1. Lake Proximity as a Determinant of Anuran Abundance at Lago Sachavacayoc, Amazonian Peru
- Author
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Tiffany M. Doan, Natalie A. Weir, Darlene Rodriguez, Olutayo A. Sogunro, and Anthony M. Nowacki
- Subjects
Shore ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,Rainforest ,Biology ,Plant litter ,Habitat ,Common species ,Abundance (ecology) ,Dry season ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Quadrat ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Because anurans are highly dependent on water for hydroregulation and respiration, they may use microhabitats that are in proximity to standing water preferentially to other microhabitats, especially during dry periods. We examined the anuran assemblage of Sachavacayoc, Peru during the dry season to test if lake proximity, distance to trees, temperature, and humidity influenced anuran abundance and diversity in the leaf litter of a rainforest habitat. We conducted quadrat searches of paired plots at the shore of a lake and 25 m distant from the lake's shore. Both overall abundance of anurans and abundance of the most common species, Leptodactylus andreae, a terrestrial breeding species, were significantly higher in the lakeshore quadrats. Temperatures at capture sites in the shore quadrats were significantly higher; frogs were significantly closer to trees in the away-from-water quadrats. Humidities at points of capture did not differ significantly with quadrat position. For eight of the 14 spec...
- Published
- 2011
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