OPTIMIZING FROG SURVEYS THROUGH OCCUPANCY MODELING: AN OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND METHODOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF ANURAN DETECTABILITY

Factors Influencing Frog Detectability

Resumo

Detecting the presence of a particular species in the environment is essential in studies aiming to assess the abundance and distribution of the species. Identifying the factors that affect the rate of species detectability is useful in designing monitoring programs and can lead to a more consistent study method. Here, we reviewed a set of factors that potentially influence the detection of frogs. We conducted an extensive literature review to identify key elements that affect frog detectability. Primarily, we focused on the environmental variables affecting frog species, with a brief consideration of the methodological aspects related to frog detection. We synthesized commonly used environmental and habitat variables, revealing recurring patterns and their connections with frog detectability. Additionally, we explored the methodological factors influencing frog detection and identified gaps in the current literature, proposing potential future research directions. Our findings highlight the significance of environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloudiness, moon phase, and some habitat characteristics on frog detectability. Geographic biases in detectability studies limit our understanding, and expanding research into underexplored regions is crucial from a global perspective. In addition, incorporating specific environmental variables tailored to each species and habitat can enhance detection accuracy, improving our understanding of frog ecology and conservation. This review highlights the importance of accounting for detectability when surveying frogs and the need to consider all the factors influencing detectability.