MSc Student (Adv. Günter Gollmann)
Unit for Theoretical Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology
University of Vienna

Abstract

In pond-breeding amphibians, the body length at and the time of metamorphosis have great effect on postmetamorphic fitness. Very few studies deal with quantitative assessments for this connection. This is particularly true for natural experiments in the wild, which refrain from artificial setups. The juvenile stage is considered as the main dispersal stage but is less explored compared to adulthood or the larval period.

In my master thesis, I conduct a capture-recapture study in the wild with juveniles of the yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata to examine the effects of body condition, body length and body mass on winter survival, growth and dispersal in a toad’s first year. The field work takes place within the conservation area Lainzer Tiergarten in Vienna, where B. variegata populations have been studied for 25 years. For detection of recaptures, the ventral colour patterns of the toads are compared with one another. Values of body condition, length and mass from before and after hibernation are used to determine potential correlations with survival, growth and dispersal of the B. variegata individuals.