Temporal and spatial variations in local sex ratios in a suburban population of the European green toad Bufotes viridis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sex ratios of animal populations are important factors of population demographics. In pond-breeding amphibians, the operational sex ratio (OSR) among the breeding population is usually male-biased. Also, in European green toads (Bufotes viridis), males usually outnumber females at breeding sites, while the sex ratio of the total adult population (ASR) is assumed to be balanced. It has been suggested that sex-specific breeding behavior causes male-predominance at the breeding sites. We used a dataset of 5 years of street patrols to test this hypothesis. For this we analyzed local sex ratios of green toads in terrestrial habitats and at two artificial breeding ponds. We expected temporal and/or spatial changes of local sex ratios which would indicate sex dependent differen

SUBMITTER: Staufer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10024452 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature