List of Titles

Impacts of climate change and urban development on the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)

- Wilson, Joab, Bekessy, Sarah, Parris, Kirsten, Gordon, Ascelin, Heard, Geoffrey, Wintle, Brendan

Authors: Wilson, Joab , Bekessy, Sarah , Parris, Kirsten , Gordon, Ascelin , Heard, Geoffrey , Wintle, Brendan
Date: 2012
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Austral Ecology Vol.38, no. 1 (2012), p.11-22
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Description: Climate change and urbanization are among the most serious threats to amphibians, although little is known about their combined effects. We used a predictive spatial habitat suitability model to explore the potential impacts of climate change and urban development on the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) on the urban-fringe of Melbourne, Australia. The CSIRO climate-change predictions for the region indicate likely temperature increases of 3Â°C, and annual rainfall reductions of around 200mm by the year 2070. Much of the study area overlaps a region that has been identified as one of the city's growth corridors. We used Bayesian logistic regression modelling to estimate current and future habitat suitability of pond sites in the Merri Creek catchment, exploring a range of best- to worst-case scenarios through the use of hydrological and urbanization models. Our predictions for 2070, even under a moderate climate-change scenario, suggest that the majority of ponds in the study area will be dry throughout much of the year. This has obvious implications for L.tasmaniensis, which is an aquatic breeding species. However, in the short term, urbanization is likely to have a more significant effect on the distribution of L.tasmaniensis in the Merri Creek catchment, particularly if development moves beyond the current urban growth boundary. The combined effects of climate change and urbanization could have a profound impact on the species, potentially causing it to disappear from within the study area. We provide recommendations for including such predictive models in urban planning and restoration activities to prepare for future conservation challenges. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 Ecological Society of Australia.

Interactive effects of land use, grazing and environment on frogs in an agricultural landscape

- Pulsford, Stephanie, Barton, Philip, Driscoll, Don, Lindenmayer, David

Authors: Pulsford, Stephanie , Barton, Philip , Driscoll, Don , Lindenmayer, David
Date: 2019
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment Vol. 281, no. (2019), p. 25-34
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Description: Improved management of human-modified landscapes must be part of global efforts to combat biodiversity loss. We aimed to identify which land management types and environmental factors influenced the use of grazing landscapes by frogs. We surveyed frog assemblages in remnant vegetation, four different paddock types (pasture, linear planting, coarse woody debris addition and fence), and two grazing regimes (continuous and rotational). Frogs were surveyed using pitfall and funnel traps in twelve grazing farms in south-eastern Australia. We found that grazed agricultural landscapes provide important habitats for a variety of species of frogs and that frog assemblages were influenced by both farm management type and environmental variables, and their interactions. Total frog abundance increased with proximity to water more strongly in remnants compared to paddocks. This difference in response may be due to different traits and behaviours of frogs in remnants compared to frogs in open paddocks. Rare frog species richness and abundance of a common species (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) increased with taller ground cover in remnants but no such relationship occurred in paddocks. Different types of predation risk in remnants compared to paddocks may result in greater ground cover shelter requirements in remnants, as vegetation structure can strongly influence predation. Total frog species richness increased more rapidly with higher rainfall in continuously grazed versus rotationally grazed farms. Higher rainfall was associated with taller ground cover. Continuously grazed farms had shorter average ground cover than rotationally grazed farms and the increased ground cover height associated with more rain may bring ground cover to a height better able to provide shelter and reduce desiccation risk for frogs. Our study highlights the importance of both land management practices and environmental conditions and their interaction in shaping frog assemblages. Improved frog biodiversity conservation may be achieved in grazing landscapes by retaining patches of remnant vegetation, maintaining water bodies such as farm dams, and maintaining tall ground cover within vegetation remnants. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

First record of Chilapata rain-pool frog Minervarya chilapata Ohler, Deuti, Grosjean, Paul, Ayyaswamy, Ahmed & Dutta, 2009 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from Nepal

- Gautam, Bivek, Bhattarai, Santosh

Authors: Gautam, Bivek , Bhattarai, Santosh
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Herpetozoa Vol. 35, no. (2022), p. 179-185
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Description: Chilapata rain-pool frog (Minervarya chilapata) was described in 2009 from the Chilapata Reserve Forest of West Bengal, India. Here, we report the occurrence of M. chilapata for the first time from Morang district, Nepal, based on acoustic and morphological characters such as the presence of a distinct white line in the upper lip, small size (snout-vent length 18 to 26 mm), pointed snout and presence of dorso-lateral black patch. The nearest record of Chilapata rain-pool frog in Nepal from Pathari-Kanepokhari forest, Morang district, Nepal is ca.182 km west of its type locality Chilapata Reserve Forest, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India. We also report the occurrence of M. chilapata from Barandabhar Biological Corridor, Chitwan National Park, Nepal based on a photographic record. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the species as Data Deficient. Therefore, this record from Nepal will add new presence data for future status assessment for the species. © 2022 Osterreichische Gesellschaft fur Herpetologie e.V.. All rights reserved.

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