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<p>Contact zones between parapatric species provide valuable opportunities to study habitat selection and species responses to environmental changes. This is particularly relevant for amphibians, whose breeding success depends on abiotic (physico-chemical) and biotic (competition, predation) conditions of aquatic habitats. We investigated breeding habitat selection in the great crested newt (<i>Triturus cristatus</i>), the marbled newt (<i>Triturus marmoratus</i>) and their hybrids within their contact zone, at the southern edge of <i>T. cristatus</i> distribution. We sampled 53 ponds spanning gradients in pH, conductivity and surface area in the Pinail National Nature Reserve, western France, a RAMSAR site containing over 15 700 ponds across 923&#xa0;ha. Using single-species dynamic site-occupancy models, we showed that <i>T. cristatus</i> exclusively uses fish-free ponds and prefers low-conductivity waters. <i>Triturus marmoratus</i> preferentially used small ponds and did not strictly avoid fish. The two species co-occurred in 12 ponds, and hybrids were found in 13 ponds, always alongside at least one of the parental species. These results reveal fine-scale habitat selection and contrasting breeding habitat preferences between these parapatric species. As previous work in the contact zone suggested that <i>T. marmoratus</i> leaves breeding sites earlier in the season than <i>T. cristatus</i>, future work should investigate whether seasonal changes in physicochemical conditions influence breeding phenology and habitat use. Integrating water temperature as an additional dynamic pond characteristic may provide new insights into species-specific responses, especially for <i>T. cristatus</i> at the southern edge of its range.</p>

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Breeding Habitat Selection in the Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus), the Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus), and their Hybrids at the Southern Edge of their Contact Zone

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月30日

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  • Mathilde Foucteau,
  • Tristan Berry,
  • Thomas Duchesne ,
  • Yann Sellier ,
  • Nicolas Titeux ,
  • Olivier Lourdais

摘要

Contact zones between parapatric species provide valuable opportunities to study habitat selection and species responses to environmental changes. This is particularly relevant for amphibians, whose breeding success depends on abiotic (physico-chemical) and biotic (competition, predation) conditions of aquatic habitats. We investigated breeding habitat selection in the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), the marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus) and their hybrids within their contact zone, at the southern edge of T. cristatus distribution. We sampled 53 ponds spanning gradients in pH, conductivity and surface area in the Pinail National Nature Reserve, western France, a RAMSAR site containing over 15 700 ponds across 923 ha. Using single-species dynamic site-occupancy models, we showed that T. cristatus exclusively uses fish-free ponds and prefers low-conductivity waters. Triturus marmoratus preferentially used small ponds and did not strictly avoid fish. The two species co-occurred in 12 ponds, and hybrids were found in 13 ponds, always alongside at least one of the parental species. These results reveal fine-scale habitat selection and contrasting breeding habitat preferences between these parapatric species. As previous work in the contact zone suggested that T. marmoratus leaves breeding sites earlier in the season than T. cristatus, future work should investigate whether seasonal changes in physicochemical conditions influence breeding phenology and habitat use. Integrating water temperature as an additional dynamic pond characteristic may provide new insights into species-specific responses, especially for T. cristatus at the southern edge of its range.