Landscape resistance to dispersal of a common poison frog in the lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica

Background/Question/Methods

Conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land or pastures is occurring at an alarming rate in some regions of the tropics. Amphibians may be particularly susceptible to changes in landscape composition and connectivity because of their physiological characteristics and complex life cycles. We experimentally assessed the landscape resistance for the poison dart frog, Oophaga pumilio, associated with two different land-cover types, secondary forest and pasture, in the northeastern lowlands of Costa Rica.  We measured recapture rates of individuals displaced into forest and pasture and the effect of microclimate on the movement performance of this species.

Results/Conclusions

Results showed a significant interaction between displacement distance and land-cover type. Also, microclimatic conditions in pasture appear to have a detrimental effect on the movement performance of O. pumilio. Understanding the magnitude of resistance presented by different land uses to amphibian dispersal is important for the development of successful conservation strategies in human-altered landscapes.