Spieler M, Linsenmair K E
Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften der Universität, Tierökologie und Tropenbiologie, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany fax: 0931-888-4352, , , , , , DE.
Oecologia. 1997 Jan;109(2):184-199. doi: 10.1007/s004420050073.
The rock pools on the river bank of the Comoé National Park (West Africa) provide a very diverse and unpredictable environment for anuran larval development. Because rock pools differ considerably in biotic and abiotic parameters, it should be adaptive for reproducing anurans to choose the most suitable oviposition sites. During the beginning of each rainy season (March to May), from 1991 to 1995, we investigated the allocation of breeding sites by Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, counted the number of eggs, and measured several biotic and abiotic factors that might influence the choice of a spawning site. The probability of predation by conspecific cannibalistic tadpoles and the water-holding capacity (WHC) of pools were the best predictor of number of eggs laid. We experimentally investigated the influence of these two parameters on egg-laying and showed that adults potentially can assess the presence, density, and size of tadpoles in pools by chemical cues. Likewise, manipulation of the water-holding capacity caused a rapid change in egg-laying behavior. To assess the risk of desiccation, frogs have to visit familiar pools repeatedly to monitor the decrease in volume over time and thus gain information about the pools' water-holding capacity.
科莫埃国家公园（西非）河岸的岩池为无尾两栖类幼体发育提供了一个非常多样化且不可预测的环境。由于岩池在生物和非生物参数方面差异很大，繁殖期的无尾两栖类选择最合适的产卵地点应该是一种适应性行为。在1991年至1995年的每个雨季初期（3月至5月），我们研究了枕须蟾蜍的繁殖地点分配情况，统计了卵的数量，并测量了一些可能影响产卵地点选择的生物和非生物因素。同种相残的蝌蚪的捕食概率和水池的持水量是产卵数量的最佳预测指标。我们通过实验研究了这两个参数对产卵的影响，结果表明成年蟾蜍可能通过化学信号评估水池中蝌蚪的存在、密度和大小。同样，对持水量的操控导致产卵行为迅速改变。为了评估干涸风险，青蛙必须反复前往熟悉的水池，监测随着时间推移水量的减少，从而获取有关水池持水量的信息。
