Article (Scientific journals)
Out of the ground: two coexisting fossorial toad species differ in their emergence and movement patterns
Székely, Diana; Cogalniceanu, Dan; Székely, Paul et al.
2017In Zoology, 121, p. 49-55
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Keywords :
Species coexistence; Resource partitioning; Space use; Behaviour; Movement; Activity; Night video-tracking; Infra-red; Ecology; Burrow; Emergence; Site fidelity; Fossorial; Semi-fossorial; Eastern spadefoot; Spadefoot toad; Common spadefoot; Amphibian; Romania; Pelobates fuscus; Pelobates syriacus
Abstract :
[en] Understanding the way species with similar niches can coexist is a challenge in ecology.The niche partitioning hypothesis has received much support, positing that species can exploit available resources in different ways. In the case of secretive species, behavioural mechanisms of partitioning are still poorly understood. This is especially true for fossorial frogs because individuals hide underground by day and are active only during the night. We investigated the nocturnal activity and tested the niche partitioning hypothesis in two syntopic fossorial spadefoot toads (Pelobates fuscus and P. syriacus) by examining interspecific variation in emergence from the soil. We employed a night vision recording system combined with video-tracking analyses in a replicated laboratory setting to quantify individual movement patterns, a procedure that has not been used until now to observe terrestrial amphibians. Most individuals appeared on the surface every night and returned to their original burrow (about 60% of the times), or dug a new one around morning. There was a large temporal overlap between the two species. However, P. syriacus was significantly more active than P. fuscus in terms of total distance covered and time spent moving, while P. fuscus individuals left their underground burrow more frequently than P. syriacus. Consequently, P. fuscus adopted more of a sit-and-wait behaviour compared to P. syriacus, and this could facilitate their coexistence. The use of night video-tracking technologies offered the advantage of individually tracking these secretive organisms during their nocturnal activity period and getting fine-grain data to understand their movement patterns.
Research Center/Unit :
AFFISH-RC - Applied and Fundamental FISH Research Center - ULiège
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Disciplines :
Zoology
Animal psychology, ethology & psychobiology
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Székely, Diana ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Form. doct. sc. (biol. orga. & écol. - paysage)
Cogalniceanu, Dan;  Ovidius University Constanta > Faculty of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences
Székely, Paul;  Ovidius University Constanta > Faculty of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences
Denoël, Mathieu  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale
Language :
English
Title :
Out of the ground: two coexisting fossorial toad species differ in their emergence and movement patterns
Publication date :
April 2017
Journal title :
Zoology
ISSN :
0944-2006
Publisher :
Elsevier Science
Volume :
121
Pages :
49-55
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique
Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research
Available on ORBi :
since 03 January 2017

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