Does a Moderately Warming Climate Compensate for the Negative Effects of UV-B Radiation on Amphibians at High Altitudes? A Test of Rana kukunoris Living on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Both the warming climate and ultraviolet-B radiation (UVBR) are considered to be notable environmental factors affecting amphibian population decline, with particular effects on tadpole development. However, the phenotypes of tadpoles living at high altitudes may be improved by moderately warming temperatures, reducing or eliminating the negative effects of oxidative damage caused by cool temperatures or strong UVBR at high altitudes. To verify this hypothesis, Rana kukunoris tadpoles, which live at high altitudes, were used to test the effect of the interaction of temperature and UVBR on their development and antioxidant systems in a fully factorial design. The tadpoles were exposed to UVBR and UVBR-free environments at 14 (cool temperature) and 22 °C (warm temperature), respectively. UVBR and a warm temperature had opposite influences on several traits of the tadpoles, including their survival, developmental rate, individual size, preferred body temperature, thermal tolerance temperature, oxidative damage, and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems. The moderate temperature could compensate for or override the negative effects of UVBR by increasing the tadpoles’ preferred body temperature and critical tolerance temperature, thus enhancing the locomotion ability and thermal sensitivity of their antioxidant systems. Furthermore, the dark skin coloration and aggregation behavior of R. kukunoris tadpoles may also be effective strategies for allowing them to resist UVBR and helping them to better adapt to a warming environment with stronger UVBR. Thus, it is possible that a moderate degree of warming may increase the capacity of living organisms to adapt to environmental changes and thus have positive effects on the development of tadpoles living at high altitudes.