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GCN egg laying material |
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Caudata
Member Joined: 05 Jan 2011 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Posted: 11 Jan 2011 at 1:27pm |
What do people think the likelihood is of GCN laying eggs on dead leaves in the base of woodland ponds with little or no aquatic macrophyte growth? I have never come across it however it seems a distinct possibility to me. Any thoughts or experience? Thankyou. |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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Hi
often done in woodland ponds - see photo cheers Will |
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Matt Harris
Senior Member Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 233 |
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I think they'll lay on pretty much anything, I've seen them on dead leaves and even stones where there were no leaves. The poroblem is of course that these eggs may be more vulnerable to predation than those safely wrapped up in a leaf.
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Local Authority Ecologist
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Caudata
Member Joined: 05 Jan 2011 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Thanks alot for these replies. Greatly appreciated. Do either of you know if there is a reference to this in any scientific papers or books etc. Just so I can reference any of this in reports. |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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sorry mate, don't know of any references - just a lifetime misspent at the water's edge!
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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I would imagine that UV levels and temperatures would be
much lower at the base of a shaded pool. Possibly also higher predation rates as a result of bottom dwelling inverts, a weaker protective leaf barrier and a more conspicuous contrast in egg colour/increased risk of bacterial/fungal infection. In short I doubt it would be the selected choice for GCN oviposition. Having said all that I have found eggs on decaying leaves. Newly fallen ones after heavy winds are commonly used as are many other objects such as the fibrous roots of Sallow scrub. Try poking a few (say Crack Willow) twigs with leaves on the end into the silt and check them at a later date. This may save on the hard search!, depending on what the survey is for. |
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Caudata
Member Joined: 05 Jan 2011 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Thanks for the responses. I am doing some management plans for HLS on some ponds, which are as I described heavily shaded, with no vegetation. So was just considering the possibilities of GCN using them. They scored quite high index scores (other than vegetation and shade), so after this info I will possibly advise a GCN survey before any work is carried out.
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Ewan
Member Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 28 |
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Hi
I've found this quite often. If you can't see the usual spawn plants, or even any aquatic plants, then scoop your net gently along the surface sediment of the pond and carefully pick through the dead leaves looking for eggs. Generally they will still be folded over. I've found them in the dead leaves of various broadleaved tree sp as well as in mushy dead leaves of various emergent reeds- iris/sparganium/typha etc. Good luck. |
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Ewan Shilland
Contract Research Scientist Environmental Change Research Centre University College London |
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