Native Frog Monitoring in Northern NSW—South East Queensland Regions

A field guide to Native Frog Monitoring In Northern NSW—South East Queensland Regions

WetlandCare Australia: Supporting the community to protect and restore Australian wetlands since 1991

Contents

Australian frogs 4 Native frog identification techniques 5 Field preparation 6 Monitoring technique 1—Five minute, five metre 8 radius frog call censuses at point zero Monitoring technique 2—Visual survey along a 10 fifty by two metre bounded transect Monitoring technique 3—Five minute, five metre 12 radius frog call censuses at the fifty metre point Monitoring technique 4—Five minute, fifty metre 14 radius frog call censuses at the fifty metre Frog Monitoring Form—Five minute frog call 16 census Frog Monitoring Form— Weather notes and 18 Habitat conditions Frog Monitoring Form— Visual survey along a 20 fifty by two metre bounded transect Common frog species occurring within the 22 Region

Glossary of terms 24 Reference List 25

WetlandCare Australia: Supporting the community to protect and restore Australian wetlands since 1991

Australian Frogs

Frogs play an important role in the health of Australia’s creeks, rivers and wetlands. Australia has approximately 208 frog species and many of these are endemic. Multiple factors such as human activities, invasive plants and animals, and climate change contribute to the decline in frog populations.

Frog monitoring is a positive technique to help raise community awareness of frogs and understand the issues affecting frogs. Frogs are very shy creatures, and can be difficult to see. One of the best ways to identify what type of frog you may have in you wetland is by its call.

The CD by David Stewart, ‘Australian Frog Calls— Subtropical East’, has all the frog calls from the A field guide to area (except for Litoria piperata, whose call has never been recorded) and can be a very useful identification tool. It can be found at: www.naturesound.com.au Telephone/Fax: 07 32011982 [email protected]

WetlandCare Australia: Supporting the community to protect and restore Australian wetlands since 1991 WetlandCare Australia: Supporting the community to protect and restore Australian wetlands since 1991

A field guide to Native Frog Monitoring

In Northern NSW—South East Queensland

Field preparation and equipment

Preparation Before commencing with the frog survey, several pieces of information need to be entered into the frog monitoring forms and the required equipment to be organized.

Before field work record:  Local air temperature  Relative humidity  Wind speed  Moonlight  Weather observations  Cloud cover  The weather leading up to the field work Some information can be recorded on site if there is a portable weather metre available.

Listen and pack a recording of the CD by David Stewart, ‘Australian Frog Calls—Subtropical East’, on an MP3 player.

Equipment

Thermometer 50m measuring tape Ten star pickets with reflective markers Watch Stop watch Piece of string with a weight on the bottom for measuring deep water Metre ruler for shallow water Pen Field identification book MP3 player with frog recordings Enclosed shoes Safety clothes First aid kit

Monitoring Technique 1

Five minute, five metre radius frog call censuses at point zero

Step 1: Place a 50 metre transect within the monitoring site and using star pickets with reflective markers at points zero (start) and 50 metres (end).

Here

0m 50m

Step 2: Starting at point zero, on the frog monitoring form, record the starting time, water depth at central point and water temperature on page…...

Step 3: Assess the habitat conditions which are described on page…..

Step 4: Within a time frame of five minutes, in silence count the total number of individual of each species heard in an estimated five metre radius around the central point.

(If required use an Mp3 player with frog recordings)

Step 5: Fill in part 1 of the frog monitoring form on page …..

Monitoring Technique 2

Visual survey along a fifty by two metre bounded transect

Step 1: Using star pickets with reflective markers, mark one metre either sider of the original 50m transect.

0m 50m 1m

Step 2: Walking in a single file along the transect line, each person using a head torch to scan the vegetation within the one metre on the left and right hand sides for frogs. (For a high potential to detect frogs, a thorough search takes at least one hour to survey the 50m transect).

Step 3: In addition to the initial scan, in areas of dense vegetation, gently move vegetation to the side by hand to look in dense areas

Step 4: Record all other vertebrate species observed or herd within the bounded transect. On page…..

Step 5: During and at the completion of the 50 metre transect record: an estimate of the percentage of the transect with surface water, an estimate of the maximum water depth along the transect, water temperature, and start and finish times on page…...

Note: Take care when walking to minimize trampling on the vegetation along transect.

Monitoring Technique 3

Five minute, five metre radius frog call censuses at the fifty metre point

Step 1: Starting at the 50m point, on the frog monitoring form, record the starting time, water depth at central point and water temperature on page…... Here

0m 50m

Step 2: Assess the habitat conditions which are described on page…..

Step 3: Within a time frame of five minutes, in silence count the total number of individual of each species heard in an estimated five metre radius around the central point.

(If required use an Mp3 player with frog recordings)

Step 4: Fill in part 1 of the frog monitoring form on page …..

Monitoring Technique 4

Five minute, fifty metre radius frog call censuses at the fifty metre point

Step 1: Starting at the 50m point, on the frog monitoring form, record the starting time on page…..

Here

0m 50m

Note: This is a less rigorous census which covers the period from the commencement of the first frog call census to leaving the site.

Step 3: Within a time frame of five minutes, in silence count the total number of individual of each species heard in an estimated five metre radius around the central point.

(If required use an Mp3 player with frog recordings)

50m

Step 4: Fill in part 1 of the frog monitoring form on page …..

Frog Monitoring Form

Site Location: ______Date (dd/mm/yyyy): ___/___/______Observers:______

Five minute frog call census – 5m radius at transect start point (0m)

Start ______:______hrs Water depth: ______cm Water temp: ______°C Air temp (D/W): ______/______°C Wind speed: ______m/s Weather1: ______Cloud: ______eighths RH: ______% Moon2: ______

Five minute frog call census – 5m radius at transect finish point (50m) Site visit ID: office use______Start ______:______hrs Water depth: ______cm Water temp: ______°C Air temp (D/W): ______/______°C Wind speed: ______m/s Weather1: ______Cloud: ______eighths RH: ______% Moon2: ______

Species (write NIL if Number calling Notes nothing heard)

1. Codes for weather: 51 = fine, 01 = slight rain showers, 04 = moderate rain showers, 07 = heavy rain showers, 10 = intermittent slight rain, 11 = intermittent slight drizzle, 13 = intermittent moderate rain, 14 = intermittent moderate drizzle, 16 = intermittent heavy rain, 17 = intermittent heavy drizzle, 19 = continuous slight rain, 20 = continuous slight drizzle, 23 = continuous moderate rain, 24 = continuous moderate drizzle, 27 = continuous heavy rain, 47 = slight thunderstorm, 48 = moderate thunderstorm, 49 = heavy thunderstorm

2 Codes for moon: 0=no moon, 1=1/4 moon, 2=1/2 moon, 3=3/4 moon, 4=full moon, 5=moon present but unsure of phase due to cloud cover etc

Weather notes [including previous day(s)]: ______

18 Habitat conditions (along 50m transect and immediately adjacent): a) Recent fire? Y/N. If yes describe intensity and coverage of fire below. b) Pig damage codes. For extent of damage circle one of the following - P0 = no recent pig damage; P1 = Recent pig damage, over a small area or very patchy; P2 = Light to moderate recent pig damage, scattered over less than 50% of the area censused; P3 = Moderate to heavy recent pig damage, continuously or scattered over the majority of the area censused. (additional notes, e.g. type of damage, can be recorded below) c) Water quality (note below presence of discolouration from run-off, algal blooms, pollutants etc) d) Recent flooding (describe below): ______Other census notes (incl factors affecting detectability): ______p.t.o to record census results for 50m transect

>25mm

25mm

no sign of tail

—

Frogs

20mm

<16 mm

Tally records of wallum sedgefrog according to the following body length length body following to the according sedgefrog wallum of records Tally classes: size (SVL)

Metamorphs (remains tail of visible)

= unknown.=

= tadpole,

= seen,.

Notes

SEE

Ob type

= heard,

HEA

Sex

= metamoprh (evidence of tail);

= handled,

Age

HAN

= juvenile;=

= dead,

DEA

Number

= adult;

use the following codes:

use following the codes:

column to provide further any detail, numbers e.g. ifimage photosor taken call recordings.

Records of other species within 50x2m transect (any vertebrate(any within50x2m transect encountered): Recordsspecies other of

Age type Obs

1 2

For For Notes

Species

Common frog species occurring within the region

Scientific Name Common Name Status

^Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog E

^Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog E Adelotus brevis Tusked Frog C Assa darlingtoni Pouched Frog V Crinia parinsignifera Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet C Crinia signifera Common Eastern Froglet C Crinia tinnula Wallum Froglet V Lechriodus fletcheri Fletcher's Frog C Limnodynastes dumerilii Eastern Banjo Frog C Limnodynastes fletcheri Long-thumbed Frog C Limnodynastes ornatus Ornate Burrowing Frog C Limnodynastes peronii Striped marsh frog C Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Spotted Grass Frog C Limnodynastes terraereginae Northern Banjo Frog C Mixophyes fasciolatus Great Barred Frog C Philoria sphagnicolus Sphagnum Frog V Pseudophryne coriacea Red-backed Toadlet C Uperoleia fusca Dusky Toadlet C Uperoleia laevigata Smooth Toadlet C Litoria aurea Green and Golden Bell Frog E

Scientific Name Common Name Status Litoria brevipalmata Green-thighed Frog V Litoria caerulea Common Green Tree Frog C Litoria chloris Red-eyed Tree Frog C Litoria dentata Bleating Tree Frog C Litoria fallax Eastern Sedge Frog C Litoria freycineti Wallum Rocket Frog C Litoria gracilenta Dainty Green Tree Frog C Litoria jervisiensis Jervis Bay Tree Frog C Litoria latopalmata Broad-palmed Frog C Litoria lesueuri Lesueur's Frog C Litoria nasuta Rocket Frog C

Litoria pearsoniana Pearson's Green Tree Frog C Litoria peronii Emerald Spotted Tree Frog C Litoria phyllochroa Leaf-green Tree Frog C Litoria revelata Revealed Frog C Litoria tyleri Tyler's Tree Frog C Litoria verreauxii Verreaux's Frog C

Glossary of terms

Transect: Is a path along which one records and counts the abundance of biological populations. It requires an observer to move along a fixed path and count occurrences along the path.

Bounded transect: Is a transect with boundary lines running along both sides of the main transect line, to create an area. Boundary lines are normally one metre or more away from the main line.

Census: Is a count or survey of a population of individuals.

Endemic: The ecological state of being unique to a define geographic location and no other.

C: Common V: Vulnerable E: Endangered NT: Near Threatened