Amphibians and Reptiles of Norther Pantanal: Community Structure, Conservation, and the Role of Community Science

Résumé fourni par la source

The Pantanal ecoregion hosts a diverse amphibian and reptile fauna due to environmental and landscape heterogeneity and remains poorly documented across many of its subregions. Here, we provided an updated inventory of the Private Natural Heritage Reserve Sesc Pantanal, a Ramsar site located in Midwestern Brazil, and another adjacent protected area. Our results are based on standardized field surveys (2010–2011) and complementary records from opportunistic encounters, community science data, and examination of museum collections (2015–2025). Amphibians and reptiles were sampled across four habitat types (forest, savanna, grassland, and wetland) using active visual and acoustic searches. We recorded 79 species (31 amphibians and 48 reptiles), identifying distinct community assembly patterns among habitats. While rarefaction indicates high sampling completeness for anurans, reptile richness remains underestimated, particularly in open habitats. Regional cluster analyses revealed assemblages significantly structured by geographic distance, grouping our study sites within a cohesive Pantanal-Humid Chaco unit, distinct from the surrounding upland zones of the Cerrado, Chiquitano Dry Forests, and Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest. Our findings demonstrate how integrating standardized surveys and community science data reduces Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls, while regional comparisons highlight the spatial and habitat drivers essential for evaluating biodiversity responses to ongoing hydrological changes.