Why link diverse citizen science surveys? Widespread arboreal habits of a terrestrial amphibian revealed by mammalian tree surveys in Britain
File(s)
Preprint version
OA Location
Author(s)
Petrovan, Silviu O
Al-Fulaij, Nida
Christie, Alec
Andrews, Henry
Type
preprint
Abstract
Terrestrial anurans, with their typically short limbs, heavy-set bodies and absent claws or toe pads are incongruous tree climbers, but even occasional arboreal locomotion could offer substantial advantages for evading predators or accessing new shelter or food resources. Despite recent interest, arboreal behaviour remains rarely and unsystematically described for terrestrial amphibians in Europe, likely due to fundamental differences in survey methods and therefore a lack of field data. However, other taxa surveys specifically target trees and tree cavities. We undertook collaborations and large-scale data searches with citizen science projects surveying for arboreal mammals in Britain to investigate potential tree climbing by amphibians at a national scale. Remarkably, we found widespread arboreal usage by amphibians in England and Wales, with occupancy of hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellenarius) nest boxes, tree cavities investigated as potential bat roosts and even a bird nest by common toads (Bufo bufo), but few additional records of frogs or newts. Toads are potentially attracted to tree cavities and arboreal nests because they provide safe and damp microenvironments which can support an abundance of invertebrate prey but the importance of such tree microhabitats for toad conservation remains unknown. Possible interactions with arboreal mammals are also unclear, but such mammals and even some birds may benefit from the occasional presence of toads if they feed on the mites and other arthropods that frequently infest their nests. We encourage expanding and linking of unrelated monitoring surveys and citizen science initiatives as valuable tools for investigating ecological traits and interactions.
Date Issued
2022-02-28
Citation
bioRxiv, 2022
Journal / Book Title
bioRxiv
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
License URL
Description
Preprint version
Identifier
10.1101/2022.02.27.482211
Subjects
Bufo bufo
arboreality, arboreal Bufonidae
scansorial
amphibian locomotion