Anurans use multiple cues to select microhabitats, such as those mimicked by PVC pipes, which are commonly used to research treefrog populations. However, there is limited information regarding how the choice to reside in a pipe may be affected by the presence of a conspecific already using the pipe. This study tested whether treefrogs of the Gray Treefrog and Cope's Gray Treefrog complex were more likely to be found singly in PVC pipes or in same-sex or opposite sex groups. A total of 316 treefrogs were marked and followed during summer over a 7-year period, resulting in 907 captures. A contingency table analysis was conducted to assess the independence of social condition (alone or in a group), sex, and year. A second contingency table analysis was conducted on those found in groups to determine the independence of group condition (same-sex or opposite sex), sex, and year. The first analysis indicated a significant association between year and social condition only, with treefrogs more likely to be residing in pipes singly (73% found alone). The second analysis indicated a significant association between year and group condition and year and sex, with same-sex groups (17%) being more common than opposite-sex groups (8%). Both male and female treefrogs appear less likely to occur in pipes with treefrogs already residing in them, but those that do seem more likely to reside with same-sex individuals. This association with unoccupied pipes implies that researchers should carefully assess the number of treefrogs needed to achieve the statistical power required for their study and provide enough PVC pipes to house that number.

Large branchiopods are a group of aquatic crustaceans known for possessing hardy resting eggs capable of dispersal between temporary wetland habitats by wind and animal vectors. In this study, we rehydrated dry sediments from bison wallows to assess large branchiopod use of these habitats and potentially the capacity of bison to act as dispersal vectors of cysts. We observed one clam shrimp genus and one tadpole shrimp species in our rehydrated samples, providing strong evidence of large branchiopod establishment in bison-created habitats. We failed to see a relationship between spatial arrangement, bison utilization, and large branchiopod abundance, so future studies are encouraged to assess dispersal capability by bison.