Abiotic factors influencing anuran occupation of Neotropical Brazilian caves

Abstract

Despite increasing research on the Neotropical underground environment, anurans remain poorly understood in this habitat. It was analyzed scientific literature records of anurans in Brazilian natural caves and performed a redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify the environmental, taxonomic, geographic, geological and land-use variables that influence their cave occupancy. It was examined a total of 247 literature records, encompassing 83 species/morphospecies, which revealed distinct cave-dwelling tendencies. Some anuran species occupy caves at altitudes between 5 to 21 meters above sea level (m asl), in areas characterized by rocky outcrops and grassland. Others are associated with caves surrounded by forest, savanna, pasture or mosaic of agriculture and pasture. A third group is linked to caves with varying lithologies. These findings highlight specific ecological scenarios for anuran occurrence in Neotropical caves. Conserving cave-dwelling anurans in the Neotropical region depends on understanding the factors influencing their subterranean occupancy. Preserving native vegetation and maintaining undisturbed landscapes are essential. This will safeguard these sensitive species and reinforce their role as bioindicators of ecological impacts in cave environments.