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South American Journal of Herpetology
Article . 2020 . Peer-reviewed
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Climatic Heterogeneity in the Bolivian Andes: Are Frogs Trapped?

Authors: Ignacio De la Riva; Peter Delgado; Octavio Jiménez-Robles; Octavio Jiménez-Robles; Patricia A. Burrowes; Carlos A. Navas;

Climatic Heterogeneity in the Bolivian Andes: Are Frogs Trapped?

Abstract

[EN] Short-legged, small, robust frogs of the family Craugastoridae present a remarkable beta-diversity in the high Andes, their distributions being characterized by a very high degree of micro-endemism to specific valleys. We used dataloggers to study the temperature and humidity conditions of microhabitats of several species of the genus Microkayla at three elevation belts: Below, within, and above the altitudinal range of their distribution in Bolivia. We also conducted thermal physiology experiments on a limited number of individuals of one of these species. Our aim was to infer on factors that may limit the distribution of anurans in a biological hotspot that is threatened by climate warming. We found an unexpected thermal heterogeneity within the slopes at three different Andean valleys that explained the specific distribution of species of Microkayla at each site. Species distribution was associated to elevation belts with the highest ambient relative humidity, and there was high variability in thermal preference when individuals were experimentally exposed to a thermal gradient. Critical thermal maxima compared to the temperatures that frogs confront in nature, as well as thermal performance trials, revealed that the studied species has a broad physiological tolerance to temperature. These results point to moisture, and not temperature, as the limiting climatic factor determining the occurrence of these species in high Andean slopes, but further experimental work on water balance is needed. The predicted desertification of the Andes in future climate change scenarios poses a potentially serious threat to this highly diverse group of amphibians. [ES] Las pequeñas ranas robustas y de patas cortas de la familia Craugastoridae presentan una alta diversidad beta en la región altoandina, donde la distribución de las distintas especies se caracteriza por un alto grado de endemismo, restringiéndose a valles concretos. Utilizamos “dataloggers” para estudiar las condiciones de temperatura y humedad en los microhábitats de algunas especies de Microkayla en tres franjas a distinta elevación: por debajo de su rango altitudinal de distribución, dentro de dicho rango, y por encima. Además, realizamos experimentos de fisiología térmica con un limitado número de ejemplares de una especie de Microkayla. Nuestro objetivo era averiguar los factores que pueden limitar la distribución de los anuros en un punto caliente de biodiversidad amenazado por el calentamiento climático. Encontramos una sorprendente heterogeneidad térmica en las laderas de tres valles andinos diferentes, que explican la distribución de las especies de Microkayla en cada sitio. La distribución de las especies está asociada a las franjas altitudinales de humedad ambiental más alta, y se observa una alta variabilidad en las preferencias térmicas cuando los individuos son sometidos experimentalmente a gradientes de temperatura. Las temperaturas críticas máximas, comparadas con las temperaturas que las ranas confrontan en la naturaleza, así como los experimentos de desempeño térmico realizados, revelan que la especie estudiada tiene una amplia tolerancia térmica. Estos resultados apuntan a la humedad, y no la temperatura, como el factor climático limitante que determina la existencia de estas especies en las laderas altoandinas, aunque se necesita más trabajo experimental en balance hídrico para comprobar esto. La previsible desertificación de los Andes bajo escenarios de cambio climático futuros, supone por tanto una seria amenaza potencial para este grupo tan diverso de anfibios. This research was supported by Project CG2014-56160-P of the Spanish Government.

Countries
Spain, Australia
Keywords

Thermal physiology, Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, thermal physiology, distributions, 590, //metadata.un.org/sdg/13 [http], Relative humidity, relative humidity, Amphibians, climate change, Climate change, elevational gradient, Distributions, Elevational gradient

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