Plasticity or fixed adaptive traits? Strategies for predation avoidance in Rana arvalis tadpoles

Tadpoles of Rana arvalis originating from seven island populations were tested for responses to non-lethal predator presence. In general, tadpole growth was reduced and the relative tail depth was increased at predator presence. There was no effect of predator presence on the predicted size at metamorphosis. The differentiation rate, translating as length of the larval period, was lower at predator presence, but this seems to be merely an effect of the reduced growth. Although populations differed with respect to growth, relative tail length, relative tail depth, differentiation rate and predicted size at metamorphosis, no obvious differences were found in their responses to predator presence. Data on predator occurrences in the source ponds show that tadpoles originating from ponds with a high predation pressure have a higher differentiation rate, i.e. they will metamorphose at an earlier date than those from “safe” ponds (if raised under the same conditions). Moreover, they are also predicted to metamorphose at a smaller size, which is in accordance with theoretical models. Despite the fact that populations differed in growth, no correlation was found between growth and predation risk in the source ponds. Received: 16 March 1998 / Accepted: 18 July 1998