• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.344-352
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• 2016

The goal of this study was to identify the water temperature and sound environment of oviposition sites of the Huanren brown frog (Rana huanrensis), which breeds in valleys in early spring. The study was conducted in Chiak National Park, central Korea, between March 23 and April 24, 2015. Correlation analysis of the physical factors of oviposition sites revealed that the number of egg clutches was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with the water temperature and negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the sound volume of the oviposition sites. However, no correlation was found between clutch number and the total area or depth of water. The water temperature of the oviposition sites was $2.2^{\circ}C$ higher on average than that of the mainstream (p < 0.001). To avoid the low early spring temperatures, R. huanrensis spawned in sites with accumulated water, in which the depths were less than 10cm and the temperature was relatively high. Further, eggs were spawned in clusters in small spaces to maximize the thermal insulation effect. In terms of noise levels, oviposition sites were found to be 6.9 dB quieter than the mainstream (p<0.001). In conclusion, R. huanrensis was found to spawn in warm, quiet, and small oviposition sites in valleys to avoid low early spring temperatures and loud water noise. This study is significant because it is the first to characterize the sound environment of amphibian oviposition sites.