Natural populations often persist at the landscape scale as metapopulations, with breeding units (subpopulations) experiencing temporal extinction and recolonization events. Important parameters to forecast population viability in these systems include the ratio of the effective number of breeders (N b) to the total number of adults (N a) and migration rates among subpopulations. Here, we present the results of a 10-year integrative monitoring program of a metapopulation of the Iberian green frog (Pelophylax perezi) in central Spain. We characterized population dynamics at two main breeding ponds (Gravera and Laguna) using capture-mark-recapture data to estimate N a in each breeding season, and multilocus genotypes to estimate the effective population size (N e), N b , individual breeding success, and migration rates. Both ponds experienced population decline after a dry season, with Gravera subsequently recovering and Laguna suffering a bottleneck associated with genetic impoverishment. In this subpopulation, average allelic richness and private alleles decreased from 2010 (10.87 and 1.67, respectively) to 2018 (8.0 and 0.20). The N b /N a ratio in Laguna in 2018 was twice as high (0.95) than in Gravera (0.41) or in pre-bottleneck Laguna (0.50), suggesting plasticity or genetic compensation through increased individual breeding success. Migration rates were asymmetric between ponds, with a stronger contribution from Gravera to Laguna (29.9% vs. 16.2% in the opposite direction) that may result in a rescue effect. This study emphasizes the importance of integrative demographic approaches for the monitoring of natural populations based on a better understanding of their spatio-temporal dynamics, which provides valuable information for conservation actions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.