Factors influencing spatial and temporal structure of frog assemblages at ponds in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Anuran assemblages were studied regarding species composition, microhabitat partitioning, temporal distribution, and spatial distribution in three natural ponds. Twenty‐two species belonging to four families (Bufonidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, and Microhylidae) were recorded, 11 of these also in the larval stage. Month of occurrence, height above ground, and type of substrate were the most important variables discriminating among adult anuran microhabitats, whereas position in the water column, water depth, and presence of aquatic vegetation were the most important ones to discriminate among tadpole microhabitats. The total number of species and the number of species with calling males recorded were positively correlated with mean monthly rainfall and temperature. Tadpole species richness was not related to the number of types or abundance of potential tadpole predators in ponds. In the studied anuran assemblages, environmental and stochastic factors are more likely to produce the observed patterns of species distribution than biotic interactions.

Keywords:

• Anura
• climatic factors
• community structure
• microhabitat use
• tadpole predators
• tadpoles

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to M. Wachlevski and A. D. M. Ferreira for help during field work, L. B. Nascimento and R. P. Bastos for helpful suggestions on the manuscript, the RPPN Santuário do Caraça staff for permits and logistics, the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis for a permit (128/2004), the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Fundo de Incentivo à Pesquisa (FIP) of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais for financial support.