Data from: Variation in age, body size, and reproductive traits among urban and rural amphibian populations

Although amphibians use human-created habitats in urban landscapes, few
studies have investigated the quality of these habitats. To assess habitat
quality of stormwater management ponds and adjacent urban uplands forwood
frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) and American toads (Anaxyrus americanus), we
compared life history characteristics between populations breeding across
an urbanization gradient. Specifically, we compared body size, ages of
breeding adults, and female reproductive investment among urban, suburban,
and rural populations in Baltimore County, Maryland, USA. Although there
was variation in age at maturity among populations, ages of breeding
adults did not differ among urban, suburban, and rural areas. Maternal
body size strongly influenced reproductive investment in both species, but
relationships did not vary among urban, suburban, and rural populations.
Adult wood frogs and American toads from more urbanized landscapes were
significantly smaller at age than conspecifics from rural landscapes; the
magnitude of differences was similar across adult age classes. Our results
suggest that in the urban and rural landscapes that we studied, adult
habitats are similar in quality, but either larval or juvenile habitats
may be of lower quality in urban areas.