Lack of phylogenetic signal in the variation in anuran microhabitat use in southeastern Brazil

• Published in: Evolutionary ecology Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 1 - 24
• Main Authors: Eterovick, Paula C, Rievers, Camila R, Kopp, Katia, Wachlevski, Milena, Franco, Bruna P, Dias, Camila J, Barata, Izabela M, Ferreira, Arquimedes D. M, Afonso, Lilian G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 2010; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: adults; Animal Ecology; Anura; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brazil; Ecology; Evolutionary Biology; Freshwater; Frogs; Habitats; Life Sciences; Microhabitats; Natural selection; Original Paper; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Plant Sciences; predation; tadpoles; Brazil; Anura; Phylogenetic signal; Microhabitat use; Phylogenetic relatedness
• ISSN: 0269-7653; 1573-8477
• DOI: 10.1007/s10682-008-9286-9

Microhabitat use is an important component of anuran behavior in both the tadpole and the adult stages. It is potentially influenced by phylogeny and extant ecological factors acting as selective pressures, such as predation, competition, or physical habitat properties. We aimed to test whether patterns of microhabitat use vary among species, habitats and sites, and how much of this variation can be explained by phylogenetic relatedness. We collected data on microhabitat use at five different sites, where we obtained a total of 4,230 records of individual tadpoles of 34 species in 15 genera and 7 families, and a total of 1,163 records of adult individuals of 39 species in 16 genera and 8 families. Mantel tests conducted to relate species dissimilarities in microhabitat use and phylogenetic relatedness indicated a weak but significant relationship for adult anurans, and no relationship for tadpoles. Our results suggest that microhabitat use is a plastic and variable trait, overcoming phylogenetic signal in tadpoles. In adult anurans, very little of the variation in microhabitat use can be explained by phylogenetic relatedness. Microhabitat use is not a good predictor of phylogeny, but it may be a very interesting subject to study natural selection and adaptation.