Pub Date : 2022-06-28DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10095
J. Renet, Théo Dokhelar, Félix Thirion, L. Tatin, C. Pernollet, Laure Bourgault
The knowledge of a species’ spatial ecology is essential for its conservation as it helps to implement targeted protection measures to suitable habitats. In 2011 and 2013, two French populations of ocellated lizards Timon lepidus were monitored through very high frequency (VHF) radio telemetry in two distinct Mediterranean habitats: a 77 ha scrubland (n = 8) and a 1590 ha semi-arid steppe (n = 11) corresponding to a heterogeneous and homogeneous habitat respectively. The variability in spatial estimates for the seasonal habitat use of the ocellated lizard was compared within the two sites using the Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimation (AKDE). Recursive movement patterns and spatial repartition of shelters were further assessed to study the habitat influence on the species’ space use. No significant differences between sexes or sites were identified in the computed AKDE ranges. This inter-site approach demonstrated higher shelter revisits in core-areas than in the rest of estimated home ranges for both sites. A higher shelter density was observed in the core areas of the lizards than in the rest of their home-ranges for the Mediterranean scrubland but not for the semi-arid steppe. Such findings might attest to the species’ adaptive capabilities within two distinct Mediterranean ecosystems.
{"title":"Spatial pattern and shelter distribution of the ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) in two distinct Mediterranean habitats","authors":"J. Renet, Théo Dokhelar, Félix Thirion, L. Tatin, C. Pernollet, Laure Bourgault","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10095","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000The knowledge of a species’ spatial ecology is essential for its conservation as it helps to implement targeted protection measures to suitable habitats. In 2011 and 2013, two French populations of ocellated lizards Timon lepidus were monitored through very high frequency (VHF) radio telemetry in two distinct Mediterranean habitats: a 77 ha scrubland (n = 8) and a 1590 ha semi-arid steppe (n = 11) corresponding to a heterogeneous and homogeneous habitat respectively. The variability in spatial estimates for the seasonal habitat use of the ocellated lizard was compared within the two sites using the Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimation (AKDE). Recursive movement patterns and spatial repartition of shelters were further assessed to study the habitat influence on the species’ space use. No significant differences between sexes or sites were identified in the computed AKDE ranges. This inter-site approach demonstrated higher shelter revisits in core-areas than in the rest of estimated home ranges for both sites. A higher shelter density was observed in the core areas of the lizards than in the rest of their home-ranges for the Mediterranean scrubland but not for the semi-arid steppe. Such findings might attest to the species’ adaptive capabilities within two distinct Mediterranean ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43845379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-02DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10093
I. Espasandín, P. Galán, F. Martínez‐Freiría
Numerous dietary studies have shown that European vipers (genus Vipera) present low feeding frequency and a specialist diet, which is characterised by a marked ontogenetic shift. However, how eco-geographic factors shape species’ feeding ecology remains scarcely addressed. We investigated the feeding ecology of the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei, examining 402 specimens distributed across its distributional range and addressing how biological, temporal and eco-geographic factors relate to the species feeding activity and dietary consumption. Our results indicated a low feeding frequency in the species, higher in juveniles than in adults. Adult females showed higher rates of prey consumption than adult males, which match to the distinct reproductive demands of both sexes, although no differences between reproductive and non-reproductive females were found. V. seoanei preyed on a varied taxa spectrum, but showed a rather specialist diet based on small mammals. Amphibians and reptiles were also an important part of its diet, particularly in the juveniles. Body size was found as the single biological trait related to the consumption of major prey groups, supporting the occurrence of an ontogenetic shift in the diet. Two habitat and two climatic factors correlated to the consumption of major prey groups, reflecting the ecological requirements of prey across the viper’s range. Overall, this study extends the existing knowledge on the feeding ecology of European vipers, signalling how energy intake and allometric constraints shape the feeding activity and dietary consumption of the species across the geography, leading to distinct feeding strategies in juveniles and adults.
{"title":"Sex, size and eco-geographic factors affect the feeding ecology of the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei","authors":"I. Espasandín, P. Galán, F. Martínez‐Freiría","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10093","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Numerous dietary studies have shown that European vipers (genus Vipera) present low feeding frequency and a specialist diet, which is characterised by a marked ontogenetic shift. However, how eco-geographic factors shape species’ feeding ecology remains scarcely addressed. We investigated the feeding ecology of the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei, examining 402 specimens distributed across its distributional range and addressing how biological, temporal and eco-geographic factors relate to the species feeding activity and dietary consumption. Our results indicated a low feeding frequency in the species, higher in juveniles than in adults. Adult females showed higher rates of prey consumption than adult males, which match to the distinct reproductive demands of both sexes, although no differences between reproductive and non-reproductive females were found. V. seoanei preyed on a varied taxa spectrum, but showed a rather specialist diet based on small mammals. Amphibians and reptiles were also an important part of its diet, particularly in the juveniles. Body size was found as the single biological trait related to the consumption of major prey groups, supporting the occurrence of an ontogenetic shift in the diet. Two habitat and two climatic factors correlated to the consumption of major prey groups, reflecting the ecological requirements of prey across the viper’s range. Overall, this study extends the existing knowledge on the feeding ecology of European vipers, signalling how energy intake and allometric constraints shape the feeding activity and dietary consumption of the species across the geography, leading to distinct feeding strategies in juveniles and adults.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47101925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-13DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10092
L. Luiselli, B. Stille, M. Stille, W. Buttemer, T. Madsen
We analysed the effects of body mass on the monthly activity patterns of six Mediterranean lacertid lizard taxa, four relatively small species, the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), the blue-throated keeled lizard (Algyroides nigropunctatus), and the Ionian wall lizard (Podarcis ionicus), and two larger species, the western green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) and the Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata). The highest number of observations for all six species occurred in April and May and the lowest in July and August, the latter being the hottest and driest months of the year. The two larger species were mainly active from March to July, whereas the four smaller species had an additional period of high activity from September to November. As all six species reproduce during spring, the increase in activity of the smaller species in autumn was consequently unrelated to reproductive behaviour. There was no difference in seasonal activity of the two smaller Italian species at sites with or without the larger green lizards. It is therefore unlikely that interference competition/predation by green lizards caused the increased autumnal activity of the smaller lizards. We suggest that due to their lower mass-specific metabolic rates, larger species can obtain sufficient lipid stores over a shorter annual activity to ensure successful reproduction the subsequent spring. By contrast, smaller species have greater need to replenish their lipid reserves after summer fasting and therefore resume much higher activity levels in September to November to attain this goal.
{"title":"Mass-related differences in metabolic rate and fasting endurance explain divergence in seasonal activity of Mediterranean lizards","authors":"L. Luiselli, B. Stille, M. Stille, W. Buttemer, T. Madsen","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10092","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000We analysed the effects of body mass on the monthly activity patterns of six Mediterranean lacertid lizard taxa, four relatively small species, the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), the blue-throated keeled lizard (Algyroides nigropunctatus), and the Ionian wall lizard (Podarcis ionicus), and two larger species, the western green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) and the Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata). The highest number of observations for all six species occurred in April and May and the lowest in July and August, the latter being the hottest and driest months of the year. The two larger species were mainly active from March to July, whereas the four smaller species had an additional period of high activity from September to November. As all six species reproduce during spring, the increase in activity of the smaller species in autumn was consequently unrelated to reproductive behaviour. There was no difference in seasonal activity of the two smaller Italian species at sites with or without the larger green lizards. It is therefore unlikely that interference competition/predation by green lizards caused the increased autumnal activity of the smaller lizards. We suggest that due to their lower mass-specific metabolic rates, larger species can obtain sufficient lipid stores over a shorter annual activity to ensure successful reproduction the subsequent spring. By contrast, smaller species have greater need to replenish their lipid reserves after summer fasting and therefore resume much higher activity levels in September to November to attain this goal.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47294730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-11DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10089
Mona van Schingen-Khan, L. M. F. Barthel, D. Pham, C. Pham, T. Nguyen, T. Ziegler, M. Bonkowski
Climate change is considered to negatively affect vertebrate biodiversity. Lizards in tropical regions are considered particularly vulnerable due to their narrow temperature tolerances. The crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus, an ecologically specialized semiaquatic species, is under the risk of extinction due to habitat loss and overharvesting. It is only found in isolated relict populations in southern China and northern Vietnam. Data on the thermal niche of the species are crucial to assess its vulnerability to climatic changes. We developed a backpack system with temperature data loggers for S. crocodilurus in order to monitor the lizard’s temperature preferences in its natural habitat in Vietnam. We found that S. crocodilurus vietnamensis preferred a mean ambient temperature range of 24 ± 1°C (min-max: 22-31°C) at natural habitat sites, a far lower temperature amplitude compared to the recorded ambient temperature range at habitat sites. In its natural habitat, S. crocodilurus vietnamensis avoided in particular high temperatures, indicating the importance of constantly cool streams and intact vegetation for the provision of shade and shelter. We further provide first insights into the seasonal variation in microhabitat use and activity of S. crocodilurus vietnamensis based on data from individuals kept in outdoor enclosures under natural climatic conditions in Vietnam, collected daily over a period of eight months. Our results aim to aid further conservation measures for the species, such as the identification and protection of core habitat sites and sites for restocking, as well as to adjust and improve conservation breeding programs for the species.
{"title":"Will climatic changes affect the Vietnamese crocodile lizard? Seasonal variation in microclimate and activity pattern of Shinisaurus crocodilurus vietnamensis","authors":"Mona van Schingen-Khan, L. M. F. Barthel, D. Pham, C. Pham, T. Nguyen, T. Ziegler, M. Bonkowski","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10089","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Climate change is considered to negatively affect vertebrate biodiversity. Lizards in tropical regions are considered particularly vulnerable due to their narrow temperature tolerances. The crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus, an ecologically specialized semiaquatic species, is under the risk of extinction due to habitat loss and overharvesting. It is only found in isolated relict populations in southern China and northern Vietnam. Data on the thermal niche of the species are crucial to assess its vulnerability to climatic changes. We developed a backpack system with temperature data loggers for S. crocodilurus in order to monitor the lizard’s temperature preferences in its natural habitat in Vietnam. We found that S. crocodilurus vietnamensis preferred a mean ambient temperature range of 24 ± 1°C (min-max: 22-31°C) at natural habitat sites, a far lower temperature amplitude compared to the recorded ambient temperature range at habitat sites. In its natural habitat, S. crocodilurus vietnamensis avoided in particular high temperatures, indicating the importance of constantly cool streams and intact vegetation for the provision of shade and shelter. We further provide first insights into the seasonal variation in microhabitat use and activity of S. crocodilurus vietnamensis based on data from individuals kept in outdoor enclosures under natural climatic conditions in Vietnam, collected daily over a period of eight months. Our results aim to aid further conservation measures for the species, such as the identification and protection of core habitat sites and sites for restocking, as well as to adjust and improve conservation breeding programs for the species.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44530765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-10DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10090
Johanna Ambu, D. Andersen, Amaël Borzée
Species diversity, abundance and distribution relate to habitat preferences at multiple geographic and ecological scales. In this study, we aimed to understand the breeding ecology of five sympatric amphibians in the Republic of Korea – four anurans (Bufo sachalinensis, Rana uenoi, Rana coreana, Rana huanrenensis) and one caudata (Hynobius sp.) – by characterising their spawning habitat and to determine whether spawning site preference was influenced by species co-occurrence. We surveyed 120 water bodies focusing on the egg clutches to define the environmental properties associated with each taxa (water quality, depth, vegetation cover, topography and landscape), and we measured the distance between egg clutches and the bank of the water bodies (microhabitat). Habitats were partitioned among anurans along a gradient based on water depth. While the habitat used for spawning did not depend on species communities, the oviposition sites of R. uenoi and R. coreana varied in respect to their co-occurrence and the presence of the putative predator Hynobius sp. This suggests a plastic response in anurans’ reproductive behaviour potentially triggered by competitive interactions, and therefore subtle differences in microhabitats are significant yet overlooked drivers of breeding site selection.
{"title":"Spawning site selection and segregation at the landscape, habitat and microhabitat scales for five syntopic Asian amphibians","authors":"Johanna Ambu, D. Andersen, Amaël Borzée","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10090","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Species diversity, abundance and distribution relate to habitat preferences at multiple geographic and ecological scales. In this study, we aimed to understand the breeding ecology of five sympatric amphibians in the Republic of Korea – four anurans (Bufo sachalinensis, Rana uenoi, Rana coreana, Rana huanrenensis) and one caudata (Hynobius sp.) – by characterising their spawning habitat and to determine whether spawning site preference was influenced by species co-occurrence. We surveyed 120 water bodies focusing on the egg clutches to define the environmental properties associated with each taxa (water quality, depth, vegetation cover, topography and landscape), and we measured the distance between egg clutches and the bank of the water bodies (microhabitat). Habitats were partitioned among anurans along a gradient based on water depth. While the habitat used for spawning did not depend on species communities, the oviposition sites of R. uenoi and R. coreana varied in respect to their co-occurrence and the presence of the putative predator Hynobius sp. This suggests a plastic response in anurans’ reproductive behaviour potentially triggered by competitive interactions, and therefore subtle differences in microhabitats are significant yet overlooked drivers of breeding site selection.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46552234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-19DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10088
V. P. Cyriac, Sneha Dharwardkar, A. Mital, A. Mohan
Herpetology in India took off during the British colonial rule with the documentation of herpetofauna. Several studies have outlined the early history of Indian herpetology; however, few have traced the growth of this field since India’s independence. We analyse trends in Indian herpetology focusing on taxa, subfields, and authorship over the last 70 years. Of the 1177 published articles we analysed, 64.9% studied reptiles, 26.5% studied amphibians and 8.6% were general herpetofaunal studies. Frogs, lizards, and snakes being the most diverse herpetofauna groups, each accounted for 20-21% of the published articles and significantly outnumber publications on caecilians (2.3%), salamanders (0.4%), chelonians (12.6%), and crocodiles (4.4%). We found a significantly greater number of publications on Diversity & Distribution (34.2%), Taxonomy & Systematics (21.6%) and Ecology (19.4%) compared to other subfields, and detected a decline in Development, Physiology & Cytology and Evolutionary biology studies over the last four decades (1980-2019). The gender ratio among co-authors was dominated by men with only 29.7% of publications containing women authors. The overall proportion of women authors has not changed significantly over decades, but our analyses detected a significant decrease in women first authors and the proportion of women authors when the corresponding authors were men. Women authors were substantially lower in the subfield of Taxonomy & Systematics, and women published significantly more on amphibians compared to reptiles. Overall, we highlight the growth of herpetology in India from two key viewpoints, scientific pursuits, and gender parity among herpetologists.
{"title":"70 years of herpetology in India: insights into shifts in focal research areas and gender ratios among authors","authors":"V. P. Cyriac, Sneha Dharwardkar, A. Mital, A. Mohan","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10088","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Herpetology in India took off during the British colonial rule with the documentation of herpetofauna. Several studies have outlined the early history of Indian herpetology; however, few have traced the growth of this field since India’s independence. We analyse trends in Indian herpetology focusing on taxa, subfields, and authorship over the last 70 years. Of the 1177 published articles we analysed, 64.9% studied reptiles, 26.5% studied amphibians and 8.6% were general herpetofaunal studies. Frogs, lizards, and snakes being the most diverse herpetofauna groups, each accounted for 20-21% of the published articles and significantly outnumber publications on caecilians (2.3%), salamanders (0.4%), chelonians (12.6%), and crocodiles (4.4%). We found a significantly greater number of publications on Diversity & Distribution (34.2%), Taxonomy & Systematics (21.6%) and Ecology (19.4%) compared to other subfields, and detected a decline in Development, Physiology & Cytology and Evolutionary biology studies over the last four decades (1980-2019). The gender ratio among co-authors was dominated by men with only 29.7% of publications containing women authors. The overall proportion of women authors has not changed significantly over decades, but our analyses detected a significant decrease in women first authors and the proportion of women authors when the corresponding authors were men. Women authors were substantially lower in the subfield of Taxonomy & Systematics, and women published significantly more on amphibians compared to reptiles. Overall, we highlight the growth of herpetology in India from two key viewpoints, scientific pursuits, and gender parity among herpetologists.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49084356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-12DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10087
C. Camp, Z. Felix, J. Wooten
The salamander family Plethodontidae is replete with instances of repeated homoplasy. We tested for morphological homoplasy in distantly related species of the plethodontid genus Desmognathus that share similar ecologies. Specifically, we compared species that are large and nearly aquatic. Using morphometric analyses, we compared the respective morphologies of four large, nearly aquatic forms, specifically the Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri), the Dwarf Black-bellied Salamander (D. folkertsi), and two phylogenetically divergent lineages of the Black-bellied Salamander (D. quadramaculatus). Morphometric analysis uncovered distinct differences among them. However, all of the large-bodied lineages exhibited the same extent of tail-fin development in spite of D. welteri’s closer phylogenetic relationship to smaller, more-terrestrial species than to the other large, nearly aquatic forms we tested. We hypothesize that large body size is also a consequence of aquatic adaptation. These morphological consequences of a nearly aquatic ecology represent another case of homoplasy within this salamander family.
{"title":"Evidence of morphological homoplasy among large, semi-aquatic species of Desmognathus","authors":"C. Camp, Z. Felix, J. Wooten","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10087","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The salamander family Plethodontidae is replete with instances of repeated homoplasy. We tested for morphological homoplasy in distantly related species of the plethodontid genus Desmognathus that share similar ecologies. Specifically, we compared species that are large and nearly aquatic. Using morphometric analyses, we compared the respective morphologies of four large, nearly aquatic forms, specifically the Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri), the Dwarf Black-bellied Salamander (D. folkertsi), and two phylogenetically divergent lineages of the Black-bellied Salamander (D. quadramaculatus). Morphometric analysis uncovered distinct differences among them. However, all of the large-bodied lineages exhibited the same extent of tail-fin development in spite of D. welteri’s closer phylogenetic relationship to smaller, more-terrestrial species than to the other large, nearly aquatic forms we tested. We hypothesize that large body size is also a consequence of aquatic adaptation. These morphological consequences of a nearly aquatic ecology represent another case of homoplasy within this salamander family.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64509619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-08DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10085
J. Martins, Adriele Magalhães, António Cruz, M. Corrêa, M. R. Pires
We evaluated the effects of riparian forests restoration on anuran communities in the Brazilian Cerrado. We analyzed five riparian reforested fragments around a reservoir of an hydroelectric plant using microhabitat variables (humidity, canopy opening, amount of leaf litter and vegetation density), the dominant landscape (matrix type, fragment width) and reforestation age. We tested whether anuran abundance, richness and diversity were influenced by these variables using generalized linear models. Matrix type and fragment width were limiting factors for anurans to reach and establish themselves in riparian forest fragments, whereas microhabitat and reforestation age did not influence anuran succession. We conclude that reforestation in the midst of impermeable matrices creates anuran communities dominated by widely-distributed species that live in open areas, reflecting the highly modified surrounding habitat.
{"title":"Anuran fauna of reforested riparian forests: is microhabitat the decisive factor for colonization?","authors":"J. Martins, Adriele Magalhães, António Cruz, M. Corrêa, M. R. Pires","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10085","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 We evaluated the effects of riparian forests restoration on anuran communities in the Brazilian Cerrado. We analyzed five riparian reforested fragments around a reservoir of an hydroelectric plant using microhabitat variables (humidity, canopy opening, amount of leaf litter and vegetation density), the dominant landscape (matrix type, fragment width) and reforestation age. We tested whether anuran abundance, richness and diversity were influenced by these variables using generalized linear models. Matrix type and fragment width were limiting factors for anurans to reach and establish themselves in riparian forest fragments, whereas microhabitat and reforestation age did not influence anuran succession. We conclude that reforestation in the midst of impermeable matrices creates anuran communities dominated by widely-distributed species that live in open areas, reflecting the highly modified surrounding habitat.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41319333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-31DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10086
William G Ryerson, Ben Sweesy, Cassidy Goulet
Snakes are a diverse group of reptiles, having colonized almost every environment on the planet. Multiple snake lineages have independently evolved semiarboreal or completely arboreal species. As snakes lack limbs, the challenges of moving and feeding in an arboreal environment are numerous. Here we compare the prey-handling ability of the semiarboreal boa constrictor to the terrestrial ball python in a simulated arboreal context. Snakes were allowed to strike at rodent prey and attempt to swallow that prey while suspended. Boa constrictors were successful in feeding, using a complex suite of behaviors to maintain their position and manipulate their prey. Boa constrictors positioned rats so that swallowing occurred in the direction of gravity, and would use loops of their body to support the rat during swallowing. Ball pythons were frequently not successful in feeding, lacking the complex behaviors that boa constrictors frequently employed. Ball pythons would attempt to swallow, but in the majority of feeding attempts were ultimately unsuccessful. These unsuccessful feeding attempts were typically characterized by the ball pythons hanging upside-down, trying to swallow the prey against the direction of gravity. We suggest that behavioral modifications to feeding encouraged successful invasion of arboreal habitats, but more sampling of snake diversity is needed to explore the range and types of feeding behaviors that arboreal snakes employ.
{"title":"Hang in there: comparative arboreal prey-handling in boa constrictors and ball pythons","authors":"William G Ryerson, Ben Sweesy, Cassidy Goulet","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10086","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Snakes are a diverse group of reptiles, having colonized almost every environment on the planet. Multiple snake lineages have independently evolved semiarboreal or completely arboreal species. As snakes lack limbs, the challenges of moving and feeding in an arboreal environment are numerous. Here we compare the prey-handling ability of the semiarboreal boa constrictor to the terrestrial ball python in a simulated arboreal context. Snakes were allowed to strike at rodent prey and attempt to swallow that prey while suspended. Boa constrictors were successful in feeding, using a complex suite of behaviors to maintain their position and manipulate their prey. Boa constrictors positioned rats so that swallowing occurred in the direction of gravity, and would use loops of their body to support the rat during swallowing. Ball pythons were frequently not successful in feeding, lacking the complex behaviors that boa constrictors frequently employed. Ball pythons would attempt to swallow, but in the majority of feeding attempts were ultimately unsuccessful. These unsuccessful feeding attempts were typically characterized by the ball pythons hanging upside-down, trying to swallow the prey against the direction of gravity. We suggest that behavioral modifications to feeding encouraged successful invasion of arboreal habitats, but more sampling of snake diversity is needed to explore the range and types of feeding behaviors that arboreal snakes employ.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49336510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-15DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10080
Manon Dalibard, L. Buisson, A. Besnard, A. Ribéron, P. Laffaille
Accurate estimations of population size and space-use are critical issues, for assessing population trends and extinction risk. In this study, we applied spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) modelling customized for linear habitats to a three-year Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) monitoring of three populations of stream-dwelling Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper), an endemic species of the Pyrenean mountain range. Our aim was to explore (1) spatial and temporal variation in population densities, home range size and individual detection probability during breeding season between populations and years, and (2) the influence of water temperature and flow on activity of newts. Estimates of population density range from 3044 to 4641 individuals/km of stream across the three years of the study. Linear home range along the stream was estimated to be 13.31 m from the home range centre on average over the three years. All detection probability estimates were similar, both between years and between sites, with a mean probability of 0.09, except in Fougax in 2020 where detection probability was 0.03. Activity of the Pyrenean brook newt was influenced by water temperature and flow, but these factors acted at different time scales. Overall, population densities are locally high in both populations but home range of the Pyrenean brook newt during breeding season is very small indicating a strong site attachment. The importance of water temperature and flow on activity emphasizes the sensitivity of the species to these factors that are forecasted to change in coming decades.
{"title":"Population densities and home range of the vulnerable Pyrenean brook newt in its core aquatic habitat","authors":"Manon Dalibard, L. Buisson, A. Besnard, A. Ribéron, P. Laffaille","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10080","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Accurate estimations of population size and space-use are critical issues, for assessing population trends and extinction risk. In this study, we applied spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) modelling customized for linear habitats to a three-year Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) monitoring of three populations of stream-dwelling Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper), an endemic species of the Pyrenean mountain range. Our aim was to explore (1) spatial and temporal variation in population densities, home range size and individual detection probability during breeding season between populations and years, and (2) the influence of water temperature and flow on activity of newts. Estimates of population density range from 3044 to 4641 individuals/km of stream across the three years of the study. Linear home range along the stream was estimated to be 13.31 m from the home range centre on average over the three years. All detection probability estimates were similar, both between years and between sites, with a mean probability of 0.09, except in Fougax in 2020 where detection probability was 0.03. Activity of the Pyrenean brook newt was influenced by water temperature and flow, but these factors acted at different time scales. Overall, population densities are locally high in both populations but home range of the Pyrenean brook newt during breeding season is very small indicating a strong site attachment. The importance of water temperature and flow on activity emphasizes the sensitivity of the species to these factors that are forecasted to change in coming decades.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44401384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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