HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS AND SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF THE GREENHOUSE FROG (ELEUTHERODACTYLUS PLANIROSTRIS) IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA

Habitat relationships and seasonal activity of the greenhouse frog, Eleutherodactylus planirostris, were studied at Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida and Everglades National Park in south Florida. In addition to its occurrence in developed areas, the species is well established in...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Florida Scientist. - The Florida Academy of Sciences, Inc.. - 68(2005), 1, Seite 35-43
1. Verfasser: Meshaka,, Walter E. (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Layne, James N.
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2005
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Florida Scientist
Schlagworte:Environmental studies Physical sciences Biological sciences
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Habitat relationships and seasonal activity of the greenhouse frog, Eleutherodactylus planirostris, were studied at Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida and Everglades National Park in south Florida. In addition to its occurrence in developed areas, the species is well established in natural habitats in both study areas, occurring in mesic habitats in ENP and both mesic and xeric habitats, particularly long-unburned sites with well-developed tree canopy and a dense understory, on the ABS. The prevalence of E. planirostris in long-unburned sandy uplands of south-central Florida historically subject to relatively frequent (e.g. sandhill) or infrequent but intense (e.g. sand pine scrub) wildfires is in contrast to the negative effect of fire exclusion on the xeric-adapted native plant and animal species characteristic of these associations. In both study areas, this species is nearly active year-round, with a September–December peak in numbers that included the appearance of young individuals. Calling is seasonal and correlated with warm and humid conditions defined by monthly temperature minima and rainfall. Based on threshold values of temperature and rainfall, predicted calling seasons in different geographic regions are longest (7–10 months) in extreme southern Florida and the West Indies, shorter (6–7 months) in southern, central, and much of northern Florida, and shortest (5 months) in extreme northern Florida and Mobile, Alabama, a coastal community where we expect the species to colonize.
ISSN:00984590