Breeding-habitat use by five Amazonian frogs at forest edge

Abstract

Understanding patterns of speciesl habitat use and their response to dramatic changes in habitat constitutes a basis for sound conservation practice. This study examined use of breeding habitat by two rainforest-breeding frog species near primary forest edge. Nine artificial breeding pools were established along each of three transects perpendicular to continuous primary forest near Manaus, Brazil. Five frog species bred in the pools over the six-month monitoring period. For the two most abundant species, patterns of habitat use were independent of proximity to forest edge. Also,Epipedobates femoralis used pools outside the forest, in secondary growth, at the same frequency as pools inside the forest.Osteocephalus taurinus did not breed outside primary forest. These results have clear implications for conservation biology: (i) buffer zones around isolated reserves, to counter possible negative edge effects on habitat, are unnecessary for these frog species, and (ii) secondary growth habitat, which is not ‘natural’ breeding habitat forE. femoralis, could serve as a source of colonists for emigration into new areas and does not represent a barrier to dispersal for this species. These results argue against generalization of edge effects for different taxa.