Complex patch geometries maximize species richness at the expense of forest specialists

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the greatest threats to reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna) around the globe, but especially in the Neotropics where high diversity and ongoing land-use change coincide. Persistence of biodiversity in fragmented systems relies both on characteristics of habitat patches, and on the permeability of the landscape that separates the patches (the ‘matrix’). We sought to understand: (a) how the herpetofauna community differs between forest reserves, patches, corridors, and matrices, and (b) the landscape characteristics that increase suitability of a habitat patch. We conducted herpetofauna surveys in patches, corridors, matrices, and preserves (54 total sites) in a fragmented landscape in Costa Rica for three seasons. We recorded 1663 individuals of 52 species. We found that the herpetofauna community differed, and had lower richness and abundance, in the matrix compared to the other three habitat types. Patches and corridors supported a similar communit..., Our study was centered around Las Cruces Biological Station (LCBS) in southern Costa Rica in Puntarenas Province (8.78°N, 82.96°W). Additional details on selected sites can be found in the published manuscript. 
We completed herpetofauna surveys at 54 sites (20 patches, 20 matrices, 10 corridors, 4 reference forests) in each of three field seasons: March 2019, June/July 2019, and March 2020. We employed three survey techniques to obtain representative samples of the entire herpetofaunal community. Diurnal surveys included a visual encounter survey (VES) and a leaf litter quadrat. Nocturnal surveys included a VES and a 10-min anuran call survey. 
All individuals were identified to species when possible, with a few exceptions. Diasporus vocator and Diasporus diastema were collapsed into Diasporus spp. due to difficulties in discerning the two species both visually and by call surveys. Additionally, the rhodopis-species group contains seven small leaf litter frogs in the genus Craugastor t..., , # Complex patch geometries maximize species richness at the expense of forest specialists

This README file was generated on 2024-01-31 by Stephanie Clements.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1\. Title of Dataset: Complex patch geometries maximize species richness at the expense of forest specialists.

2\. Author Information

      A. Corresponding Author

       Name: Stephanie L. Clements

       Institution: University of Miami

       Address: CORAL GABLES, FL, USA

       Email:

 

      B. Additional Author

       Name: Dunia Villalobos Alpízar

       Institution: N/A

 Address: Copal, Agua Buena, San Vito de Coto Brus, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

       Email:

 

      C. Principal Investigator

      Name: Christopher A. Searcy 

       Institution: University of Miami

       Address: CORAL GABLES, FL, USA

       Email:

3\. Date of data collection (single date, range, approximate date): March 2019, June/July 2019, March 2020

4\. Geographic location of data collection: Las Cruces B...