La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Isolated. frogs in a crowded world: Effects of human-caused habitat loss on frog heterozygosity and fluctuating asymmetry
Auteurs :	Paula C. Eterovick, Auteur ; Brian L. Sloss, Auteur ; Jose A. M. Scalzo, Auteur ; Ross A. Alford, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Biological Conservation (195 MAR 2016)
Article en page(s) :	52-59
Langues:	Anglais
Résumé :	It is important to develop research methods that will detect deterioration in population health before severe declines occur. Amphibian population declines are widespread; the main causes are anthropogenic and include habitat fragmentation due to agriculture, mining, fires, and urban development. Brazil is the richest country in species of amphibians, and the Brazilian regions with the greatest amphibian diversity are experiencing relatively high rates of habitat destruction. We tested the use of measurements of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) taken on adult frogs, as well as heterozygosity estimates in frog populations, to detect anthropogenic stress. We hypothesized that greater human occupancy in the landscape might result in more stressful conditions for amphibians, which would be reflected in high FA levels and/or reduced heterozygosity. We conducted this study at the Espinhaco mountain range in southeastern Brazil, using an endemic species (Bokermannohyla saxicola, Hylidae) as a model. We found that adult frog

Lundi , mardi et jeudi de 9h à 12h et de 13h à 17h00 : ouverture au public ...