Anurans in a coastal area in Brazil were studied to see how their diversity is influenced by the environment and distance between ponds. The researchers found that while the types of anurans in different ponds were affected by both the environment and distance, the traits of the anurans were more influenced by how far apart the ponds were. This means that the environment determines which anurans live where, while distance between ponds affects the differences in traits among the anurans. This shows that both random and niche-based processes play a role in shaping anuran communities, even in small areas.