ISSN 1026-0269 FROGLOG Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force

August 1997, Number 23. In light of the resultant probability account for most precipitation during Golden Toads, distributions, the declines at the dry season. As moisture-laden Null Models, Monteverde appear to go well beyond trade winds meet the windward and Climate natural fluctuations. Even when we (Caribbean) slope of the cordillera and Change doubled our initial probability estimate, flow upward, they cool adiabatically, our conclusions were the same. We producing a large orographic cloud

believe that the results confirm the bank. I hypothesize that atmospheric By J. Alan Pounds naturalist's intuition; it is indeed warming has raised the mean height A decade after the 1987 population extraordinary that so many at which condensation begins and collapse that led to the disappearance populations would crash and thereby has increased the average of the endemic golden toad (Bufo disappear. altitude at the base of this cloud bank. periglenes), amphibians in the A comparison with breeding birds Because higher clouds may pass over Monteverde region of Costa Rica's in the same area puts the loss of the cordillera with reduced turbulence Cordillera de Tilarán show little sign of anuran diversity in perspective and drag, they may be less likely to recovery. Twenty species of frogs and (Pounds et al., in press). The relative produce low-intensity precipitation toads (40% of the anuran fauna) have frequency of absences for frogs and (mist) before dissipating on the been missing from a 30 km2 study toads was much greater than that for leeward (Pacific) side. Local area throughout the 1990s (Pounds et breeding birds in general. It was temperature trends, viewed in relation al., in press). similar to that for invasive open- to the modulating effects of clouds, In the debate over the country birds whose habitats had are consistent with global warming significance of amphibian declines in largely reverted from farmland to and this condensation-height model. undisturbed highland areas, forest after being annexed to the Biological patterns also follow the arguments have hinged on standards Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. model's predictions. Many of scientific proof and the absence of Amphibian habitats, however, seemed premontane breeding bird species long-term demographic data for most unchanged. have invaded lower-montane habitats, species. Long-term data are essential Climate may have been a key whereas some lower-montane species to judge whether a particular factor in the declines (Pounds, in have retreated up the mountain population is in decline. Diverse press). Although there is growing slopes. In multiple regression tropical faunas, however, afford an evidence that epidemic disease has analyses, patterns of daily approach that does not rely on these been an important proximate cause of precipitation during the dry season data. mortality, different pathogens have account for most of the year-to-year My co-workers and I asked been implicated in declines on variation in the rate of invasion by whether the observed number of different continents. The patterns premontane bird species. The same disappearances exceeds that suggest the existence of a common patterns are strongly correlated with expected for naturally fluctuating denominator, and global warming abundance in highland populations of populations (Pounds et al., in press). could fill this role through various anoline lizards that have declined and To formulate null models that estimate mechanisms. disappeared. For both climate and the expected number of At Monteverde, there is a strong biological responses, fluctuations in disappearances, we examined long- 24-year trend toward more severe dry sea-surface temperature (i.e. the term studies of other amphibian seasons. Previous analyses signal of El Niño) account for much of assemblages. We chose studies that suggested that climate had played a the variation superimposed on the were conducted on spatial scales role in the 1987 crash (Pounds and long-term trends. The most extreme appropriate for comparison with Crump 1994). They did not reveal patterns of daily precipitation were Monteverde and that illustrated how major trends, however, because they associated with the 1986-87 warm unstable populations can be. From focused on monthly and annual data episode, which immediately preceded these studies, we estimated the rather than day-to-day patterns. the collapse of amphibian populations. probability that a single species would Variability of daily precipitation has The condensation-height model disappear in response to a natural increased, leading to drier extremes, and evidence for it are summarized in disturbance such as a drought. without affecting monthly or yearly an overview of the biology of Substituting this value in a binomial averages. Days with no measurable Monteverde's amphibians and reptiles distribution, we calculated the precipitation have become more in relation to the declines (Pounds, in likelihood that a particular number of frequent and have increasingly press). Supporting data and analyses species would disappear coalesced into dry periods. are in a forthcoming paper (A. simultaneously. The patterns suggest a change Pounds, M. Fogden, and J. Campbell, in the advective processes that unpubl.), which will be presented in the BirdLife International/WWF Conversion to organic tea The leaf litter quadrats effectively workshop "Impacts of Climate Change production in this region has sample the fossorial and terrestrial on Flora and Fauna" in September at contributed greatly to the re- frogs and the nocturnal transects the National Center for Atmospheric establishment of populations of local sample virtually all the visible frogs. Research (NCAR) in Boulder, frogs. While tremendous gains have The TLOs typically have education Colorado. been made among local amphibian levels equivalent only to US grades 1 Global warming is an important populations by this conversion, and or 2. However, because the methods threat to highland biological the cessation of biocide spraying, the require only basic literacy and communities. The Monteverde Cloud question of an agricultural landscape numeracy skills, utilizing TLOs has Forest Preserve announces the with an efficient, lined drainage proven to be useful, effective, and formation of the Monteverde Climate system still remains. feasible for long-term monitoring of Panel, an interdisciplinary group that The microhabitat potential of the frog populations in Papua New will focus on this problem. We also natural landscape has been lost in the Guinea. announce completion of the Golden design of the modern tea garden. To Leaf litter sampling is conducted Toad Laboratory for Conservation address this feature, a Sri Lankan at randomly selected locations (GTLC), devoted to research, applied company, Lanka Organics Ltd., plans determined using a random number conservation, and education. Details to begin work with a local NGO, the table. Each quadrat is a 5 x 5 meter will be given in a future issue of NeoSynthesis Research Centre, to square and is worked by a team of Froglog. build up amphibian microhabitats in four TLOs, one for each side of the Work on amphibian declines has their organic tea garden. The tea thus plot. After the limits of the plot have been supported by the Tropical produced will be certified as benefiting been determined, the beginning Science Center, Stanford University's local biodiversity (in the first instance, sampling time is recorded, and each Center for Conservation Biology, the amphibians) as well as being TLO searches slowly through the leaf MacArthur Foundation, Chicago's produced organically. litter and ground detritus to locate Brookfield Zoo, and the U.S. National For more information contact: frogs. A general sweep is conducted Science Foundation. Ranil Senanayake, Earthkind, Sri by each TLO on each side so that Pounds, J.A. (in press) Amphibians Lanka. respective layers of leaf litter are and Reptiles. In: The ecology and 100232.3435@compuserve. brushed from inside the plot to the natural history of Monteverde, Costa com outside, from in front of the worker, to behind him. In this way, no animals Rica: A background for conservation. Kamal Melvani, Neosynthesis N.M. Nadkarni & N.T. Wheelwright can escape without at least being Research Center, Sri Lanka. seen. When frogs are located, they (Eds.), Oxford University Press, [email protected] Oxford, UK. are captured and immediately T.J.Raj, Lanka Organics, Sri Lanka. transferred to a plastic bag. After each Pounds, J.A., and Crump, M.L. (1994) [email protected] TLO has met in the center of the plot, Amphibian declines and climate the ending time is recorded, along with disturbance: the case of the golden Using Local People data on the species, sex, SVL, toad and the harlequin frog. to Monitor Frog location, and mass of each frog. Each Conservation Biology 72-85. 8: Populations in frog is then released and habitat Pounds, J.A., Fogden, M.P.L., Papua New Guinea variables are recorded. This is an Savage, J.M. and Gorman, G.C. (in especially powerful technique when press) Tests of null models for In an effort to begin long-term properly deployed as it can be used to amphibian declines on a tropical monitoring of the virtually unknown inventory fossorial and terrestrial mountain. Conservation Biology. frog populations of Papua New species present at a site, as well as to Contact: J. Alan Pounds, Golden Toad Guinea, David Bickford of the determine species densities and Laboratory for Conservation, University of Miami has developed a relative abundances. Moreover, since Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve training program based on a series of each quadrat is randomly chosen and and Tropical Science Center, Santa standard methods to be utilized by independent, changes in species Elena, Puntarenas 5655, Box 73, local people on a long-term basis. By assemblages over time can be COSTA RICA. utilizing trained local observers detected, an important goal of [email protected] (TLO's) in long-term monitoring, two monitoring. purposes of conservation are served: To conduct nocturnal visual local peoples are empowered, trained, encounter surveys, randomly selected Frog Tea? and indoctrinated in the conservation transects (usually bush trails) are searched for animals for a prescribed ethic, and the cost of data acquisition period of time (1 hr) at night. Each is decreased dramatically without affecting the quality of the data transect is worked by a team of four Frog species such as Polypedates acquired. David has selected two TLOs, the same team working on the eques and Rana greeni were once separate methods which sample quadrate plots. One TLO is selected abundant in the mountainous tea- different components of the frog to record data, one to measure and growing area of Sri Lanka, but are assemblages of Papua New Guinea. hold captured frogs, and the other two now almost absent. A prominent He has modified the visual encounter locate and capture frogs along the feature in modern tea production is survey methodology of Heyer et al. transect. The beginning time is the use of herbicides, especially (1994) into a nocturnal transect more recorded, and each TLO searches around drains and watercourses. The compatible for use with poorly slowly from ground level to Item by Michael Tyler (Froglog 21), on educated local peoples, and has also approximately 3 meters above the the effect of herbicide wetting agents slightly modified a quadrat method for forest floor to locate frogs with a on amphibian populations, helps to a standard 5m x 5m leaf litter plot. flashlight or torch. Because this is a explain the virtual absence of David initially tried using 8m x 8m visual method, calling frogs are not amphibian populations in tea estates quadrats and found that they were given special treatment (i.e., only frogs and the rapid response of refugial unmanageable on the steep terrain directly visible are captured). When a populations when spraying is stopped. characteristic of his research areas. frog is captured, appropriate data are

2 recorded and the frog is released. continued presence there is are predominantly abnormal. After one hour of searching along the precarious. Clearly the cane toad as a Colleagues at Adelaide University transect, the time is recorded and species is not endangered, and a have demonstrated subtle differences appropriate environmental variables polite guffaw might be appropriate. in the genetic make-up of this species are recorded. This technique, like the The corollary is that a protected across its huge geographic range, and quadrat technique described above, is species may not always be in need of a likely cause of the abnormalities is proving to be extremely useful as it the legislative protection afforded it. that they are pairing frogs from can be used to inventory and monitor The green treefrog Litoria caerulea is different parts of Australia. What the virtually all frog species at a site. a good example. Coveted by pet breeding establishments need is fresh For more information on the keepers throughout the world, this stock from a known locality. monitoring program and techniques species is abundant in Australia and License six breeders in the USA, being developed and utilized in Papua not one in need of protection to four each in Germany, the UK and New Guinea, or for sample data ensure its survival. At a remote cattle Holland, and the market will be sheets, contact: David Bickford, Crater station in the Northern Territory I satisfied. It would involve a once-off Mtn. Biological, P.O. Box 1261, found two happily swimming in a toilet series of shipments of a grand total of Goroka, EHP, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. bowl, and a further 33 in the cistern about 500 frogs. People are permitted above it. Yet no one can export one to breed and trade in green treefrogs for commercial gain. And so they are in Australia, so what is wrong in letting Commercial exported illegally, despite the risks. folk overseas enjoy them too? And in Trade in I suggest that for species that the process make it no longer Australian are abundant, it should be possible to financially attractive for there to be an Native Fauna devise legal, regulated export. There illegal export trade. should be a system whereby breeding Contact: Michael J. Tyler, Department establishments overseas could be of Zoology, University of Adelaide, By Michael J. Tyler inspected and licensed to import one GPO Box 498, SA 5005, AUSTRALIA. DAPTF Australia dozen male frogs and one dozen [email protected] Regulations intended to protect females. The licensees would pay a

Australian native animals provide for fee sufficient to cover the costs of severe penalties for those engaged in inspection and registration, to obtain Review: The illegal export. The Wildlife Protection fewer than those I found in a single Action Plan for Act of 1982 prescribes up to 10 years toilet. The market for this species Australian imprisonment and currently a could be met, and the incentive for Frogs maximum fine of $100,000 illegal export destroyed. (Australian) for traffickers. The concept that I propose would Published by Wildlife Australia in April I question whether all species not include any species that has any 1997 and written by Michael J. Tyler should be protected, whether conservation concern; solely those (DAPTF Australia), this Action Plan is exceptions can be made, and whether species that are abundant. We are not a coherent review of the status of the trade could be reduced as a talking about selling rare parrots, Australia's 27 species of most consequence. I appreciate that amphibians or reptiles, but individuals "endangered" and "vulnerable" frogs; blanket legislation is perhaps easier to of species whose populations will be and lays down management administer, but there are species that unaffected if they are culled in the objectives with which to facilitate each are abundant, widespread and literal sense. species' recovery. The budgetary 'secure' (in wildlife parlance), and do Not everyone will be enthusiastic requirements of these management not need this level of protection. If this about the proposal. The animal rights objectives are also laid out. Act was sufficiently selective to permit movements perceive all trade and use The target species include 11 exclusions, a portion of the illegal of native species as immoral, and Litoria spp., Nyctimystes dayi and 15 trade could be halted for ever. Each other individuals argue that no species members of the family State and Territory controls the use should be kept in captivity. Sadly Leptodactylidae. The "Recovery and management of the fauna within many highly endangered species are Outline" for each species covers its boundaries. The benefit is State only found in zoos, and it is via zoos taxonomic data, species survival care and interest, but the downside is that reintroduction programs are status, distribution and habitat details, the lack of cohesion in policy. possible, such as the release of reasons for declines, recovery and Certainly there is interaction, but a Przwalski horses from Dubbo and management objectives, and State unilaterally can regard a species Monarto Zoos in their homeland of organisations involved in the species' to be 'endangered' for any reason; for Mongolia. recovery. Appendices include a example, being found only in a Legalised trade is considered checklist of Australian frogs, as well as minuscule geographic area near the unacceptable by others because they summaries of the conservation status State boundary, ignoring the fact that perceive species being switched, and of the target species and the possible it may occupy millions of square difficulty in monitoring such a scheme. reasons for their declines. A further 14 kilometres beyond it. So let me put it in perspective. The species likely to be of conservation To avoid citing an Australian hobby of keeping frogs as pets is very concern are also listed. example, I would refer to the cane common in the USA, UK, Germany The Action Plan also makes toad, Bufo marinus. The States, and Holland. On mainland Europe valuable recommendations for species Territory and Australian Governments several countries ban the keeping of recovery based on the particular have spent millions of dollars seeking native species (to conserve the problems associated with amphibian means of eradicating this imported dwindling populations), but permit the conservation. It serves well as a pest. Its natural range extends from keeping of exotics. In the USA there model for other action plans covering the Amazon Basin of Brazil, through are several private breeding the amphibians of any country or central America to the U.S.A., where it establishments which are successfully geographic unit. just crosses the Texan boundary. producing young frogs. In the case of The Action Plan can be viewed at: Texas has protected the species and the green treefrog they often have http://www.biodiversity.environmen regards it as endangered because its trouble in that the offspring of a mating t.gov.au/plants/threaten or obtained

3 from The Australian National Botanical Manning; Alan McCready; Marilyn bullfrog extinction. Amer. Midl. Nat. Gardens for $15 (Australian) plus Ortt; *Hubert R. Quinn; *Albert 137: 145-150. postage and handling. Contact: Robbins; Rina Marie Rodriguez; *Mr. Hecnar, S.J. & M'Closkey, A.N.B.G., The Botanical Bookshop, & Mrs. Edward R. Rose III; *Hobart R.T. PO Box 351, Jamison, ACT 2614, Smith; Albert Spencer; Michael Sredl; (1997) The effects of predatory fish on AUSTRALIA. Raymond Stein; Charles Thomas; amphibian species richness and Tel: +61-6 - 257 - 3302 Judith K. Torrence; Unknown from distribution. Biol. Conservation Fax: +61-6 - 250 - 9549 Hawaii. 79: 123-131. Tropical field experience is sought Moulton, C.A., Fleming, W.J. & DAPTF by two biologists hoping to enhance Nerney, B. R. (1996) The use of PVC Merchandise their research skills before attending pipes to capture hylid frogs. Herpetol. graduate school. Services may be Rev. 27: 186-187. DAPTF Stickers (adhesive-backed or donated in return for food and travel window stickers) featuring our expenses. If you can help, please Oldham, R.S., Latham, D.M., Hilton- Neobatrachus motif are still available, contact Michael Anderson: Brown, D., Towns, M., Cooke, A.S. & and we can now accept cheques in [email protected] Burn, A. (1997) The effect of ammonium nitrate fertiliser on frog British pounds sterling (£1 each) or New Working Group Chairs have (Rana temporaria) survival. US dollars ($2 each). been appointed for Bermuda and the Agriculture, Ecosystems & NEW! Sew-on patches for your People's Republic of China. Contact Environment 61: 69-74. fieldwork jacket or rucksack, featuring (Bermuda): Don W. Linzey, a similar design to the stickers in Department of Biology, Wytheville Olson, D.H., Leonard, W.P. & Bury, green and yellow are now available for Community College, 1000 East Main R.B. (Eds.) (1997) Sampling £3 each (pounds sterling) or $5 each St., Wytheville, VA 24382, USA. Amphibians in Lentic Habitats. (US dollars). Please send all orders (China): Wang Yuezhao, Chengdu Northwest Fauna No. 4, Society for for the above items to John Wilkinson Institute of Biology, Academia Sinica, Northwestern Vertebrate Biology, at the Task Force office (address Chengdu, Sichuan, PO Box 416, Olympia, Washington. below). Please make cheques payable People's Republic of China. Ovaska, K., Davis, T.M. & Flamarique, to DAPTF. The 2nd Annual Meeting of the I.N. (1997) Hatching success and Canadian Amphibian and Reptile larval survival of the frogs Hyla regilla Froglog Shorts Conservation Network and the 7th and Rana aurora under ambient and Annual Meeting of the Task Force on artificially enhanced solar ultraviolet Declining Amphibian Populations in radiation. Can. J. Zool. 75: 1081- 1088. DONATIONS We are very pleased to Canada (DAPCAN) will be held at announce that the $10,000 challenge Arcadia University, Wolfville, Nova Resetarits, W.J. (1997) Differences in issued by our Anonymous Donor for Scotia on October 3-5, 1997. For an ensemble of streamside climate change seed grants has been further information contact: Stan salamanders (Plethodontidae) above matched. An asterisk indicates a Orchard, 1745 Bank Street, Victoria, and below a barrier to brook trout. response to this challenge grant. We British Columbia, CANADA. Amphibia-Reptilia 18: 15-25. gratefully acknowledge receipt of the [email protected] Risk Assessment Forum (1997) following donations from 1 April Special report on environmental through 31 July 1997. Organizations: Publications of endocrine disruption: an effects *Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; assessment and analysis. US Interest *Cleveland Zoological Society; Environmental Protection Agency, *Columbus Zoological Park Washington DC. (EPA/630/R-96/012); Association, Inc.; *Detroit Zoological 116pp. Baker, J. (1997) The Declining Institute; *Emporia Friends of the Zoo, Amphibian Populations Task Force. Tyler, M.J. (1997) The action plan for Inc.; *Wilhelm Ludwig Ferdinand Brit. Herpetol. Soc. Bulletin 59: 35-38. Australian frogs. Wildlife Australia Martens Fund for Protection of Endangered Species Program (77 pp.) Wildlife; *Miami Metrozoo, Zoological Beebee, T.J.C. (1997) Changes in dewpond numbers and amphibian Ranjit Daniels, R.J. (1997) A field Society of Florida; *Minnesota guide to frogs and toads of the Herpetological Society; *National diversity over 20 years on chalk downland in Sussex, England. Western Ghats, India: Part 1. Cobra Aquarium in Baltimore; *New York 27: 1-25. Herpetological Society; The Phoenix Biological Conservation 81: 215-219. Wilkinson, J.W. (1997) The Declining Zoo; *Salzburger Tiergarten Cooke, A.S. (1997) Monitoring a Amphibian Populations Task Force: Hellbrunn; *The San Francisco breeding population of crested newts Zoological Society; Taiwan Council of (Triturus cristatus) in a housing who we are and what we do. Reptilian Agriculture, Forestry Department; development. Herpetol. J. 7: 37-41. 5(1): 57. (For Reptilian subscription details, please contact: Reptilian *Toledo Zoological Gardens; *Wildlife Dodd, C.K. (1997) Imperiled Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo). Magazine, 22 Firs Close, Hazlemere, amphibians: a historical perspective. High Wycombe, HP15 7TF, UK.) Individual Donors: J. Kevin Aitkin; In: Aquatic Fauna in Peril: The Jay Bowerman; *Park Carter; Gary J. Southeastern Perspective, G.W. Benz FROGLOG is the newsletter of the Cohen; *Mary McDermott Cook; & D.E. Collins (Eds.), Special Declining Amphibian Populations Task Melinda Courtney; Kevin de Queiroz; Force. Partial funding for FROGLOG is Publication 1, Southeast Aquatic provided by donation from: Frog's Leap *E. Fred Elledge; James R. Firth; Research Institute, Lenz Design & Winery, P.O. Box 189, Rutherford, CA Nadine Foley; James Fowler; *Carol Communication, Decatur, Georgia: 94573, USA. Frank; *Karen S. Graham; *Brian 159-196. Edited by: John W. Wilkinson, Department Gray; Alexandra B. Hoge; Mrs. M. Hecnar, S.J. & M'Closkey, R.T. of Biology, The Open University, Walton Hope; *Douglas E. Johnston; J. Eric (1997) Changes in the composition of Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Juterbock; Ewald Lapioli; *Richard L. a ranid frog community following Kingdom. Lardie; R. Jane Lynch; *Glenn Phone: +44 (0) 1908 - 652274.

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