Sex ratio of breeding Common toads (Bufo bufo) - influence of survival and skipped breeding
(2010) In Amphibia-Reptilia 31(4). p.509-524- Abstract
- Anuran sex ratio at breeding sites is typically male biased. Such sex ratios may be due to poor female survival, to females not breeding as frequently as males and/or to males becoming sexually mature earlier than females. In the present study, the first two factors are analyzed in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population in southern Sweden. Toads were captured, marked and recaptured at the breeding site during 5 years. Within season capture patterns were analyzed using the Jolly-Seber model and among-year captures using the Closed robust design model. Population estimates of males and females yielded an among year variation in breeding population sex ratio, ranging from 16% to 34% females. On average, 41% (proportion adult alive but not... (More)
- Anuran sex ratio at breeding sites is typically male biased. Such sex ratios may be due to poor female survival, to females not breeding as frequently as males and/or to males becoming sexually mature earlier than females. In the present study, the first two factors are analyzed in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population in southern Sweden. Toads were captured, marked and recaptured at the breeding site during 5 years. Within season capture patterns were analyzed using the Jolly-Seber model and among-year captures using the Closed robust design model. Population estimates of males and females yielded an among year variation in breeding population sex ratio, ranging from 16% to 34% females. On average, 41% (proportion adult alive but not breeding) of the females skipped breeding seasons, whereas the corresponding estimate for males was less than 5%. Yearly survival averaged 42% for adult female and 63% for adult male toads. First year adult males and females had a lower survival rate than older toads. Our results demonstrate that both a female biased mortality rate and a higher proportion of skipped breeding in females contribute to the observed male biased sex ratio. However, a deterministic model suggests other factors may also be involved to obtain this degree of male biased sex ratio, the most likely being that females mature at a later age than male toads. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1753489
- author
- Loman, Jon LU and Madsen, Thomas LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2010
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- MARK, life history, semelparous, breeding strategy, capture-recapture, temporary emigration
- in
- Amphibia-Reptilia
- volume
- 31
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 509 - 524
- publisher
- Brill
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000283924000008
- scopus:78149315721
- ISSN
- 0173-5373
- DOI
- 10.1163/017353710X524705
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6171d339-7a17-4b52-9163-45d9decde443 (old id 1753489)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:23:51
- date last changed
- 2025-10-14 11:06:24
@article{6171d339-7a17-4b52-9163-45d9decde443,
abstract = {{Anuran sex ratio at breeding sites is typically male biased. Such sex ratios may be due to poor female survival, to females not breeding as frequently as males and/or to males becoming sexually mature earlier than females. In the present study, the first two factors are analyzed in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population in southern Sweden. Toads were captured, marked and recaptured at the breeding site during 5 years. Within season capture patterns were analyzed using the Jolly-Seber model and among-year captures using the Closed robust design model. Population estimates of males and females yielded an among year variation in breeding population sex ratio, ranging from 16% to 34% females. On average, 41% (proportion adult alive but not breeding) of the females skipped breeding seasons, whereas the corresponding estimate for males was less than 5%. Yearly survival averaged 42% for adult female and 63% for adult male toads. First year adult males and females had a lower survival rate than older toads. Our results demonstrate that both a female biased mortality rate and a higher proportion of skipped breeding in females contribute to the observed male biased sex ratio. However, a deterministic model suggests other factors may also be involved to obtain this degree of male biased sex ratio, the most likely being that females mature at a later age than male toads.}},
author = {{Loman, Jon and Madsen, Thomas}},
issn = {{0173-5373}},
keywords = {{MARK; life history; semelparous; breeding strategy; capture-recapture; temporary emigration}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{509--524}},
publisher = {{Brill}},
series = {{Amphibia-Reptilia}},
title = {{Sex ratio of breeding Common toads (Bufo bufo) - influence of survival and skipped breeding}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/017353710X524705}},
doi = {{10.1163/017353710X524705}},
volume = {{31}},
year = {{2010}},
}