Environmental drivers of tadpole community structure in temporary and permanent ponds

Abstract

About 87 % of the anuran species that occur in Brazil possess a larval stage, i.e., tadpoles. Throughout this stage of development, tadpoles are subject to predation and the conditions of their aquatic habitat, including environmental heterogeneity, physical and chemical properties of the water, and hydroperiod of the water body. We assessed the patterns of species composition and richness of tadpoles in permanent and temporary ponds, with the objective of evaluating how morphometric, physical and chemical factors of the ponds and environmental heterogeneity (surrounding vegetation and substrate cover and aquatic vegetation) affect anuran occupation of these environments. The study was performed in five permanent and four temporary ponds. Tadpoles of 20 anuran species differed in species composition between permanent and temporary environments. Environmental factors were significant drivers for tadpole richness: turbidity and dissolved oxygen were significantly related to richness in permanent ponds, while water temperature and pH were significantly correlated to richness in temporary environments. Higher species richness was related to the heterogeneity of the ponds and greater complexity associated with the stratification of the surrounding vegetation. In general, the results suggest that species sorting of tadpoles is probably related to the high environmental variation among permanent and temporary aquatic habitats. The spatial heterogeneity of these two types of environments increases local diversity by accommodating species that are unique to only one habitat type.