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SFA researcher finds Chinese tallow leaf litter reduces amphibian breeding in mesocosm trials
Summary
Doctoral student Caleb Mellas presented mesocosm research showing Chinese tallow leaf litter can lower dissolved oxygen and pH and that tree frogs avoided high‑tallow treatments; results suggest invasive tallow alters wetland suitability for amphibians and may reduce tadpole survival.
Caleb Mellas, a doctoral student at Stephen F. Austin State University, presented multi-year mesocosm experiments testing how leaf-litter species and concentration affect oviposition and tadpole survival for local amphibians. Mellas said Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) leaf litter decomposes rapidly, produces darker, tannin-rich water and can sharply lower dissolved oxygen and pH compared with native leaf types such as loblolly pine and shumard oak.
In a 2024 cafeteria-style mesocosm experiment, Mellas placed 35 tanks with different leaf-litter species (tallow, oak, pine, and a no-litter control) at two concentrations and allowed local tree frogs to select oviposition sites. He reported the following findings from…
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