Abstract

ACUNA-VARGAS, Julio César. Amphibians and Reptiles associated to five land coverages, municipality of Dibulla, La Guajira, Colombia. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.2, pp.133-146. ISSN 2448-8445.

This study was conducted to determine the composition and structure of amphibians and reptiles of the rural municipality of Dibulla, La Guajira, associated to five land cover with different degrees of disturbance. Forty samples were made between March and October 2012 using standardized techniques for monitoring amphibians and reptiles (VES and audio strip transect), on the coverage of the identified and selected land. A total of 22 species of amphibians and 40 species of reptiles were recorded in the study area of 20 km2, representing between 31 and 50% of the species recorded for the Caribbean and Bs-t in Colombia. The coverage discontinuous urban fabric (ZU), contained higher species richness (21 amphibians and 33 reptiles) and greater proportional abundance (Hʼ = 2.83; H' max = 3.98; J' = 0.71); the values of equity (J') occurred in the range of 0.66 to 0.76 between different land coverages. No significant differences in diversity (Hʼ) between the ZU coverage and fragmented floodplain forest with secondary vegetation (Bfi) (t 0.05(2)18198246.5 = 1.96); Cultivation palm coverage (CP) and Mosaic flood grasses and temporal crops with hedges of trees and shrubs (MPC) (t 0.05(2)7370.49 = 1.96). The land coverages that had a close relationship (IJ = 0.68) were the CP association and mosaic weedy grasses with hedges of trees and shrubs (MP), while the lowest ratio was the association Bfi and MP (IJ = 0.55). The reptiles were the most diverse group and amphibians recorded the highest abundance values during the study. The present study is the first contribution concerning the composition of the herpetofauna for this location; the richness of amphibians and reptiles can be considered high in relation to other studies in La Guajira, although the composition of amphibians and reptiles showing the greatest abundance are recorded as wide distribution species and tolerant to environments with different degrees of disturbance, and are considered generalists. This shows the need for studies aimed at assessing the status of biodiversity in this locality with other approaches for generate a closer understanding of the impact of land use on land cover and diversity associated, without omitting more complex changes as biotic homogenization.

Keywords : Biodiversity; amphibians; reptiles; land cover; land use.

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