Assessing the conservation status of amphibian assemblages

Abstract:

Amphibian global decline should be analyzed with quantitative data gathered through long urne scales. Unfortunately, these data are usually scarce, which makes long-term population analyses difficult. The authors compared present and past densities and distribution ranges to evaluate the conservation status of amphibian populations from the Penalara Natural Park in Spain. The study area is located between 1800-2430 m and contains an amphibian community of nine breeding species including Salamandra salamandra, Bufo calamita, and Alytes obstetricans. Larval density and distribution data of all species were obtained from 73 ponds during two time periods, 1982-1986 and 1999. A chi-square analysis was used to compare the observed ratio of extinctions to colonizations to an expected ratio of 1: 1. Presence of a species in a pond was recorded only if there was evidence of reproduction of that species …

Año de publicación:

2003

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