Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
Advisor's Name
Maureen A. Donnelly
Advisor's Title
Committee Chair
Advisor's Name
Craig Guyer
Advisor's Name
Joel T. Heinen
Keywords
treefrog, hylid, amphibian, community composition, assemblage, habitat use, swamp, La Selva, Costa Rica
Date of Defense
11-10-2011
Abstract
Swamp-breeding treefrogs form conspicuous components of many tropical forest sites, yet remain largely understudied. The La Selva Biological Station, a rainforest reserve in Costa Rica, harbors a rich swamp-breeding treefrog fauna that has been studied in only one of the many swamps found at the site. To understand if the species composition of treefrogs at La Selva varies over space or time, frogs were censused in 1982-83, 1994-95, 2005 and 2011 at two ponds located in the reserve. Data on treefrog habitat utilization were also collected. Species composition varied spatially only in 2011. Temporal variation was observed at both ponds for all groups tested. Habitat use varied among species and between swamps. The pattern of variation suggests that temporally dynamic systems such as temporary Neotropical forest swamps will converge and diverge in species composition over time.
Recommended Citation
Maccachero, Vivian C., "Treefrogs in Forested Swamps at the La Selva Biological Station: Assemblage Variation through Space and Time" (2011). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 487.
http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/487