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Habitat use by stream-breeding frogs in south-east Sulawesi, with some preliminary observations on community organization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2004

Graeme R. Gillespie
Affiliation:
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, P.O. Box 137, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia
David Lockie
Affiliation:
Lark Rise, Franks Field, Peaslake, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 9SS, UK
Michael P. Scroggie
Affiliation:
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, P.O. Box 137, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia
Djoko T. Iskandar
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Technology Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia

Abstract

The habitat associations of stream-breeding frogs were examined along a series of stream transects on Buton Island in south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia. Of the eight frog species located along streams, four were observed breeding in stream habitats. We examined spatial habitat partitioning among these species. Three of the four species were found to be associated with a non-random selection of the available perch sites. Strong partitioning between species in habitat associations was found; partitioning of the available habitat space was primarily associated with differences in proximity to stream features, and in the height of perch sites. General observations indicated that oviposition sites of most species were associated with the microhabitats in which the adult frogs were found. All four stream-breeding species appear to have synchronous breeding phenologies and the spatial relationships of these species within the habitat space appear to reflect partitioning of calling sites and oviposition sites. The stream-breeding frog community in this region of Sulawesi has much lower species richness and less specialized habitat use compared with other tropical stream-breeding frog communities in the region.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2004 Cambridge University Press

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