LUQ LTER DATA SETS DOCUMENTATION FORM

ON-LINE VERSION

A DATA SET is a series of observations collected by the same methodology. Each data set should have documentation sufficient for someone unfamiliar with the research to replicate the study. Data sets may be broken into subsets (data files) that are discrete in space and time, in that order. The documentation for a data set should include all spatial and temporal subdivisions of the data.

(Data, Abstract, Methods, Variables)

NOTES:

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DATA SET IDENTIFIER: Pattern morphology for frogs captured at 9 locations in northeastern Puerto Rico over a 25-year period from 1978 to 2002

PROJECT TITLE: Frog Population Dynamics

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: El Verde Station, located in the tabonuco forest zone on the NW side of the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), has hosted numerous scientific efforts since the 1960s. Thus, a great deal of information exists concerning anuran populations at the site over the past 30 years. Although past surveys did not use consistent techniques, they clearly document the general status of the anuran community of the area. I began working at El Verde in the 1970s and have collected data on the anuran community primarily in the 1980s and 1990s

LTER CORE AREAS: Annotate all that apply (See online list)

LEF LTER 1 RESEARCH TOPIC: (Annotate all that apply) (See online list)

We define a data file as a component of a data set. A data set can have only one data file or more. Basically, different data files have different data structures or format .
DATA SET FILES (SUBSETS):

Data File No.	Data File Identifier	On-Line Filename	Starting Date	Periodicity of sample	End Period
1	Sonadora Plot	SonadoraPlot.txt	January 1, 1987	varies	August 2, 2002
2	Bisley Stream 2 Plot	BisleyStream2Plot.txt	June 1, 1988	varies	August 2, 2002
3	Bisley Forest Control Plot	BisleyForestControlPlot.txt	June 1, 1988	varies	August 1, 2002
4	Margaret Stewart Plots	MargaretStewartPlots.txt	January 1, 1984	varies	January 31, 1984

RESEARCH LOCATION: Nine locations in northeastern Puerto Rico: 1. LLW’s Sonadora Plot just west of the Sonadora River uphill from the main trail at EVFS, 2. LLW’s Bisley Stream 2 plot in the stream 2 channel, 3. LLW’s Bisley Forest Control plot on the spit of land between watersheds 2 & 3 just above the parking area, 4. MMS’ Bridge plots (house plot and control plot) near the main trail at EVFS just before the Sonadora footbridge, 5. MMS’ River plots (house plot and control plot) on the lower trail at EVFS near the Sonadora swimming hole, 6. MMS’ Tower 1 plots (House plot and control plot) near the Odum tower and cylinder site, 7. MMS’ Tower 2 plots (house plot and control plot) above the Odum site beside the oxcart path, 8. MMS’ lowsite in the pasture adjacent to Rt 3 near Rio Grande, 9. MMS’ highsite beside the El Toro trail off Rt 191 near the Parrot project. (LLW is Larry Woolbright and MMS is Margaret Stewart)

INVESTIGATORS:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS	E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Larry Woolbright	lwoolbright@lternet.edu

OTHER RESEARCHERS	E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Margaret Stewart	deceased

CONTACT PERSONS	Phone Number (Include area code)	E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Larry Woolbright	(518) 783-2440	lwoolbright@lternet.edu

SOURCE OF FUNDING (SPONSOR):NSF Luquillo LTER; DEB 77-21349 from the National Science Foundation to F. Pough, P. Brussard, and M. Stewart

DATA SET ABSTRACT: We recorded the pattern morph for 9,950 frogs captured at 9 locations in northeastern Puerto Rico over a 25-year period from 1978 - 2002. Data revealed 21 distinct pattern morphs including a variety of stripes, bars, and spots. Analysis of morph frequencies between plots showed significant heterogeneity, with longitudinal stripes more common in grassland and disturbed areas, and spot and bar morphs more common in forests where palm and bromeliad axils are important habitat features. Comparison of morph frequencies through time at the same sites showed temporal shifts immediately following Hurricane Hugo in 1989. We suggest that the pattern polymorphism is maintained in part by local habitat matching resulting from selection pressure from visual predators.

DATA SET METHODS: Plots of varying sizes were searched between 2000 – 2400 h. Adult coquíes were captured by hand and examined to determine their dorsal pattern morphology.

Comparable frequencies between LLW and MMS plots:
LLW M9	MMS M1+M2+M3+M4+M7+M8+M9+M10+M19+M20
LLW M11	MMS M11+M12+M13
LLW M6	MMS M6+M14
LLW M11w	MMS M11a+M15
LLW M16	MMS M16+M17+M18

REFERENCES:
Woolbright, L.L. 2005. A plot-based system of collecting population information on terrestrial breeding frogs. Herpetological Review 36:139-142.

Stewart, M.M. and F.H. Pough. 1983. Population density of tropical forest frogs: relation to retreat sites. Science 221:570-572.

CROSS-REFERENCES (other data sets related to this one): LTERDBAS25: Frog transect data, LTERDBAS30: Frog grid data (Bisley), LTERDBAS44: Frog population plots (El Verde + Bisley), LTERDBAS45: Frog spatial distribution data (El Verde + Bisley), LTERDBAS76: Frog abundance in fertilization plots, LTERDBAS150: Pattern morphology for frogs captured at 9 locations in northeastern Puerto Rico over a 25-year period from 1978 to 2002