Distribution and abundance of anurans in southeast Missouri

Abstract

Studies were conducted on 15 1034 ha landscape blocks to investigate the effects of forest fragmentation and habitat availability on anuran populations. Detections of anurans did not indicate a correlation between the percent of forest on a landscape or habitat types within a landscape and the species richness of the anuran community. Three anuran species (Blanchard's cricket frog, Fowler's toad, and southern leopard frog) were selected to investigate the effects of forest fragmentation and habitat availability on abundance. Detections of Blanchard's cricket frog and southern leopard frog did not indicate a correlation between species abundance and the percent of forest on a landscape or specific habitat types within a landscape block. Detections of Fowler's toad did not indicate a correlation between abundance and the percent of forest on a landscape, but did indicate that there is a correlation between habitats in a landscape and the abundance of Fowler's toads.