Effects of Landscape Structure and Roads on Anuran Assemblages in the Brazilian Cerrado

ABSTRACT

The Brazilian Cerrado harbours a highly diverse and well‐represented anuran fauna, yet the effects of anthropogenic factors, such as roads, habitat loss and fragmentation, on these assemblages remain poorly understood. In the present study, we address this knowledge gap by testing the relationship between landscape metrics and anuran assembly (richness, composition and ecological traits) in the Brazilian Cerrado. Using passive acoustic monitoring, we recorded 32 species in 31 breeding habitats of anurans (water bodies) located in the southwestern region of Goiás State, Brazil. Higher species richness was present in the breeding habitats within the more connected landscapes (landscapes with lower edge density and fewer native vegetation patches) and located farther from roads. Conversely, species richness decreased in landscapes with more native habitats. While habitat isolation caused by roads or agricultural lands negatively affects anuran diversity by hindering gene flow and recolonization between the terrestrial and breeding habitats, a phenomenon known as habitat split, particularly in species with low dispersal capacity and high sensitivity to desiccation. Small artificial reservoirs created for cattle management are frequently used by anurans as breeding sites. These reservoirs may play a crucial role in maintaining species richness, particularly for open‐habitat species, despite the reduction of native vegetation in the landscape. We recommend that the effect of artificial reservoirs despite the surrounding native vegetation be addressed in future studies. Thus, our findings provide new insights and contribute to a better understanding of how the anuran fauna of the Cerrado respond to anthropogenic landscapes.