Anuran species diversity and density as measured through mating calls at the Firestone Reserve for Restoration Ecology in Barú, Costa Rica
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چکیده
Given the vast amount of deforestation that has taken place as a direct result of human destruction, it is important to study the restoration progress of ecosystems. Studying anuran activity in forest restoration areas is very useful in determining the health of the ecosystem. Amphibians are good indicators of the status of the forest restoration progress due to their dualistic aquatic and terrestrial lifestyle. Their extremely porous skin makes them very susceptible to the solutes present in their aqueous environment. A typical tropical anuran species requires a clean freshwater source, consistent food, rain, sunlight, and healthy flora. Rates of restoration directly correspond to rates of increasing biodiversity. The following study looks at anuran biodiversity during a 10 minute period at dusk time at the recovering Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology in Barú, Costa Rica. It was hypothesized that an increase in species diversity and density would indicate a healthier ecosystem. The diversity and density of anurans was measured by identifying mating calls of the males at each of the four man-made ponds on the reserve. The calls were recorded with an automated digital recording system and positively identified by taking the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The FFT transforms the oscillogram of the anuran call to a graphical representation of the dominant call frequencies. Each species has different dominant call frequencies, making it possible to positively identify each species based on solely audio data. At each pond, the present species were identified and the average call rate (calls/minute) calculated. It was found that the dominant species during dusk time throughout the ponds were Agalychnis callidryas, Leptodactylus pentadactylus, and Hypsiboas rosenbergi (Chi-square test, p<0.0001).
منابع مشابه
Acoustical Analysis of Anuran Density and Diversity at the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology in Barú, Costa Rica
Amphibians represent a “canary in the coal mine,” as such the diversity and abundance of amphibians is a good assessment of ecosystem health. Pitzer College’s Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology (FCRE) in Barú, Costa Rica, contains mostly recovering rainforest. To monitor its recovery progress, the anuran diversity and density was investigated in 2008, continuing the amphibian population a...
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تاریخ انتشار 2008