The Role of Artificial Breeding Sites in Amphibian Conservation: a Case Study in Rural Areas in Central Spain

—Amphibians in rural landscapes often utilize various types of artificial constructions originally designed for irrigation, livestock supply, or other purposes (e.g., water tanks or cattle troughs) as breeding sites. These sites potentially function as local refugia; however, their importance for amphibian communities has yet to be widely assessed. Here we evaluate the role of artificial constructions in the persistence of amphibian populations in rural areas of central Spain, focusing on two species of conservation concern: the Common Midwife Toad, Alytes obstetricans (Laurenti 1768), and the Parsley Frog, Pelodytes punctatus (Daudin 1802). Leer más.