GRAZING EFFECTS BY GREEN FROG TADPOLES (RANA-CLAMITANS) IN A WOODLANDPOND

I examined whether light availability mediated the extent to which her bivory by green frog tadpoles (Rana clamitans) affected lower trophic levels in a fishless pond in central Kentucky. An enclosure experiment manipulating tadpole presence/absence and light (shaded vs. unshaded) showed that tadpoles can significantly reduce benthic algal biomass i n light levels that mimic springtime canopy conditions. Tadpoles, howe ver, had little affect on algal species composition. Grazing did not i ndirectly affect nutrient (NO3 and PO4) concentrations in experimental treatments, probably because ambient concentrations were beyond growt h-limiting levels.