Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines
The study of the environmental features affecting amphibian communities is a priority task for addressing effective conservation initiatives. In the southern edge of the Apennines (Sila Massif, Calabria Region, Italy), we surveyed the distribution of amphibians in lotic freshwater habitats (eight ri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Diversity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/625 |
| _version_ | 1797436184331288576 |
|---|---|
| author | Alessandro Nessi Sara Cioccarelli Paolo Tremolada Pasquale Gariano Maria Grandinetti Alessandro Balestrieri Raoul Manenti |
| author_facet | Alessandro Nessi Sara Cioccarelli Paolo Tremolada Pasquale Gariano Maria Grandinetti Alessandro Balestrieri Raoul Manenti |
| author_sort | Alessandro Nessi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study of the environmental features affecting amphibian communities is a priority task for addressing effective conservation initiatives. In the southern edge of the Apennines (Sila Massif, Calabria Region, Italy), we surveyed the distribution of amphibians in lotic freshwater habitats (eight rivers, 17 sampling stations, 87 transects) and recorded nine environmental variables, including the occurrence of potential predators (fish and Eurasian otter <i>Lutra lutra</i>), potentially affecting the distribution and breeding success of amphibian species. A total of seven amphibian species was recorded (75.9% of transects). Fish occurred in all rivers while the otter was found in four rivers (Amato, Lese, Neto, and Savuto). Illuminance and bank heterogeneity were the main factors affecting amphibian reproduction, while neither otter nor fish presence showed significant effects on the amphibian community. Overall, habitat complexity and coevolution history seemed to shape the distribution of amphibians and their breeding sites, while the ongoing recolonization of the study area by the otter is expected to have a negligible impact on the richness of the amphibian community. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:57:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d3d2940c19d4b14a5d41aeffa32cc50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:57:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d3d2940c19d4b14a5d41aeffa32cc502023-12-01T01:27:26ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-05-0115562510.3390/d15050625Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern ApenninesAlessandro Nessi0Sara Cioccarelli1Paolo Tremolada2Pasquale Gariano3Maria Grandinetti4Alessandro Balestrieri5Raoul Manenti6Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, ItalyTEA Engineering S.r.l., I-56121 Pisa, ItalyCESRAM—Centro Studi e Ricerca Ambiente Marino, I-88065 Guardavalle, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, ItalyThe study of the environmental features affecting amphibian communities is a priority task for addressing effective conservation initiatives. In the southern edge of the Apennines (Sila Massif, Calabria Region, Italy), we surveyed the distribution of amphibians in lotic freshwater habitats (eight rivers, 17 sampling stations, 87 transects) and recorded nine environmental variables, including the occurrence of potential predators (fish and Eurasian otter <i>Lutra lutra</i>), potentially affecting the distribution and breeding success of amphibian species. A total of seven amphibian species was recorded (75.9% of transects). Fish occurred in all rivers while the otter was found in four rivers (Amato, Lese, Neto, and Savuto). Illuminance and bank heterogeneity were the main factors affecting amphibian reproduction, while neither otter nor fish presence showed significant effects on the amphibian community. Overall, habitat complexity and coevolution history seemed to shape the distribution of amphibians and their breeding sites, while the ongoing recolonization of the study area by the otter is expected to have a negligible impact on the richness of the amphibian community.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/625anuransfreshwater habitatstream featuresbreeding sitesEurasian otter |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Nessi Sara Cioccarelli Paolo Tremolada Pasquale Gariano Maria Grandinetti Alessandro Balestrieri Raoul Manenti Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines Diversity anurans freshwater habitat stream features breeding sites Eurasian otter |
| title | Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines |
| title_full | Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines |
| title_fullStr | Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines |
| title_short | Environmental Factors Affecting Amphibian Communities in River Basins of the Southern Apennines |
| title_sort | environmental factors affecting amphibian communities in river basins of the southern apennines |
| topic | anurans freshwater habitat stream features breeding sites Eurasian otter |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/625 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessandronessi environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT saracioccarelli environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT paolotremolada environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT pasqualegariano environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT mariagrandinetti environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT alessandrobalestrieri environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines AT raoulmanenti environmentalfactorsaffectingamphibiancommunitiesinriverbasinsofthesouthernapennines |