Multi‐species occupancy modeling provides novel insights into amphibian metacommunity structure and wetland restoration

A fundamental goal of community ecology is to understand species–habitat relationships and how they shape metacommunity structure. Recent advances in occupancy modeling enable habitat be assessed for both common rare species within metacommunities using multi-species models (MSOM). These account imperfect detection offer considerable advantages over other analytical tools commonly used analyses under the elements structure (EMS) framework. Here, we demonstrate that MSOM can infer test theory, amphibians. Repeated frog surveys were undertaken at 55 wetland sites southeastern Australia. We detected 11 from three families (Limnodynastidae, Myobatrachidae, Pelodryadidae). The rarest was only one site whereas most 42 (naive rate 0.02–0.76). Two representing two competing hypotheses; best-supported model included covariates distance nearest (connectivity), area, presence non-native eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), proportion cover emergent vegetation, an interaction term between Gambusia vegetation cover, canopy a site. Hydroperiod played no detectable role found fit with current theory: increased area connectivity. There strong negative relationship predatory Gambusia, positive vegetation. strongly several tree species, highlighting importance terrestrial amphibian demonstrated responses by amphibians environmental level linked patterns scale. Our results have clear management implications: restoration projects likely taxa should maximize connectivity, establish partial eradicate or provide aquatic mitigate impact this fish. advocate use elucidate drivers behind animal derive unbiased estimates monitoring programs.