Differences Among the Spatial Distribution of Sympatric Amphibians

Authors

Robert Brodman, Saint Joseph's CollegeFollow

Document Type

Research

Abstract

To assess amphibian declines, the factors that cause natural fluctuations in population size must be considered (Pechmann et al. 1991). Interspecific competition, predation and pond drying are known to influence patterns of distribution and composition of larval amphibian assemblages (Morin 1983, Brodman 1996, Skelly 1996). While a few studies have quantified amphibian patterns across a large number of ponds, most studies on breeding pond distributions have typically focused on pond characteristics associated with pairs of coexisting species (Thompson and Gates 1982, Skelly 1996). Little has been examined about the differences among the spatial distributions of all potentially interacting amphibian populations within a region of sympatry. Detecting the degree of distribution segregation among amphibian species is the first step towards understanding multispecies interactions and their effect on the development and maintenance of community structure (Skelly 1996, Welborn et al. 1996).

Publication Date

September-December 2000

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

107

Issue

3-4

First Page

200

Last Page

202

Copyright

© Copyright 2000 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Brodman, Robert (2000) "Differences Among the Spatial Distribution of Sympatric Amphibians," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 107(3-4), 200-202.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol107/iss3/26