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- Title
Postfire breeding behavior in Couch's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus couchii) along the San Pedro River, Arizona.
- Authors
RIDDLE, SIDNEY B.; HERZOG, CHEYENNE J.; BATEMAN, HEATHER L.; RYAN, MASON J.
- Abstract
Fire is an important ecosystem process that can impact local amphibian communities and breeding behaviors. Riparian gallery forests of the American Southwest are an important habitat for amphibians that breed in river channels, wetlands, and pools within the floodplain. High-intensity fires are rare in these riparian forests, and there is no information on how amphibians respond to fire in this system. We documented the presence and reproductive attempts of Couch's spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchii) in the San Pedro River following a high-intensity wildfire in riparian gallery forest. These observations are the first recorded breeding events of Couch's spadefoot in recently burned habitat and one of the first documented breeding events of this species in a perennial river. Our findings suggest that Couch's spadefoot can breed in burned habitat and may also suggest that the species selects perennial streams for breeding following wildfire.
- Subjects
ANIMAL sexual behavior; RIPARIAN forests; RIVER channels; SOFAS; TOADS; FIRE management; WILDFIRE prevention
- Publication
Western North American Naturalist, 2020, Vol 80, Issue 4, p531
- ISSN
1527-0904
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3398/064.080.0410