This article presents the anuran species in urbanized areas, diet overlaps between native and invasive alien anuran species, and its implications on conservation and ecological health in urban environment. Visual encounter technique following the road as a transect was done to determine the diversity of anurans, and stomach content extraction was employed to analyze its diet composition. Results revealed a very low anuran diversity (Shannon-Weiner; 1.165), which is dominated by invasive alien anuran species. Jackknife 1 species richness estimator indicated that 77-100% of the anuran species in the area were already detected which includes three invasive; Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758), Kaloula pulchra Gray, 1831, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834), and two natives; Polypedates leucomystax (Gravenhorst, 1829), Limnonectes leytensis (Boettger, 1893). Additionally, assessing the diet of 33 randomly selected anuran samples revealed that Formicidae dominated their food item. Invasive anurans also showed more diverse diet composition compared to native frogs, in which diet overlaps were observed. In conclusion, the study supports the idea that urbanization decreases anuran diversity and supports the dominance of invasive anurans which compete for food with their native and endemic counterparts. Additionally, it is important to manage invasive anurans that dominates urban ecosystem which might affect the native and endemic species in the area and possibly in nearby pristine environment.
The Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary harbors numerous species of Anurans (Amphibia Anura) that have highly threatened habitats. The species of anurans were observed in different vegetation types such as Terminalia forest, sago palms, and rice fields in the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur on May and October 2008. Result showed abundant, diverse, endemic, and threatened anuran species. Nine species of frogs with 148 individuals were documented. The sago forest had the highest anuran population with 76 inviduals (3 species) followed by 41 (5 species) in the Terminalia forest and 31 (3 species) in the agricultural areas adjacent to sago stands. Of these, 66.7% are Philippine endemics. However, the remaining 33.3% are threatened by natural habitat conversion. Naturally grown sago stands are ultimately a habitat for several anurans found only in the Philippine archipelago. O. laevis and L. leytensis are identified as sago forest indicators. Indeed, their absence or decline in population over time may have detrimental impact on the survival of the sago stands in the Agusan wetlands. The anuran species are highly habitat specific. Indeed, sago stands harbor endemic and unique anuran species that need to be conserved and protected.
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