Improving Inference Within Freshwater Community Studies: Accounting for Variable Detection Rates of Amphibians and Fish.

ABSTRACT: Research into freshwater communities often aims to link patterns of species distribution in ponds with underlying biotic factors. However, errors with species detection (e.g. false negatives) may underestimate distribution and bias assessments of community structure. Occupancy models that account for imperfect detection offer a solution to this problem. Here, we used three methods (call/visual encounter surveys, dip-netting and newt trapping) to survey amphibians and fish (potential amphibian predators) at 100 ponds in an urbanised landscape in Hungary over one breeding season. We estimated species detection probabilities for amphibians (all life stages combined) and fish using occupancy models to gain insight into amphibian-fish relationships and other survey-specific variables. We detect

SUBMITTER: Hamer AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11483536 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature