Genetic, morphological and acoustic diversification in populations of an anuran endemic to the Serra da Canastra, Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian Cerrado is the second largest South American morphoclimatic domain and the largest savanna of the world. However, less than 10% of its area is legally protected. This formation houses about 204 species of anuran amphibians, which is currently one of the most threatened groups among vertebrates. Studies with landscape genetics - the combination of population genetics and landscape ecology - have increased in the past years. Such studies, combined with morphological and behavioral differences, are important to understand the genetic structure of anurans' subpopulations and the processes leading to population differentiation throughout their geographical distribution. This research aims to study the genetic and phenotypic variability in populations of Bokermannohyla ibitiguara, a stream-dweller hylid endemic to the Serra da Canastra, in the Brazilian Cerrado. We intend to test the hypotheses that (i) the species is structured in subpopulations according to the stream occupied; (ii) greater genetic differentiation is correlated to the geographic distance among subpopulations; (iii) such genetic differentiation is also correlated with the absence of areas that favor individual dispersion (e.g. gallery forests); (iv) the subpopulations with barriers to gene flow are more differentiated in morphology from each other; (v) such subpopulations show differences in acoustic parameters of males' calls, and (vi) due to increased gallery forest fragmentation, subpopulations of anthropic areas present lower genetic variability. Thus, we aim to understand the population structure of the species in a broader context, considering genetic, morphological and behavioral traits. Moreover, our sampling covers fragments of gallery forests located in disturbed and protected areas, i.e., respectively in private farms and the Serra da Canastra National Park, state of Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. Therefore, our results might provide important data not only for the species' conservation but also for the Cerrado management and conservation.