Determining potential impacts of climate change on anuran calling phenology in the Great Lakes Basin

This study investigated how climate change affects the mating behaviour of anurans in the Great Lakes Basin. We examined temporal trends in spring and summer temperatures across the basin and were interested in quantifying how changing climate was related to the reproductive behaviour of six (6) different anuran species. Spring temperatures increased in some areas of the basin, but not others, and an interspecific variation in first calling date trends from 2006-2014 in response to spring temperatures was observed. Early breeding species, such as the spring peeper, (Pseudacris crucifer) and the American toad (Bufo americanus), have the propensity to be affected more extremely, as spring temperatures were more strongly correlated to shifts in first calling date in April and May. Our results demonstrate the irregular impacts of climate change amongst anuran species, and suggest how these impacts may disturb the reproductive processes of specific communities.