Habitat selection in the Pampa de Achala toad, Bufo achalensis

AbstractHabitat selection in adult and juvenile Bufo achalensis was studied at La Ciénaga Stream, Pampa de Achala, Central Argentina from December 1998 to October 2001. Habitat preference was evaluated by comparing the observed use of each habitat type with its availability. Juveniles were surveyed on 32 occasions between January 1999 and March 2001 using 13 permanent transects. The effect of cattle on larval survivorship was also evaluated. Most adult and juvenile B. achalensis occurred within 300 m of each side of the breeding site stream. No correlation was found between body size and distances moved. Juveniles and adults selected granite outcrops after the breeding season and avoided the heavily grazed areas. Adults also selected the stream and used tall tussock grassland in proportion to its availability. Juveniles used loose, flat, relatively small stones as shelters whilst adults used larger rocks. The presence of cattle at the breeding sites directly reduced larval survivorship by trampling, and indirectly through sediment deposition at the breeding sites resulting from increased stream bank erosion. The habitat preferences of B. achalensis suggest that long term cattle grazing also affects them adversely through deterioration of their transition habitat from tall tussock grassland to short sward. Future conservation management plans for B. achalensis must include the protection of the breeding sites and the surrounding terrestrial area if they are to be effective.

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Breeding-site selection by red-belly toads, Melanophryniscus stelzneri (Anura: Bufonidae), in Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/017353710x543029 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 105-112 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Gerardo Leynaud ◽

Julián Lescano ◽

Laura Pereyra

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Water Body ◽

Site Selection ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Heterogeneous Environments ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Ephemeral Ponds ◽

Spawning Sites ◽

Habitat Variables

AbstractDifferences among wetlands can have important consequences on reproductive success of amphibians; therefore habitat selection is expected to be of particular importance for anurans inhabiting heterogeneous environments. To investigate if the red-belly toad (Melanophryniscus stelzneri; Anura: Bufonidae) uses available habitats differentially and to determine the main factors influencing the use of certain water bodies as breeding habitat, we surveyed 30 spawning sites used by red-belly toads, and 30 adjacent unused sites, in an area of the Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina. We evaluated the relative importance of morphological and biotic features of ponds, and the presence of other organisms within the water body on the use of ponds as breeding sites by red-belly toads. Eight habitat variables related to important water body features were recorded and were used to fit a habitat selection model with GLM. Red-belly toads presented a positive selection to mallines, a wetland characteristic of the Sierras of Córdoba. They were associated with small, shallow ephemeral ponds with muddy banks and a high percent of vegetation cover. In general, the ponds used did not host other anuran species or potential predators. Breeding site selection by red-belly toads is largely consistent with records for other species of the genus in other parts of Argentina.

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Macro-habitat preferences by the African manatee and crocodiles – ecological and conservation implications

Web Ecology ◽

10.5194/we-12-39-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 39-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

L. Luiselli ◽

G. C. Akani ◽

N. Ebere ◽

F. M. Angelici ◽

G. Amori ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Coastal Lagoons ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Null Model ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

West African ◽

Conservation Implications ◽

Type Selection ◽

Selection Of

Abstract. African manatees (Trichechus senegalensis) and crocodiles are threatened species in parts of their range. In West Africa, crocodiles may constitute the main predators for manatees apart from humans. Here, we explore the macro-habitat selection of manatees and two species of crocodiles (West African crocodiles Crocodylus suchus and dwarf crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis) in the Niger Delta (Nigeria), testing the hypotheses that (i) manatees may avoid crocodiles in order to minimize risks of predation, and (ii) the two crocodile species do compete. The study was carried out between 1994 and 2010 with a suite of different field techniques. We observed that the main macro-habitat types were freshwater rivers and coastal lagoons for manatees, mangroves for West African crocodiles, and rivers and creeks for dwarf crocodiles, with (i) the three species differing significantly in terms of their macro-habitat type selection, and (ii) significant seasonal influence on habitat selection of each species. Null models for niche overlap showed a significantly lower overlap in macro-habitat type use between manatee and crocodiles, whereas the two crocodiles were relatively similar. Null model analyses did not indicate any competitive interactions between crocodiles. On the other hand, manatees avoided macro-habitats where crocodiles, and especially West African crocodiles, are abundant.

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Affinity for natal environments by dispersers impacts reproduction and explains geographical structure of a highly mobile bird

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2015.1545 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 282 (1814) ◽

pp. 20151545 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Robert J. Fletcher ◽

Ellen P. Robertson ◽

Rebecca C. Wilcox ◽

Brian E. Reichert ◽

James D. Austin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Large Scale ◽

Scale Effects ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Population Connectivity ◽

Geographical Range ◽

Wetland Type ◽

Natal Habitat

Understanding dispersal and habitat selection behaviours is central to many problems in ecology, evolution and conservation. One factor often hypothesized to influence habitat selection by dispersers is the natal environment experienced by juveniles. Nonetheless, evidence for the effect of natal environment on dispersing, wild vertebrates remains limited. Using 18 years of nesting and mark–resight data across an entire North American geographical range of an endangered bird, the snail kite ( Rostrhamus sociabilis ), we tested for natal effects on breeding-site selection by dispersers and its consequences for reproductive success and population structure. Dispersing snail kites were more likely to nest in wetlands of the same habitat type (lacustrine or palustrine) as their natal wetland, independent of dispersal distance, but this preference declined with age and if individuals were born during droughts. Importantly, dispersing kites that bred in natal-like habitats had lower nest success and productivity than kites that did not. These behaviours help explain recently described population connectivity and spatial structure across their geographical range and reveal that assortative breeding is occurring, where birds are more likely to breed with individuals born in the same wetland type as their natal habitat. Natal environments can thus have long-term and large-scale effects on populations in nature, even in highly mobile animals.

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Breeding-site selection by the poison frog Ranitomeya biolat in Amazonian bamboo forests: an experimental approach

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z09-026 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 87 (5) ◽

pp. 453-464 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Rudolf von May ◽

Margarita Medina-Müller ◽

Maureen A. Donnelly ◽

Kyle Summers

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

High Water ◽

Water Volume ◽

Field Observations ◽

Poison Frog ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Water Volumes ◽

Bodies Of Water

Habitat selection in amphibians has typically been investigated using species that breed in medium-sized to large bodies of water. So far, few studies have focused on tropical, phytotelm-breeding species. We examined habitat selection in the context of reproductive resource use by Ranitomeya biolat (Morales, 1992), a poison frog that uses bamboo internodes as breeding sites. We conducted field observations and experiments using bamboo and PVC sections to test the effect of physical and biotic factors on tadpole deposition. Our field observations indicated that water volume, as well as internode length, height, and angle, may be important for tadpole deposition. We predicted that adult R. biolat would deposit tadpoles in pools that are close to the ground, pools with high water volume, pools contained in long structures, and pools without conspecific tadpoles or heterospecific predators. Our experiments demonstrated that water volume and the length of the structure containing the pool affect the pattern of tadpole deposition. Tadpoles were also deposited more frequently in experimental pools containing no other tadpoles or no predators. Our results support the prediction that phytotelm-breeding species, to maximize their reproductive success, should deposit their tadpoles in pools with water volumes that maximize nutrient content and that present no competitors or predators.

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Behaviour-specific habitat selection patterns of breeding barn owls

Movement Ecology ◽

10.1186/s40462-021-00258-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Robin Séchaud ◽

Kim Schalcher ◽

Ana Paula Machado ◽

Bettina Almasi ◽

Carolina Massa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Barn Owl ◽

Path Selection ◽

Tyto Alba ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Barn Owls

Abstract Background The intensification of agricultural practices over the twentieth century led to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystems. In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) have since been adopted to counter the decrease in farmland biodiversity, with the promotion of extensive habitats such as wildflower strips and extensive meadows. Despite having beneficial effects documented for multiple taxa, their profitability for top farmland predators, like raptors, is still debated. Such species with high movement capabilities have large home ranges with fluctuation in habitat use depending on specific needs. Methods Using GPS devices, we recorded positions for 134 barn owls (Tyto alba) breeding in Swiss farmland and distinguished three main behavioural modes with the Expectation-Maximization binary Clustering (EMbC) method: perching, hunting and commuting. We described barn owl habitat use at different levels during the breeding season by combining step and path selection functions. In particular, we examined the association between behavioural modes and habitat type, with special consideration for AES habitat structures. Results Despite a preference for the most common habitats at the home range level, behaviour-specific analyses revealed more specific habitat use depending on the behavioural mode. During the day, owls roosted almost exclusively in buildings, while pastures, meadows and forest edges were preferred as nocturnal perching sites. For hunting, barn owls preferentially used AES habitat structures though without neglecting more intensively exploited areas. For commuting, open habitats were preferred over wooded areas. Conclusions The behaviour-specific approach used here provides a comprehensive breakdown of barn owl habitat selection during the reproductive season and highlights its importance to understand complex animal habitat preferences. Our results highlight the importance of AES in restoring and maintaining functional trophic chains in farmland.

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Comparação de testes coproparasitológicos em criadouro comercial de psitacídeos exóticos

Revista Agraria Academica ◽

10.32406/v3n52020/100-107/agrariacad ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 100-107

Author(s):

Marina Camargo de Sousa ◽

◽

Julia Ronzani Vial ◽

Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira ◽

Andrea Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Clinical Importance ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Chi Square ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Specificity And Sensitivity ◽

Nematode Eggs ◽

Commercial Breeding

Birds of the psittaciform order, composed by the Psittacidae and Loridae family have several characteristics making them more frequently kept as companion animals, promoting the increase of breeding sites in Brazil. The present study aimed to analyze the specificity and sensitivity of three different coproparasitological tests, Willis, Hoffman and Direto de feces, through statistical tests: Chi-Square and Kappa. 70 fecal samples of exotic parrots were collected from a commercial breeding site and these were submitted to the three tests, totaling 210 coproparasitological exams. Among the tests performed, 29,5% were positive for nematode eggs, cestodes and oocysts. Coproparasitological exams are inexpensive, have clinical importance, indicating the population of endoparasites and therapeutic treatments.

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Distribution and habitat preference of protected reindeer lichen species (Cladonia arbuscula, C. mitis and C. rangiferina) in the Balaton Uplands (Hungary)

The Lichenologist ◽

10.1017/s0024282921000165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 271-282

Author(s):

Mónika Sinigla ◽

Erzsébet Szurdoki ◽

László Lőkös ◽

Dénes Bartha ◽

István Galambos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vascular Plants ◽

Management Practices ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Lichen Species ◽

Oak Forests ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Cladonia Rangiferina

AbstractThe maintenance of protected lichen species and their biodiversity in general depends on good management practices based on their distribution and habitat preferences. To date, 10 of the 17 protected lichen species of Hungary have been recorded in the Bakony Mts including the Balaton Uplands region. Habitat preferences of three protected Cladonia species (C. arbuscula, C. mitis and C. rangiferina) growing on underlying rocks of red sandstone, basalt, Pannonian sandstone and gravel were investigated by detailed sampling. We recorded aspect, underlying rock type, soil depth, pH and CaCO3 content, habitat type (as defined by the General National Habitat Classification System Á-NÉR), all species of lichen, bryophyte and vascular plants as well as percentage cover of exposed rock, total bryophytes, lichens, vascular plants and canopy, degree of disturbance and animal impacts. Sporadic populations of these species mostly exist at the top of hills and mountains in open acidofrequent oak forests, but they may occur in other habitats, such as closed acidofrequent oak forests, slope steppes on stony soils, siliceous open rocky grasslands, open sand steppes, wet and mesic pioneer scrub and dry Calluna heaths. Cladonia rangiferina was found to grow beneath higher canopy cover than either C. arbuscula or C. mitis in the Balaton Uplands. Furthermore, there were significant differences in canopy cover between occupied and unoccupied quadrats in the case of all three species. Cladonia rangiferina is a good indicator species of natural habitats in Hungary due to its restricted distribution and low ecological tolerance. These results may lead to the adoption of effective conservation methods (e.g. game exclusion, artificial dispersal) in the future.

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Biological and environmental factors associated with risk of schistosomiasis mansoni transmission in Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2013000200022 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 357-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Onicio Batista Leal Neto ◽

Elainne Christine de Souza Gomes ◽

Fernando José Moreira de Oliveira Junior ◽

Rafael Andrade ◽

Diego Leandro Reis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Infection Rate ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Transmission Risk ◽

Host Snail ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Snail Density ◽

One Year ◽

Transmission Foci

Schistosomiasis has expanded to the coast of Pernambuco State, Brazil, where there are frequent reports of Biomphalaria glabrata snails and human cases of the disease. This study analyzes factors related to schistosomiasis transmission risk in Porto de Galinhas. A one-year malacological survey was conducted to identify biological, abiotic, and environmental factors related to the host snail breeding sites. Data analysis used Excel 2010, GTM Pro, and ArcGis 10. A total of 11,012 B. glabrata snails were captured in 36 breeding sites, and 11 schistosomiasis transmission foci were identified. A negative correlation was found between breeding site temperature and snail density and infection rate, and a positive correlation with pH and salinity. The rainy season showed a positive correlation with snail density and infection rate. The study emphasizes the factors involved in the maintenance of schistosomiasis breeding sites, in light of persistence of this disease in Porto de Galinhas for more than 10 years.

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Riparian habitat disturbed by reservoir management does not function as an ecological trap for the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z11-138 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 90 (3) ◽

pp. 320-328 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S.P. Quinlan ◽

D.J. Green

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Ecological Trap ◽

Riparian Habitat ◽

Yellow Warbler ◽

Nest Sites ◽

Selection Decisions ◽

Yellow Warblers ◽

Setophaga Petechia

Ecological traps arise when anthropogenic change creates habitat that appears suitable but when selected reduces the fitness of an individual. We evaluated whether riparian habitat within the drawdown zone of the Arrow Lakes Reservoir, British Columbia, creates an ecological trap for Yellow Warblers ( Setophaga petechia (L., 1766)) by investigating habitat preferences and the fitness consequences of habitat selection decisions. Preferences were inferred by examining how habitat variables influenced settlement order, and comparing habitat at nest sites and random locations. Males preferred to settle in territories with more riparian shrub and tree cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover. Females built nests in taller shrubs surrounded by a greater density of shrub stems. Habitat preferences were positively associated with fitness: nest sites in taller shrubs surrounded by higher shrub-stem densities were more likely to avoid predation and fledge young, whereas territories with more riparian cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover had higher annual productivity. We therefore found no evidence that riparian habitat affected by reservoir operations functions as an ecological trap. Current habitat selection decisions may be associated with fitness because Yellow Warblers are adapted to breeding in a heterogeneous environment subject to periodic flooding.

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