Behavioral ecology of Pseudacris crucifer.

Tadpoles develop quickly; thus, they are ideal subjects for studying behavioral ecology. Adaptations should allow them to increase fitness when exposed to less than optimal conditions. Behavior can consequently provide clues to a species' survival strategy. To test this, reactions of larval spring peeper frogs, Pseudacris crucifer, to environment color, refuge, food, predation, and illumination were tested in simulated environments. It was observed that tadpoles alter behavior according to the combination of variables presented. They showed significant preference for black environments to white environments, open water to refuge with or without food, and intense light to darkness (p