BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY 38(1)


insufficient to replenish groundwater depleted by regional drought. North-central
Florida experienced a record drought during the latter half of the study based on
hydrological data kept by the St. Johns River Water Management District. Other
than the 1988 tropical depression, no weather patterns during that period resulted
in substantial rainfall at Breezeway Pond.


 Daily and Seasonal Activity


 A total of 5740 eastern narrow-mouthed toads, including recaptures, were
captured between 1985 and 1990 (Table 1). Most were captured during the first
four years of the study, and captures declined dramatically in 1990 as the drought
progressed. Eastern narrow-mouthed toads were captured during all months of the
year (Table 2), although they were not captured in all months of any one year (Fig.
2). Juveniles were caught more often than adults during the winter months of
December through February.
 Adult males and females entered and exited the pond at all times of the year
(Table 2). However, 98% of all adult captures occurred from May through
September from 1986 through 1990. During the 1986, 1988, and 1990 field
seasons, most activity occurred from June through September (Fig. 2). Juveniles
exited the pond basin in the autumn of 1985 and during the spring of 1986, but
entered the pond from September through early November 1988.
 Adult males and females were active not only during the same months of the
year (Fig. 2), but also on the same days. A visual examination of capture records
from 1986 through 1990 for the months of June, July, and August revealed no
temporal differences in the daily capture of males and females. A representative
example of the daily capture data for males and females is shown for June 1989
(Fig. 3). Neither sex was active consistently before or after the other sex.
 Although individuals might be active during very dry periods, rainfall
triggered an immediate response. When rain fell from May through September,
frogs became active and were encountered at the drift fence. For example,
Gastrophryne moved in large numbers on only 10 occasions in June from 1986
through 1990. On eight of these occasions, rainfall totaled 29 mm or greater
(Table 3). On the remaining two occasions, the rainfall occurred after long periods
without rain. Most eastern narrow-mouthed toads were captured when most of the
monthly rainfall was recorded (Table 3). Large numbers of toads moved to
Breezeway Pond only in the presence of some rainfall.
 The presence of standing water within the pond basin had no effect on eastern
narrow-mouthed toad movements, i.e. animals went to the pond in mid-summer
whether water was present or not (Fig. 1). Frogs entering Breezeway Pond
encountered standing water only twice from 1985 through 1990, and in one of