DOCSLIB.ORG

Postbreeding Movements of the Dark Gopher Frog, Rana Sevosa Goin and Netting: Implications for Conservation and Management

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Postbreeding Movements of the Dark Gopher Frog, Rana Sevosa Goin and Netting: Implications for Conservation and Management Journal o fieryefology, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 336-321, 2001 CopyriJt 2001 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Postbreeding Movements of the Dark Gopher Frog, Rana sevosa Goin and Netting: Implications for Conservation and Management 'Departmmzt of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana Uniwsity, SLU 10736, Hammod, Louisiamla 70403-0736, USA 4USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Southern Institute of Forest Genetics, 23332 Highmy 67, Saucier, Mississippi 39574, USA ABSTRACT.-Conservation plans for amphibians often focus on activities at the breeding site, but for species that use temstrial habitats for much of the year, an understanding of nonbreeding habitat use is also essential. We used radio telemetry to study the postbreeding movements of individuals of the only known population of dark gopher frogs, Rana sevosa, during two breeding seasons (1994 and 1996). Move- ments away from the pond were relatively short (< 300 m) and usually occurred within a two-day period after frogs initially exited the breeding pond. However, dispersal distances for some individuals may have been constrained by a recent clearcut on adjacent private property. Final recorded locations for all individ- uals were underground retreats associated with stump holes, root mounds of fallen trees, or mammal bur- rows in surrounding upland areas. When implementing a conservation plan for Rana sevosa and other amphibians with similar habitat utilization patterns, we recommend that a temstrial buffer zone of pro- tection include the aquatic breeding site and adjacent nonbreeding season habitat. When the habitat is fragmented, the buffer zone should include additional habitat to lessen edge effects and provide connec- tivity between critical habitats. For our study site, we recommend a 1000-m buffer zone around the primary breeding site and each of two other potential breeding ponds. For amphibians that breed in temporary habitat selection. Although" these data are critical ponds, the hibernation sites, breeding sites, and in understanding habitat use by frogs, few te- foraging areas may be temporally and spatially lemetry data are yet published. One study of separated, and individuals must migrate to and ranid frogs (Rana clamitans) using terrestrial from these sites in seasonal cycles (Semlitsch, habitats showed a maximal dispersal distance of 1981; Sinsch, 1990). Because individuals are gen- 560 m, although there was considerable inter- erally concentrated only during the breeding individual variation (Lamoureux and Madison, season, many studies of amphibian biology take 1999). place in and adjacent to breeding sites and not Gopher frogs are rare and poorly studied in the nonbreeding habitats. However, design- frogs whose geographic range once extended ing a comprehensive management plan for any throughout the southeastern coastal plain from amphibian that uses terrestrial habitats for North Carolina to Louisiana. Although once mu& of the year requires an understanding of common to abundant in coastal Mississippi and habitat use during both breeding and nonbreed- Louisiana (Allen, 1932; Dundee and Rossman, ing seasons (Dodd, 1996; Dodd and Cade, 1998). 1989), breeding populations of gopher frogs Postbreeding movements of amphibians into west of Alabama have been severely reduced in adjacent terrestrial habitats are poorly under- numbers. They are thought to be extirpated in stood, and distances that most species normally Louisiana and are now known to occu; only at disperse are unknown (Dodd, 1996; Dodd and a single location in the De Soto National Forest Cade, 1998). Although mark-recapture studies in Harrison County, Mississippi. A recent study have provided valuable data on dispersal dis- by Young and Crother (2001) indicated that this tances, recent advances in radio-telemetric methods make this a more suitable method for population is genetically distinct from other studying postbreeding movement pattems and populations of gopher frogs and that it should be recognized as Rana smsa Goin and Netting. Thus, &ere 1s a v~talneed for ~nformat~on0% Author Present both breeding and postbreedlng actlvltles ment of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA, E-mail richter@ou edu Because gopher frogs are secretwe and d~ffi- Present Address Applied Ecology Rewarch to locate of the breeding Group, Un~vers~tyof Canberra, AustralIan Capit,,l knowledge of their ecology 1s generally llmlted Territory 2601, Australia to stud~esof reproductwe ecology at breed~ng MOVEMENTS AND CONSEIiVATlON OF GOPIiER FliOGS 31 7 s~tes(eg, Ra~ley,1991; Sernl~tschct a1 , 1995, harness plus transm~tterfor all ~ndivtdualswas Young, 1997, I'al~s, 1998, Rtcliter, 1998) During 3-5'%, of the total mass of the frog Th~sis well the nonbreed~ngseason, gopher frogs have been below the general rule of 1O1%as tlie maximum reported to take shelter in the burrows of go- we~ghtratio of traiism~tterpackages to body pher torto~scs, Gop\lcrlri po/t/p/rc7~iilli(Franz, Illass (R~cliardset al., 1994) 1986) D~staiicesmoved from the breed~ngs~tc To determ~nepotcnt~al ~iegat~ve effects on go- after reproduct~onare unknown, except for two pher trogs, thc harness design n7as tested on ~nd~vidualsin Flor~dathat were' tound 1 6 and southern leopard frogs, Roll(? sf~l~~~izo~~~~~l~oio,111 2 0 l<m trom a brecd~ngs~te (Carr, 1940, Franz the laboratory for 60 clays No sk111 abras~onsor et al , 1988) The absence of quant~f~eddata ad- other problc~nswere observed, aiid frogs con- dress~iig postbreed~ng movement patterns tinued to eat norinally The steel barb used to makes ~t d~ff~cultto destgn and assess an ap- hold thc tub~ngt(3gethc.r was suscept~bleto propr~ateconscrvat~on plan for th~sspeclcs In ~iict~stco~id~tions and would, over time, dcltcrr- tills study, we used rad~otelemetry to determ~ne orate and allow the harness to be lost postbrced~ngmovement patterns of R ic.ia~ioat W~tlifew exceptions, frogs were relocated da~- ~tsMississippi breed~ngs~te and niake spec~i~cly For each s~gliting,we recorded date, trme, management recommcndat~ons gcncral habitat, '2nd any beliavioral observa- ttons Care was taken to avo~dd~sturb~ng the frogs Fach relocat~on site was marked ~71th Shr~iyS11c -All work was performed at Glen's plast~cflagg~ng, and tlie distance to the lait Pond and its surroundtngs, located In tlie De sight~ngwas meLisured w~tha measuring wheel Soto National Forest In Harrison County, In or li~pchain Directtons of these pos~tionsrela- southern Miss~sslpp~.Glen's Pond IS an upland, t~veto one another ancl to tlie center of the pond winter-f~ll~ng,ephemeral pond w~than open werc obtained by compass; the coordinates of canopy located In a primarily longleaf pine (PI- the final locations were determ~nedwtth a Glob- nus pal~istris)ecosystein. Although most of the al Posltion~ngSystein un~t(Tr~mbleNav~gat~on surrounding hab~tatIS part of the De Soto Na- NavBeacon XL@, 1-m accuracy) Migration d~s- t~onalForest, the land approxtmately 200 m tances were measured from the center of the north of Glen's Pond was managed by Interna- pond to determ~ncthe area used by the popu- tional Paper Company (IP) as a prne plantat1011 lation after hrecdtng unt~l1999, when ~t was acquired by a pr~vate Stnfl~llci-Statistical tests were performed company for res~deiittaldevelopment uslng SYSTAT 7 0 (SPSS, Inc ) Means are fol- Rolllo P/cv11~try-Frogs used for rad~otelem- lonved by i 1 SE Alpha was 0 05 etry were captured dur~ngpostbreeding Inlgra- tlons by hand or by driit fence w~th25 liter p~t- fdl traps (G~bbonsand Sttnl~tsch,1981) All Gcr~erill M(ri)cvirc~lf IJoftrr 175 -Ei,urteen frogs frogs wcre measured (snout-vent length, SVL) (ti~nemales and five females) were equ~pped to the nearest m~ll~ineter,weightd to tlie nearest w~thrad~o transni~tttlrs Two trogs subsequently 0 5 g w~tha I'esola '"pr~ng balance, glveli an lost tlie~rtransm~tters prlor to movement from ~nd~v~clualtoe cl~p follon~~~ig the scheme of Don- the pond, result~ngIn a total ot 12 rad~o-tele- ncdly (1989), trtted w~thtransm~ttcrs, and re- nietrrcd gopher frogs (seven males and five te- leased at the s~teof capture w~tliin24 h Males males) Although the study spanned two sepa- were d~st~ngu~shedfrom tc~nales by tlicir rate breed~ngseasons (1994 and 1996), no 1nd1- thumbs, wli~clienlarge dur~ngthe breed~ngsea- viducil frog was tracked both years (Table 1) son, and by the patred lateral vocal s'tcs Frogs wcre tollowed for 21-88 clays (mean = 52 rrdnsni~tterswerc attached to trogs by ustng days) from 5 February to 25 May 1994 or froni a s111a1l p~eceof polyetliylene m~croc~ithetertub- 29 February to 6 June 1996 (Table 1) ~iigand a bdrb from a large flyline cyelet to All frogs mo\ed relat~velyshort d~stances(< ni,il<c a harness (B;trtelt and I'etcrson, 2000) The 300 m) troin the pond and cliclngcd location in- tub~ngwas thre'tded through a prefabr~c'itcd frequently (Table 1, FI~1) All ~~ilt~almove- hole In the transm~tter,and tlie free ends of tlie ments occurred < 24 h Collow~ngrele'ise Mean tub~ngwerc connected wtth the barb Tlie liar- d~stancemoved froni [lie center of the pond wds ness was posit~onedon tlie wa~stof the frog by 170 0 i 23 43 tn (range. 49-299 m) Tlie known sl~dlng~t over the cxtcnded h~ncflegs Tlie i~tof (= m~ntmum)number of moLcments (changes tlic harness was sii~igover thc th~glisarid sltght- In loc'it~oii)recorclcd per frog rangccl froni 1-5 ly loowr aronrid tlic wa~st We used external (mean = 2 3 t 0 43, Table I), and most move- t1~1nsrntttcrs(IHolohtl Systems lnc , Canada) ments werc assoc~atedw~th I atiifall cvcnts (65'XI w~tha battery life of c~pprox~~n~itely70 days ancl ~n 1994, lOO'%,In 1996, Ivg 2) During m~gratron, a wc~ghtot 1 44 g ILlrnesscs weighed less than five ~nd~v~d~ialsused clumps of grass for refuge, 0 001 g, and the percent of body weight tor the onc was fo~indbur~cd approx~m'ately 15 cni tin- I I 1 Iota1 s~iovementdlst'rncc, <ind I-rie~r\ulementdata lor all frog5 inotiltorccl lirrougli radio telemetry In the 1904 and 1996 brcedrng sca\on\ I Iistance M,iss SVI.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica): a Technical Conservation Assessment
    Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica): A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project March 24, 2005 Erin Muths1, Suzanne Rittmann1, Jason Irwin2, Doug Keinath3, Rick Scherer4 1 U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Ave. Bldg C, Fort Collins, CO 80526 2 Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837 3 Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, P.O. Box 3381, Laramie, WY 82072 4 Colorado State University, GDPE, Fort Collins, CO 80524 Peer Review Administered by Society for Conservation Biology Muths, E., S. Rittman, J. Irwin, D. Keinath, and R. Scherer. (2005, March 24). Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/woodfrog.pdf [date of access]. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the help of the many people who contributed time and answered questions during our review of the literature. AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHIES Dr. Erin Muths is a Zoologist with the U.S. Geological Survey – Fort Collins Science Center. She has been studying amphibians in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region for the last 10 years. Her research focuses on demographics of boreal toads, wood frogs and chorus frogs and methods research. She is a principle investigator for the USDOI Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative and is an Associate Editor for the Northwestern Naturalist. Dr. Muths earned a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1986); a M.S. in Biology (Systematics and Ecology) from Kansas State University (1990) and a Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Notophthalmus Perstriatus) Version 1.0
    Species Status Assessment for the Striped Newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus) Version 1.0 Striped newt eft. Photo credit Ryan Means (used with permission). May 2018 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4 Jacksonville, Florida 1 Acknowledgements This document was prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North Florida Field Office with assistance from the Georgia Field Office, and the striped newt Species Status Assessment Team (Sabrina West (USFWS-Region 8), Kaye London (USFWS-Region 4) Christopher Coppola (USFWS-Region 4), and Lourdes Mena (USFWS-Region 4)). Additionally, valuable peer reviews of a draft of this document were provided by Lora Smith (Jones Ecological Research Center) , Dirk Stevenson (Altamaha Consulting), Dr. Eric Hoffman (University of Central Florida), Dr. Susan Walls (USGS), and other partners, including members of the Striped Newt Working Group. We appreciate their comments, which resulted in a more robust status assessment and final report. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Species Status Assessment (SSA) is an in-depth review of the striped newt's (Notophthalmus perstriatus) biology and threats, an evaluation of its biological status, and an assessment of the resources and conditions needed to maintain species viability. We begin the SSA with an understanding of the species’ unique life history, and from that we evaluate the biological requirements of individuals, populations, and species using the principles of population resiliency, species redundancy, and species representation. All three concepts (or analogous ones) apply at both the population and species levels, and are explained that way below for simplicity and clarity as we introduce them. The striped newt is a small salamander that uses ephemeral wetlands and the upland habitat (scrub, mesic flatwoods, and sandhills) that surrounds those wetlands.
    [Show full text]
  • Rana Temporaria)
    European Community Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (92/43/EEC) Fourth Report by the United Kingdom under Article 17 on the implementation of the Directive from January 2013 to December 2018 Supporting documentation for the conservation status assessment for the species: S1213 ‐ Common frog (Rana temporaria) ENGLAND IMPORTANT NOTE ‐ PLEASE READ • The information in this document is a country‐level contribution to the UK Reporton the conservation status of this species, submitted to the European Commission aspart of the 2019 UK Reporting under Article 17 of the EU Habitats Directive. • The 2019 Article 17 UK Approach document provides details on how this supporting information was used to produce the UK Report. • The UK Report on the conservation status of this species is provided in a separate doc‐ ument. • The reporting fields and options used are aligned to those set out in the European Com‐ mission guidance. • Explanatory notes (where provided) by the country are included at the end. These pro‐ vide an audit trail of relevant supporting information. • Some of the reporting fields have been left blank because either: (i) there was insuffi‐ cient information to complete the field; (ii) completion of the field was not obligatory; (iii) the field was not relevant to this species (section 12 Natura 2000 coverage forAnnex II species) and/or (iv) the field was only relevant at UK‐level (sections 9 Future prospects and 10 Conclusions). • For technical reasons, the country‐level future trends for Range, Population and Habitat for the species are only available in a separate spreadsheet that contains all the country‐ level supporting information.
    [Show full text]
  • Parasitic Nematodes of Pool Frog (Pelophylax Lessonae) in the Volga Basin
    Journal MVZ Cordoba 2019; 24(3):7314-7321. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.1501 Research article Parasitic nematodes of Pool Frog (Pelophylax lessonae) in the Volga Basin Igor V. Chikhlyaev1 ; Alexander B. Ruchin2* ; Alexander I. Fayzulin1 1Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Russian Academy of Sciences, Togliatti, Russia 2Mordovia State Nature Reserve and National Park «Smolny», Saransk, Russia. *Correspondence: [email protected] Received: Febrary 2019; Accepted: July 2019; Published: August 2019. ABSTRACT Objetive. Present a modern review of the nematodes fauna of the pool frog Pelophylax lessonae (Camerano, 1882) from Volga basin populations on the basis of our own research and literature sources analysis. Materials and methods. Present work consolidates data from different helminthological works over the past 80 years, supported by our own research results. During the period from 1936 to 2016 different authors examined 1460 specimens of pool frog, using the method of full helminthological autopsy, from 13 regions of the Volga basin. Results. In total 9 nematodes species were recorded. Nematode Icosiella neglecta found for the first time in the studied host from the territory of Russia and Volga basin. Three species appeared to be more widespread: Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Cosmocerca ornata and Icosiella neglecta. For each helminth species the following information included: systematic position, areas of detection, localization, biology, list of definitive hosts, the level of host-specificity. Conclusions. Nematodes of pool frog, excluding I. neglecta, belong to the group of soil-transmitted helminthes (geohelminth) and parasitize in adult stages. Some species (O. filiformis, C. ornata, I. neglecta) are widespread in the host range.
    [Show full text]
  • California Red-Legged Frog (Rana Aurora Draytonii)
    AMPHIBIANS California Red-Legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonii) California Red-Legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonii) Status State: Meets requirements as a “rare, threatened or endangered species” under CEQA Federal: Threatened Critical Habitat: Designated in 2001 (USFWS 2001) but rescinded in 2002 by court order except for one unit in the Sierra Nevada; proposed again in 2004 (USFWS 2004) Population Trend Global: State endemic; declining State: Declining Within Inventory Area: Apparently stable in some areas Data Characterization The location database for the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) within its known range in California includes 419 data records dated from 1919 to 2001. Of these records, 344 were documented within the past 10 years; of these, 203 are of high precision and may be accurately located within the inventory area. Approximately 81 of these high-precision records are located within or near the inventory area. These records occur within non-native grassland, riparian forest, riparian woodland, riparian scrub, freshwater marsh, and wetland. A moderate amount of literature is available regarding the California red-legged frog because of its threatened status and the recent trend in global decline in amphibians. Most of the literature pertains to habitat requirements, population trends, ecological relationships, threats, and conservation efforts. A final recovery plan for the California red-legged frog has been published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2002). Range The historical range of the California red-legged frog extended along the coast from the vicinity of Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California and inland from Redding, Shasta County southward to northwestern Baja California, Mexico (Jennings and Hayes 1985, Hayes and Krempels 1986).
    [Show full text]
  • Investigations Into the Life History Stages of the Common Frog (Rana Temporaria) Affected by an Amphibian Ranavirus in the United Kingdom
    260 AMPHIBIAN DISEASES Herpetological Review, 2013, 44(2), 260–263. © 2013 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Investigations into the Life History Stages of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) Affected by an Amphibian Ranavirus in the United Kingdom Ranaviruses are emerging infectious disease agents that af- owned land, so in order to maintain confidentiality we are un- fect a wide range of ectothermic and poikilothermic vertebrates: able to provide more detailed location information than is pro- fish, reptiles (including turtles and tortoises) and amphibians vided in Tables 1 and 2. (Ahne et al. 1997; Chinchar et al. 2009; Miller et al. 2011). In the Live tadpoles were transported in a common container in United Kingdom (UK), amphibian ranaviruses began to emerge pond water to the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of in the late 1980s and early 1990s in southeast England (Cunning- London, London, UK. Upon arrival, tadpoles were euthanized ham et al. 1996) and manifested as adult mass morbidity and using an overdose of MS-222 (1g/L tricaine methanesulphonate, mortality events (Cunningham et al. 1993; Cunningham et al. Thompson & Joseph Ltd., Norwich, UK) buffered to pH 7.0 with 1996; Drury et al. 1995). sodium bicarbonate. Tissue samples were then dissected out Evidence for local ranavirus outbreaks in the UK have, to and frozen at -80°C for ranavirus screening. In the case of larger date, relied exclusively upon reports of moribund or dead adult tadpoles, tissues included the right anterior quarter of the body, common frogs (e.g. Cunningham et al. 1993; Cunningham et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Waterfrog (Pelophylax Sp.) Found Near Domusnovas in Southwestern
    Beitrag_10_(Seiten89-103_ShortNotes)_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 01.08.2011 11:51 Seite 13 SHOrT nOTe HerPeTOZOa 24 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2011 SHOrT nOTe 101 sides several Hyla sarda (De BeTTa, 1853), we found unexpectedly two waterfrogs, an adult and a sub-adult, the latter of which we managed to capture with the help of a net. The specimen (Fig. 1) was kept at the Zoo - logy Department of the University of Paler - mo (Laboratorio di Zoologia applicata, Di - partimento di Biologia animale, Università degli Studi di Palermo) until it died and then stored in the collection of the annexed mu - seo di Zoologia “Pietro Doderlein” (Via archirafi 16, Palermo 90123, Italy) under the museum number mZPa a-129. The finding place was the bank of a little stream flowing next to the cave. It was quite full of water and covered with vegetation, but it also contained some waste. The stream is located be tween a car park, just in front of the entrance to the cave, and a restaurant on the other side. The GPS co ordinates are: 39°20’10.74’’n, 8°37’39’’e, and the alti- tude is 181 m above sea level. We do not know for sure what species/ subspecies we found. Genetic verification Waterfrog (Pelophylax sp.) will be made by Daniele CaneSTreLLI (Vi - found near Domusnovas in terbo) on the specimen collected in order to see which group it belongs to. In fact, the southwestern Sardinia, Italy systematics of the waterfrogs of Italy is under debate. Until recently, the generally In Sardinia, and its satellite islands accepted concept claimed the presence of (i) there are 10 species of amphibians, six of the group Pelophylax lessonae and Pelo - which are caudates and four anurans, and 18 phylax kl.
    [Show full text]
  • Is the Italian Stream Frog (Rana Italica Dubois, 1987) an Opportunistic Exploiter of Cave Twilight Zone?
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal Subterranean IsBiology the Italian 25: 49–60 stream (2018) frog (Rana italica Dubois, 1987) an opportunistic exploiter... 49 doi: 10.3897/subtbiol.25.23803 SHORT COMMUNICATION Subterranean Published by http://subtbiol.pensoft.net The International Society Biology for Subterranean Biology Is the Italian stream frog (Rana italica Dubois, 1987) an opportunistic exploiter of cave twilight zone? Enrico Lunghi1,2,3, Giacomo Bruni4, Gentile Francesco Ficetola5,6, Raoul Manenti5 1 Universität Trier Fachbereich VI Raum-und Umweltwissenschaften Biogeographie, Universitätsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany 2 Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Firenze, Sezione di Zoologia “La Spe- cola”, Via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, Italy 3 Natural Oasis, Via di Galceti 141, 59100 Prato, Italy 4 Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Boulevard de la Plaine 2, 1050 Ixelles, Bruxelles, Belgium 5 Department of Environmen- tal Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy 6 Univ. Greno- ble Alpes, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine (LECA), F-38000 Grenoble, France Corresponding author: Enrico Lunghi ([email protected]) Academic editor: O. Moldovan | Received 22 January 2018 | Accepted 9 March 2018 | Published 20 March 2018 http://zoobank.org/07A81673-E845-4056-B31C-6EADC6CA737C Citation: Lunghi E, Bruni G, Ficetola GF, Manenti R (2018) Is the Italian stream frog (Rana italica Dubois, 1987) an opportunistic exploiter of cave twilight zone? Subterranean Biology 25: 49–60. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.25.23803 Abstract Studies on frogs exploiting subterranean environments are extremely scarce, as these Amphibians are usually considered accidental in these environments. However, according to recent studies, some anurans actively select subterranean environments on the basis of specific environmental features, and thus are able to inhabit these environments throughout the year.
    [Show full text]
  • Status Assessment of Known Gopher Frog (Lithobates Capito) Breeding Wetlands and Upland Habitats in Georgia
    Status Assessment of Known Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito) Breeding Wetlands and Upland Habitats in Georgia A Final Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Mrs. Vanessa Kinney Terrell Dr. John C. Maerz Final Performance Report State: Georgia Grant No.: Grant Title: Statewide Imperiled Species Grant Duration: 2 years Start Date: July 15, 2013 End Date: July 31, 2015 Period Covering Report: Final Report Project Costs: Federal: State: Total: $4,500 Study/Project Title: Status assessment of known Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito) breeding wetlands and upland habitats in Georgia. GPRA Goals: N/A ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- *Deviations: Several of the Gopher frog sites that are not located in the site clusters of Ft. Stewart, Ft. Benning, and Ichauway are located on private property. We have visited a subset of these private sites from public roads to obtain GPS coordinates and to visually see the condition of the pond and upland. However, we have not obtained access to dip net these historic sites. Acknowledgements This status assessment relied heavily on the generous collaboration of John Jensen (GA DNR), Lora Smith (Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center), Anna McKee (USGS), Beth Schlimm (Orianne Society), Dirk Stevenson (Orianne Society), and Roy King (Ft. Stewart). William Booker and Emily Jolly assisted with ground-truthing of field sites. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prepared By: John C Maerz and Vanessa C. K. Terrell Date: 3/1/2016 Study/Project Objective: The objective of this project was to update the known status of Gopher frogs (Lithobates capito) in Georgia by coalescing data on known extant populations from state experts and evaluating wetland and upland habitat conditions at historic and extant localities to determine whether the sites are suitable for sustaining Gopher frog populations.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction of Ranavirus to Isolated Wood Frog Populations Could Cause Local Extinction
    Introduction of Ranavirus to Isolated Wood Frog Populations Could Cause Local Extinction Julia E. Earl & Matthew J. Gray EcoHealth One Health - Ecology & Health - Public Health | Official journal of International Association for Ecology and Health ISSN 1612-9202 EcoHealth DOI 10.1007/s10393-014-0950-y 1 23 Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by International Association for Ecology and Health. This e- offprint is for personal use only and shall not be self-archived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com”. 1 23 Author's personal copy EcoHealth DOI: 10.1007/s10393-014-0950-y Ó 2014 International Association for Ecology and Health Original Contribution Introduction of Ranavirus to Isolated Wood Frog Populations Could Cause Local Extinction Julia E. Earl1 and Matthew J. Gray2 1National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 2Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 Abstract: Amphibian declines and extinction have been attributed to many causes, including disease such as chytridiomycosis. Other pathogens may also contribute to declines, with ranavirus as the most likely candidate given reoccurring die-offs observed in the wild.
    [Show full text]
  • Life History Account for California Red-Legged Frog
    California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System California Department of Fish and Wildlife California Interagency Wildlife Task Group CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG Rana draytonii Family: RANIDAE Order: ANURA Class: AMPHIBIA A071 Prepared by: CWHR Staff, August 2008, based on account for Rana aurora as written by S. Morey, and H. Basey, reviewed by T. Papenfuss, and edited by R. Duke DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND SEASONALITY The California red-legged frog inhabits quiet pools of streams, marshes, and occasionally ponds. Occurs along the Coast Ranges from Mendocino County south and in portions of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades ranges, usually below 1200 m (3936 ft). This species was once a subspecies of Rana aurora, then known as the red-legged frog, and has been elevated to species-level status (Shaffer et al. 2004). SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS Feeding: Highly variable. Adults take aquatic and terrestrial insects and crustaceans and snails (Stebbins 1951), as well as worms, fish, tadpoles, smaller frogs, and small mammals. (Dickerson 1906, Baldwin and Stanford 1987). Aquatic larvae are mostly herbivorous. Cover: Highly aquatic. Prefers shorelines with extensive vegetation. Usually escapes to water 1 m (3 ft) deep or more, at the bottom of pools. Reproduction: Eggs are deposited in permanent pools attached to emergent vegetation (Stebbins 1954). Northern red-legged frog (R. aurora) eggs are typically submerged whereas California red-legged frog (R. draytonii) eggs are in contact with waters surface (Hayes and Kremples 1986). Water: Requires permanent or nearly permanent pools for larval development, which takes 11 to 20 weeks (Storer 1925, Calef 1973). Intermittent streams must retain surface water in pools year-round for frog survival (Jennings et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology of the Cascades Frog (Rana Cascadae)
    Ecology of the Cascades Frog ( Rana cascadae) and Interactions with Garter Snakes and Nonnative Trout in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, California By: Justin M. Garwood and Hartwell H. Welsh Jr. December 2007 Final Report To: California Department of Fish and Game National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Habitat Conservation Planning Branch Bring Back The Natives Grant Program 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1280 and 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 900 Sacramento, CA 95814 Washington, DC 20036 Amphibian Specialist Group i Cascades Frog Ecology in California Cover Photos: Adult female Cascades frog ( Rana cascadae ), aquatic garter snake ( Thamnophis atratus ) captured in Echo Lake basin regurgitating an Eastern brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ), surveying Atlantis meadows west of Red Mountain summit, Trinity Alps Wilderness, California. ( Photos: J. Garwood ) ii Cascades Frog Ecology in California ECOLOGY OF THE CASCADES FROG ( RANA CASCADAE ) AND INTERACTIONS WITH GARTER SNAKES AND NONNATIVE TROUT IN THE TRINITY ALPS WILDERNESS, CALIFORNIA December 2007 FINAL REPORT TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME AND NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION DFG CONTRACT NO. P0385107 NFWF CONTRACT NO. 2004-0075-000, Bring Back The Natives Grant Administered By: Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation P.O. Box 1185 Arcata, CA 95518-1185 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Justin M. Garwood and Hartwell H. Welsh, Jr. USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station Redwood Sciences Laboratory 1700 Bayview Dr. Arcata, CA 95521 STATE OF CALIFORNIA CONTRACT MANAGER Betsy Bolster Staff Environmental Scientist Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Branch 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1280 Sacramento, CA 95814 iii Cascades Frog Ecology in California ECOLOGY OF THE CASCADES FROG ( RANA CASCADAE ) AND INTERACTIONS WITH GARTER SNAKES AND NONNATIVE TROUT IN THE TRINITY ALPS 1/ WILDERNESS, CALIFORNIA December, 2007 By Justin M.
    [Show full text]