Rocky Mountain Research Station

Title: Community level analysis of opportunistically-breeding anurans in western Mexico

Author: Ford, Paulette. L.; Norman, J. Scott

Date: 2006

Source: Herpetological Natural History. 9 (2): 177-182.

Description: Tropical dry forests are among the most seasonal habitats in the world. They are most common in hot lowlands outside the equatorial rain forest zone, where rainfall is more seasonal and the dry season is most pronounced, lasting for several weeks or months (Brown and Lomolino 1998). They are also some of the most threatened of the major tropical forest types, largely because these forests can be cleared for pastures and fields and readily maintained by fire owing to the severe dry season (Janzen 1986). Anurans are among the many species that have evolved with the extreme seasonal variation of the dry tropics. Apparent adaptations to seasonality include opportunistic breeding and reproductive activity which are generally coordinated with rainfall patterns.

Keywords: anurans, tropical dry forests, breeding, habitats, site selection, Mexico

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Citation

Ford, Paulette. L.; Norman, J. Scott  2006.  Community level analysis of opportunistically-breeding anurans in western Mexico.   Herpetological Natural History. 9 (2): 177-182..