01039nas a2200145   4500008004100000245009300041210006900134260001500203300001200218490000800230520057300238100002400811700002300835856003500858       1997                        eng d00aPredator-induced swarms in the tadpoles of an African savanna frog, Phrynomantis microps0 aPredatorinduced swarms in the tadpoles of an African savanna fro  cNov., 1997  a902-9140 v1033 aAggregations in tadpoles of the West African savanna frog Phrynomantis microps were often observed in their breeding ponds in our study area, situated in Comoe National Park, Ivory Coast. Experiments under seminatural conditions demonstrated that this behaviour was only shown while predators were present. The tadpoles reacted differently to different predators. Factors inducing swarm behaviour were optical (the predator) and/or chemical (liquid from injured tadpoles). Alarm substances are not species-specific. Kinship seems not to play a role in swarm formation.1 aRödel, Mark-Oliver1 aLinsenmair, Eduard  u<Go to ISI>://PREV19980002742400467nas a2200121   4500008004100000245010900041210006900150300001200219100001900231700002300250700001800273856005400291       1999                        eng d00aReproductive timing nest construction and tadpole guidance in African pig-nosed frog, Hemisus marmoratus0 aReproductive timing nest construction and tadpole guidance in Af  a119-1231 aKaminsky, S.K.1 aLinsenmair, Eduard1 aGrafe, T., U.  uhttps://africanamphibians.myspecies.info/node/42504158nas a2200145   4500008004100000245008600041210006900127300001000196520368600206100001903892700002303911700001903934700002403953856003503977       2007                        eng d00aAmphibian communities in disturbed forests: lessons from the Neo- and Afrotropics0 aAmphibian communities in disturbed forests lessons from the Neo   a61-873 aTimber harvesting is currently the most common commercial utilisation activity in tropical forests. Assessing the effects of logging on different aspects of biodiversity and general ecosystem properties is hence of prime importance if the few remaining areas of intact tropical forest are to be protected effectively and efficiently.As we will point out in this chapter, tropical amphibian communities are an appropriate model system for studies on the impacts of human-induced environmental changes on the dynamics of complex biological systems. Here, we elaborate on patterns of diversity changes in tropical forest amphibian communities facing habitat alterations associated with selective logging in two globally important eco-regions (Cote d’Ivoire, Upper Guinea, West Africa and Guyana, the Guiana Shield, northern South America), and discuss findings from other previously conducted studies with similar focus.A key statement that we stress on in this chapter is the fact that common measures of diversity, such as species richness and a-diversity only inadequately reflect processes of diversity change following anthropogenic disturbance. They also fail to describe actual impacts on the dynamics of complex biological systems. We argue that commonly used measures produce an incoherent and insufficient picture of diversity patterns and the underlying processes that shape these patterns. Thus, an understanding of higher levels of diversity, such as beta-diversity and functional diversity (and hence compositional patterns) appears to be the key to effectively mitigating the impacts of human-induced disturbance on amphibian communities.We show that the predictability of amphibian community composition depends on the respective level of anthropogenic disturbance imposed on a particular habitat. Hence, human activities that lead to changes in the structure of a forest, such as logging, not only alter simple system descriptors, such as the number of species in a given community, but rather alter the dynamics of the entire system. In this context, functional diversity is shown to be an important aspect underlying the actual mechanism that leads to the observed change of predictability patterns. Functional differences between species, rather than number of species per se appear to be the decisive factor in sustaining desirable ecosystem states and thus in maintaining important ecosystem services.Because biological diversity appears to play a substantial role in ecosystem resilience required to safeguard essential ecosystem functions in the face of environmental change, we call for a critical revision of common diversity assessments approaches. We advocate the reconsideration of the uncritical use of widespread measures and descriptors of biodiversity on grounds of inconsistent patterns found throughout numerous studies, including those presented herein.The complex nature of natural communities and the multiple aspects of biodiversity at different levels, make it necessary to incorporate processes acting on different organizational and spatial scales. When investigating the impacts of human-induced environmental changes on diverse vertebrate communities in the tropics, we should hence address compositional changes, as well as beta-, and functional aspects of biodiversity. Special attention should also be drawn to the particular disturbance history of a given site and large scale cross-regional comparisons should be given priority. The consideration of these approaches in future studies would likely provide deeper insight in ecosystem processes at large scales and improve the effectiveness of current ecosystem management strategies.1 aErnst, Raffael1 aLinsenmair, Eduard1 aThomas, Raquel1 aRödel, Mark-Oliver  u<Go to ISI>://PREV20080003124202329nas a2200157   4500008004100000245014800041210006900189260001300258300001200271490000800283520177900291100001902070700002302089700002402112856003502136       2006                        eng d00aDiversity erosion beyond the species level: Dramatic loss of functional diversity after selective logging in two tropical amphibian communities0 aDiversity erosion beyond the species level Dramatic loss of func  cNov 2006  a143-1550 v1333 aAssessing the effects of logging on different aspects of biodiversity and general ecosystem properties is of prime importance if the few remaining areas of intact tropical forest are to be efficiently protected. Commonly used measures of biodiversity may only inadequately reflect actual disturbance after logging and studies restricted to only one specific eco-region do not allow for generalizations of results. We hence measured the impact of selective logging on different levels of diversity of two tropical anuran communities in two geographically distinct eco-regions. Species-diversity patterns were incoherent both, within and between studies. In West Africa, species richness did not differ between primary and exploited forest sites, whereas South American anuran communities exhibited higher species richness in primary sites. Yet, in both eco-regions, functional diversity (FD) was higher in primary forest communities. Absolute values of FD were higher in South American anuran communities, despite higher species richness in West African communities. FD was higher in older recovery, as compared to younger recovery states, even though species-diversity did not differ significantly. Three major conclusions can be drawn from our results. 1. Scale matters: it is important to monitor different levels of biodiversity in order to reveal its actual loss after anthropogenic disturbance. 2. Time matters: the disturbance history of a site is important in order to detect patterns that otherwise remain unnoticed. 3. Geographic history matters at the local scale: whereas general patterns at higher diversity levels were identical in both eco-regions, species richness, species diversity and turnover patterns differed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.1 aErnst, Raffael1 aLinsenmair, Eduard1 aRödel, Mark-Oliver  u<Go to ISI>://PREV200700067947