Abstract
Differences in advertisement calls and calling sites are important mechanisms that regulate interactions in anuran assemblages. Individuals might have preferences for ranges of acoustic parameters and calling sites that reduce overlap and ensure coexistence. Herein, acoustic and ecological data were used to investigate the relationships among 12 anurans that co-occur in temporary ponds in the Caatinga, Cabaceiras municipality, Paraíba state, Brazil. Anurans exhibited calling activity correlated with rainfall, but were also spatially dispersed. High overlap levels in calling microhabitats and acoustic parameters were observed, especially among pairs of closely related species. Analysis of null models showed a lack of structure in the spatial and acoustic niche, indicating the lack of detected competition. Results suggest that the calling activity of the species is strongly influenced by rainfall, moreover, the temporal partition appears to ensure coexistence. Finally, strong historical effects were detected in Leiuperinae, Leptodactylidae and in the partition Hylidae–Leptodactyliformes.
Highlights
Several factors are considered important for the maintenance of the dynamics and relationships among species in assemblages
Specific differences in advertisement calls, combined with the partition in calling sites are considered important mechanisms that regulate the interactions among individuals (Hödl 1977)
Two other leptodactylids (Leptodactylus caatingae and Leptodactylus fuscus) and one hylid (Corythomantis greeningi) were registered, but showed no calling activity during our observations. Their calls were not considered in further analyses. All species initiated their calling activity together with an increase in rainfall (Figure 2), with January being the month with the highest species richness (Table 1)
Summary
Several factors are considered important for the maintenance of the dynamics and relationships among species in assemblages. Specific differences in advertisement calls, combined with the partition in calling sites are considered important mechanisms that regulate the interactions among individuals (Hödl 1977). Individuals from different species might show a preference for specific calling sites that enhance the chances of spreading sound and reduce acoustic interference (Hödl 1977; Ryan 1988; Santos and Rossa-Feres 2007). Spectral and temporal characteristics of advertisement show variation in the intensity and degradation levels strongly correlated with habitat complexity (Ryan 1988; Boeckle et al 2009). It can be expected that assemblages from less heterogeneous environments will show a high overlap in calling microhabitat use and higher acoustic partition (Hödl 1977; Martins and Jim 2003). Assemblages from more heterogeneous environments might show a greater segregation in calling microhabitat and a higher acoustic overlap (Cardoso et al 1989; Bernarde and Anjos 1999)
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