Xavier AL et al. (2015), Biogeography of Anurans from the Poorly Known a...

ECB-ART-44043

PLoS One 2015 Jan 01;106:e0128268. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128268.

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Biogeography of Anurans from the Poorly Known and Threatened Coastal Sandplains of Eastern Brazil.

Xavier AL , Guedes TB , Napoli MF .

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The east coast of Brazil comprises an extensive area inserted in the Tropical Atlantic Domain and is represented by sandy plains of beach ridges commonly known as Restingas. The coastal environments are unique and house a rich amphibian fauna, the geographical distribution patterns of which are incipient. Biogeographical studies can explain the current distributional patterns and provide the identification of natural biogeographical units. These areas are important in elucidating the evolutionary history of the taxa and the areas where they occur. The aim of this study was to seek natural biogeographical units in the Brazilian sandy plains of beach ridges by means of distribution data of amphibians and to test the main predictions of the vicariance model to explain the patterns found. We revised and georeferenced data on the geographical distribution of 63 anuran species. We performed a search for latitudinal distribution patterns along the sandy coastal plains of Brazil using the non-metric multidimensional scaling method (NMDS) and the biotic element analysis to identify natural biogeographical units. The results showed a monotonic variation in anuran species composition along the latitudinal gradient with a break in the clinal pattern from 23°S to 25°S latitude (states of Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo). The major predictions of the vicariance model were corroborated by the detection of four biotic elements with significantly clustered distribution and by the presence of congeneric species distributed in distinct biotic elements. The results support the hypothesis that vicariance could be one of the factors responsible for the distribution patterns of the anuran communities along the sandy coastal plains of eastern Brazil. The results of the clusters are also congruent with the predictions of paleoclimatic models made for the Last Glacial Maximum of the Pleistocene, such as the presence of historical forest refugia and biogeographical patterns already detected for amphibians in the Atlantic Rainforest.

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Genes referenced: LOC115919910 LOC583082 riok1

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	Fig 1. Phytophysiognomies of the Restinga.(A) Panoramic view of the Restinga from Costa Azul, Municipality of Jandaíra, northernmost coast of the Bahia State, northeastern Brazil, featuring freshwater ponds amid sand dunes. (B) A typical Restinga landscape (Praia do Forte, Municipality of Mata de São João, Bahia State) characterized by sandy soil covered by many shrubs and terrestrial bromeliads. In several places of the Restinga habitat, terrestrial bromeliads (in detail in the top right corner) are the unique source of water and shelter for anuran species. (C) Temporary pond near a sand dune and (D) floodplain in the Restinga of Arembepe, Municipality of Camaçari, Bahia State. These floodplains are contiguous with sandplains and many amphibian species inhabiting the Restingas commonly use these areas for reproduction and foraging. Photo A, Ariane L. Xavier, 10 June 2012; B, Rafael O. Abreu, 17 June 2006; C and D, Iris Shalon F. Carneiro, 28 September 2014.
	Fig 2. Maps showing the area of study.On left, topographic map showing the point locality sampling of anurans along the Restingas. Right, distribution map of the 22 quadrats considered for the analyses.

	Fig 4. Species clusters in the first two dimensions of nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis.Data obtained according to the ranges of 63 anuran species from Brazilian Restingas mapped on a 1° x 1° cell grid, analyzed in MCLUST. Characters indicate model-based clustering with noise (N).
	Fig 5. Distribution of the biotic elements (BE) recovered according to the range of 63 anuran species from the Restingas.Each biotic element is comprised by the respective set of quadrats. Shadings indicate the areas where > 75% (= core area), > 50%, > 25% and > 0% of the species of an element are present.

References [+] :

Carnaval, Prediction of phylogeographic endemism in an environmentally complex biome. 2014, Pubmed