001. Juvenile amphibians do not avoid potentially lethal levels of urea on soil substrate. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 20(10): 2328-2335. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620201027.

Haygarth PM, Jarvis SC. 2002. Agriculture, hydrology, and water quality. CABI, Wallingford, 205pp. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851995458.0000.

Hecnar SJ. 1995. Acute and chronic toxicity of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to amphibians from southern Ontario. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 14(12): 2131-2137. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620141217.

Huey DW, Beitinger TL. 1980. Toxicity of nitrite to larvae of the salamander Ambystoma texanum. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 25(1): 909-912. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01985629.

International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN). 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) (http://www.globalamphibians.org). Accessed on 20th May 2020.

Jayawardena UA, Rajakaruna RS, Navaratne AN, Amerasinghe PH. 2010. Toxicity of agrochemicals to common hourglass tree frog (Polypedates cruciger) in acute and chronic exposure. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 12(5): 641-648.

Jofre MB, Karasov WH. 1999. Direct effect of ammonia on three species of North American anuran amphibians. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18(8): 1806-1812. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620180829.

Kind PK, Grigg GC, Booth DT. 2002. Physiological responses to prolonged aquatic hypoxia in the Queensland lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 132(2): 179-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1569-9048(02)00113-1.

Likens GE, Vitousek PM, Tilman D, Schindler DW, Howarth RW, Aber JD, Matson, P. 1997. Human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle: sources and consequences 7(3): 737-750. https://doi.org/10.7939/R3G737B42.

Manamendra-Arachchi K, Pethiyagoda R. 2006. Amphibians of Sri Lanka. 1st edition, WHT Publications (Pvt) Ltd, Colombo,3(1): 55-66pp.

Manteifel YB. 2006. Tadpoles of the grass frog (Rana temporaria) and moor frog (Rana arvalis) avoid zones with elevated ammonia concentration. In Dok lady Biological Sciences 411 (1): 458-460. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496606060093.

Marco A, Quilchano C, Blaustein AR. 1999. Sensitivity to nitrate and nitrite in pond‐breeding amphibians from the Pacific Northwest, USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18(12): 2836-2839. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620181225.

Marco A, Ortiz-Santaliestra ME. 2009. Pollution: impact of reactive nitrogen on amphibians (nitrogen pollution). Amphibian biology 8: 3145-3185.

Meegaskumbura M, Bossuyt F, Pethiyagoda R, Manamendra-Arachchi K, Bahir M, Milinkovitch MC, Schneider CJ. 2002. Sri Lanka: an amphibian hot spot. Science 298(5592): 379-379. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.298.5592.379.

Ortiz ME, Marco A, Saiz N, Lizana M. 2004. Impact of ammonium nitrate on growth and survival of six European amphibians. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 47(2): 234-239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-004-2296-x.

Ouellet M, Bonin J, Rodrigue J, DesGranges JL, Lair S. 1997. Hindlimb deformities (ectromelia, ectrodactyly) in free-living anurans from agricultural habitats. Journal of wildlife diseases 33(1): 95-104. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-33.1.95.

Palanivelu V, Vijayavel K, Ezhilarasibalasubramanian S, Balasubramanian MP. 2005. Impact of fertilizer (urea) on oxygen consumption and feeding energetics in the fresh water fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 19(2): 351-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2004.09.001.

Paley RK, Twitchen ID, Eddy FB. 1993. Ammonia, Na+, K+ and Cl- levels in rainbow trout yolk-sac fry in response to external ammonia. Journal of experimental biology 180(1): 273-284. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.180.1.273.

Ratnayake ARMSP, Navaratna AN. 2014. Spectroscopic determination of metal impurities in commercial raw material fertiliser of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Physical Sciences)18: 27-36.

Rose L. What is Urea fertilizer? Home Guides SF Gate. http://homeguidessfgate.com/Urea-fertilizer-48588.html.

Rouse JD, Bishop CA, Struger J. 1999. Nitrogen pollution: an assessment of its threat to amphibian survival. Environmental health perspectives 107(10): 799-803. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.99107799.

Schuytema GS, Nebeker AV. 1999a. Comparative effects of ammonium and nitrate compounds on Pacific treefrog and African clawed frog embryos. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 36(2): 200-206. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002449900461.

Schuytema GS, Nebeker AV. 1999b. Effects of ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, and urea on red-legged frogs, Pacific treefrogs, and African clawed frogs. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 63(3): 357-364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001289900988.

Sheehan RJ, Lewis WM. 1986. Influence of pH and ammonia salts on ammonia toxicity and water balance in young channel catfish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 115(6):891-899.https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1986)115%3C891:IOPAAS%3E2.0.CO;2.

Smart GR. 1978. Investigations of the toxic mechanisms of ammonia to fish–gas exchange in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) exposed to acutely lethal concentrations. Journal of Fish Biology 12(1): 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb04155.x.

Todgham AE, Anderson PM, Wright PA. 2001. Effects of exercise on nitrogen excretion, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase III activity and related urea cycle enzymes in muscle and liver tissues of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 129(2-3): 527-539. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1095-6433(01)00290-2.

Vidal M, López A, Santoalla MC, Valles V. 2000. Factor analysis for the study of water resources contamination due to the use of livestock slurries as fertilizer. Agricultural Water Management 45(1): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-3774(99)00073-6.

Wetzel RG. 2001. Limnology: lake and river ecosystems. 3rd edition, gulf professional publishing, California,1-8 pp.

Wicks BJ, Randall DJ. 2002. The effect of feeding and fasting on ammonia toxicity in juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquatic toxicology 59(1-2): 71-82.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-445X(01)00237-5.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons Licence
Ruhuna Journal of Science by University of Ruhuna is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

eISSN: 2536-8400

Print ISSN: 1800-279X (Before 2014)