Determinants of anuran assemblages in Amazonian White-sand Ecosystems.

Abstract

Amazonian white-sand ecosystems have predominantly sandy soils and a high amount of endemism, and several species found within them are adapted to long periods of drought. However, little is known about the variation in the structure of anuran assemblages in these ecosystems. Considering that most species are not uniformly distributed in heterogeneous landscapes, we tested the hypothesis that anuran assemblage variation in white-sand ecosystems is related to changes in vegetation structure. Specifically, we focused on a heterogeneous patch of white-sand ecosystems of the central Amazon and evaluated whether vegetation structure and soil characteristics, including root depth, influence the richness, abundance, and composition of anuran assemblages. Our results showed that low amounts of clay in the soil play an important role in structuring vegetation in these ecosystems, and these are the main factors that organize anuran assemblages. The Campinaranas close to the water bodies have a high species richness, while Campina landscapes limit the occupation of most of species. Our findings indicate that anurans undergo environmental filtering in white-sand ecosystems and are organized into hierarchical subgroups, in which only species with specialized reproduction can successfully occupy the most water-restricted environments.