Diversidade de anuros da Amazônia: Explorando as lacunas do conhecimento e os processos de formação das comunidades

Abstract

This thesis comprehensively addresses the patterns, processes, and knowledge shortfalls that shape the diversity of anuran amphibians in the Amazon, integrating ecological and biogeographical analyses with data synthesis and science communication initiatives. The study stems from the recognition that the Amazonian anuran fauna, although extremely diverse, remains constrained by taxonomic, geographic, and evolutionary shortfalls that hinder both the understanding of its biological history and the development of effective conservation strategies. Chapter 1 identifies and quantifies the major knowledge gaps concerning Amazonian anurans. Results indicate that vast areas of the Amazon remain undersampled, that the anuran richness documented to date falls short of the biome’s actual richness (sensu WWF), and that the scarcity of genetic data compromises taxonomic and biogeographical assessments. The chapter further highlights priority regions for sampling, the need for integrative taxonomic approaches, and the importance of long-term monitoring programs to achieve substantial improvements in the knowledge status of Amazonian anuran biodiversity. Chapter 2 investigates the mechanisms structuring beta-diversity—taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional—across the Amazon, revealing a clear hierarchy between historical and ecological processes. At broad scales, the historical legacy of Areas of Endemism serves as the primary delimiter of large biogeographical units; conversely, along environmental gradients, climatic factors—particularly the Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter (BIO8)—emerge as dominant ecological filters. These findings demonstrate the multiscale interaction between vicariance, environmental selection, and physiological sensitivity, reinforcing the vulnerability of anurans to climate change. Furthermore, the results show that the beta-regions identified for amphibians differ substantially from classic biogeographical schemes, suggesting that generalist conservation strategies may be insufficient to encompass the distinct diversity axes of this emblematic group of Amazonian megadiversity. Complementing these scientific chapters, the thesis includes science dissemination and popularization products, presented as appendices, which synthesize and communicate central themes related to biodiversity and climatic threats to herpetofauna. These include an authored chapter in the book Girinos do Brasil, comprising novel descriptions and photographs of tadpoles from all Brazilian biomes, and a co-authored contribution to the book Emergência Climática e a Sociobiodiversidade Amazônica, aimed at disseminating knowledge on the impacts of climate change on Amazonian fauna. These materials expand the social reach of research and reinforce the commitment to environmental education and science communication. Collectively, the results of this thesis provide a comprehensive overview of how knowledge shortfalls, historical processes, and environmental filters shape the diversity of Amazonian amphibians. The presented analyses and syntheses offer a scientific basis to refine biogeographical models, guide research priorities, and inform urgent conservation actions in the face of rapid environmental change.