Investigating Stress Hormone Variations in Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans) During the Mating Season

Monitoring stress hormones in wildlife populations is increasingly used to understand how human activities may impact the environment. The goal of this study was to quantify corticosterone in green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) at baseline levels and in response to an acute stressor throughout the mating season. The project was conducted from May to September of 2024 at Bays Mountain Park in Kingsport, Tennessee. Corticosterone levels were determined over six consecutive days each month from May to September using a non-invasive dermal swab technique. Additionally, body metrics, water chemistry, and weather and habitat conditions were evaluated on each sampling trip. Green frog baseline corticosterone was not significantly different between the months of the mating season. We found no difference in male and female corticosterone levels, nor did we find a difference in the acute stress response of the frogs across the sampling time intervals of the time study.