The choice of bromeliads as a microhabitat by Scinax argyreornatus (Anura, Hylidae)

Abstract

The association of anurans to bromeliads presents different degrees of interaction such as: eventual, obligatory and bromeligen. The frog species Scinax argyreornatus shows a regular association with these plants. The goal of this study is to characterise the degree of association between the frog S. argyreornatus to different species of bromeliads. We identified which species of bromeliad is regularly associated with S. argyreornatus and recognised which factors interfere with this association preference. We analysed the Concentration of Relative Dominance of frogs per bromeliad species. As possible criteria for frog association preference to different bromeliads species we established the analysis of leaves number, length and width, number of leaf axils, stored water in the axils, pH and relative humidity, among other organographic components. Our observations were analyzed by ANOVA followed by the Tukey test. We also evaluated the preference for association by the constancy of Bodenheimer. The correlation matrix indicated that the relative humidity is the factor responsible for the frog-bromeliads association, except for Aechmea sp.. However Aechmea sp. was the species with greater constancy of occupation followed by Quesnelia arvensis and Neoregelia johannis. According to our statistical results, Aechmea sp. and Q. arvensis are not different regarding organographic parameters, but differ from N. johannis. Our observations suggest that the bromeliads organographic structure and the relative humidity are key conditions which influence the preferences of S. argyreornatus to bromeliad species, while the other features showed no correlation.Keywords: amphibians, Atlantic Rain Forest, bromeliad, ecologic interaction, Quesnelia arvensis, Aechmea sp. A escolha de bromélias, como micro-habitat, por Scinax argyreornatus (Anura, Hylidae) ResumoA associação dos anuros às bromeliáceas pode apresentar diferentes graus de interação, como: bromelículas eventuais, bromelículas obrigatórios e bromelígenas. Scinax argyreornatus apresenta uma associação frequente a essas plantas. Propõe-se, neste estudo, qualificar esse grau de associação, buscando identificar qual espécie de bromélia é mais ocupada, reconhecendo os fatores que interferem nessa escolha de ocupação. Analisou-se a Concentração de Dominância Relativa dos anuros por espécie de bromélia, sendo considerados como prováveis critérios de escolha: número, largura e comprimento das folhas, número de axilas foliares, volume de água acumulado, pH e umidade relativa, entre outros componentes organográficos, que foram submetidos à ANOVA e, sempre que observadas diferenças significativas, ao teste de Tukey. Avaliou-se também a escolha de ocupação pela constância de Bodenheimer. A matriz de correlação apontou a UR% como o fator responsável pela ocorrência do animal nas bromélias, exceto para Aechmea sp.; entretanto, esta foi a planta com maior Constância de ocupação, seguida por Quesnelia arvensis e Neoregelia johannis. Segundo a ANOVA, Aechmea sp. e Q. arvensis não apr...

Jumping into a trap: high prevalence of chytrid fungus in the preferred microhabitats of a bromeliad-specialist frog

“…, Poelman et al 2013. Specifically, presence of a bromeligenous hylid species of the genus Scinax in the AF was greater in larger bromeliads (Oliveira & Navas 2004, Pederassi et al 2012. Similarly, our study also showed that selection was not random.…”

“…Peixoto (1995) functionally split anurans that use bromeliads into bromelicolous, when using bromeliads sporadically as shelter, and bromeligenous/bromeligens, when they complete their entire life cycle within bromeliads (e.g. Lehtinen 2004, Pederassi et al 2012, Sabagh et al 2012. Critically, their ability to hold water makes them excellent (sometimes unique) refuges during adverse drier environmental conditions when microhabitats are less hospitable for both fungi (Holmes et al 2014) and amphibians (Kitching 2000, Lehtinen 2004).…”

Frog assemblage associated with bromeliads in a sandy coastal plain in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil

“…In the same study site, Phyllodytes luteolus selected small plants with more leaves (Mageski et al, 2016). In addition, another study have showed that the structure of the plants (0) influences bromeliad selection by Ololygon argyreornata (Pederassi et al, 2012). The structure of bromeliads are related to the capability to accumulate rainwater (Pontes et al, 2013).…”

Epífitas vasculares da Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Nordeste do Brasil

“…In natural ecosystems, epiphytes provide important services such as water accumulation, nutrient cycling and refuge (Barbosa et al, 2015;Céréghino et al, 2019;Seidl et al, 2019), attracting seed dispersers, as well as favoring the dispersion of plant propagules (Meiado, 2008). In addition, they help maintain biological diversity and interactive balance by providing resources and conditions (food, shelter and micro-habitat) for many other organisms, such as micro-organisms, insects, amphibians and reptiles (Pederassi et al, 2012;Brandt et al, 2017). Some epiphyte species such as Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L. and Canistropsis billbergioides (Schult.…”