The main aim of the study was to analyse the influence of fleshy fruits (plums) on the post-metamorphic growth and feeding behaviour of the green toad Bufotes viridis. We tested the following two hypotheses: (1) juveniles of the green toad are characterised by faster growth in conditions involving fallen plums Prunus cerasifera due to the associated presence of more varied food such as invertebrates; (2) green toads exhibit more active feeding behaviour in the presence of fleshy fruits. Leer más.

In human-modified landscapes, little is known about the influence of aquatic habitat types on the demographic structure of residing amphibian populations. In the present paper, we focus on a European flagship urodele species (the great crested newt Triturus cristatus) at the north-western range of its distribution, applying the method of skeletochronology to compare the ages of individuals retrieved from agricultural ponds with individuals retrieved from aquatic sites favourably managed for T. cristatus presence. Leer más.

Inter-patch movements may lead to genetic mixing, decreasing both inbreeding and population extinction risks, and is hence a crucial aspect of amphibian meta-population dynamics. Traveling through heterogeneous landscapes might be particularly risky for amphibians. Understanding how these species perceive their environment and how they move in heterogeneous habitats is an essential step in explaining metapopulation dynamics and can be important for predicting species’ responses to climate change and for conservation policy and management. Leer más.