(17) Tertiary wastewater treatment wetlands provide suitable habitat for anurans

Constructed wetlands are an important environmental technology because they can serve as a tertiary wastewater treatment among other functions, removing nutrients and pollutants that remain in the water after the primary and... [ view full abstract ]

Constructed wetlands are an important environmental technology because they can serve as a tertiary wastewater treatment among other functions, removing nutrients and pollutants that remain in the water after the primary and secondary treatments. It is hypothesized that tertiary treatment wetlands (TTWs) may function similar to natural wetlands in their ability to support plant and wildlife communities, but remaining pharmaceuticals have been demonstrated to cause developmental abnormalities in anurans using wastewater treatment wetlands. Our objective was to compare the morphology and occupancy of anuran communities between a newly constructed TTW and nearby rain filled ponds. We quantified calling behavior, tadpole and adult size and body condition among 5 unimpacted ponds, a wastewater treatment lagoon, and the TTW. We found that the majority of the anuran community colonized the TTW within 12 months of its completion, and successful reproduction was observed for 50% of species observed at the TTW (quantified by tadpole presence). Generally, adult frogs and tadpoles were larger in length and body condition when they were found at the TTW relative to unimpacted ponds. TTWs appear to provide habitat for successful reproduction of anurans, but carryover effects on offspring have yet to be quantified to determine the long-term viability of populations using TTWs.