View article

Invasive species control is now a conservation priority in many parts of the world. Demographic modeling using population matrix models is a useful tool in the design of these control efforts as it identifies the life stages with the strongest influence on population dynamics. As a case in point, American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) have been introduced around the world and have negative effects on native fauna. We studied demography of four populations on southern Vancouver Island, Canada, using field observations and capture–mark–recapture methods to estimate survival, growth, and fecundity. The life cycle of these introduced bullfrogs progressed in yearly increments through the following stages: eggs/small tadpoles, first‐year tadpoles, second‐year tadpoles, metamorphs/juveniles, and adults. Some bullfrog tadpoles were able to skip the second‐year tadpole stage and metamorphosed one year after …