Ribbit, Ribbit ! Who’s That Calling in the Night ? Ten Years of Nocturnal Kathy McCormack Amphibian & Monitoring in Sue Anderson Central Texas Texas Master Naturalist Conference October 26, 2018 What We Will Present Today • Worldwide Amphibian Monitoring • Our Amphibian Monitoring Project • Our Species of Interest • Our Cumulative Data – Ten Years • Adopt-a-Frog-Pond Protocol • Some of the “Rules of Frogging” • Fun Open Questions for Future Detailed Investigations • References & Contacts 3 Worldwide Amphibian Monitoring 4 History: International Amphibian Decline and Call to Action • 1989 First World Congress of Herpetology • Offered the first worldwide comprehensive assessment of populations • Papers documented significant declines in species and ranges • Recommended more funding and more rigorous studies • 2004 IUCN* World Conservation Union Research Report • 3 Year Global Amphibian Assessment – 32% threatened with extinction • “…. drastic declines” due in part to habitat degradation and disease • Established “Conservation Actions” to address threatened species • Consistent Emphasis: Environmental Health Indicator Species * International Union for Conservation of Nature 5 History: USA Amphibian Decline and Call to Action • 1997 – NAAMP (North American Amphibian Monitoring Program) • Developed by USGS*, a stratified random block monitoring of drive lines, intended to gather consistent, scientifically valid information by trained citizens and scientists • This program designed and administered the field protocol • 1998 – Frogwatch USA - established by USGS and in 2002 transferred to NWF (National Wildlife Federation) as a • Citizen science volunteer initiative to conduct sustained monitoring of specific sites • To educate and motivate people to appreciate amphibians in their environment • 2005 – ARMI (Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative) - a ten year program established by US Congress funding USGS professionals • To assess the status of amphibians in the US • Identify factors which might be causing declines • Provide a series of analysis and results publications * United States Geological Survey 6 Our Amphibian Monitoring Project 7 We Have Seen Many Changes • Monitoring sites have changed and increased • Number of participants has grown • Data collection and reporting has evolved • Program sponsorship and leadership has varied • Species names have changed, several times! • However, we still consider ourselves an “Adopt-a- Frog-Pond” activity • We emphasize the importance of citizen science, outreach, and inclusion 8 Where Our Project “Lived” At First National Texas Programs Programs Data 9 Where Our Project “Fits In” Today Texas Data Collections Programs Data TXNDD 10 Our Data Can Now Be in TXNDD • The Texas Natural Diversity Database (TXNDD) was established in 1983 and is a member program in the NatureServe network • The NatureServe network consists of state, provincial, and national member programs dedicated to collecting, managing, and disseminating biological information using a standardized methodology • The mission of the TXNDD is to manage and disseminate scientific information on rare species (Species of Greatest Concern), native plant communities, and animal aggregations for defensible, effective conservation action • Observations in TXNDD become part of the database-of- record from which data can be requested to “facilitate conservation planning, natural resources management, and the design and implementation of ecologically sound development projects” 11 Our Project Is Part of Current Texas Species Monitor Programs • Since 2015, our research grade iNaturalist observations have been added to the Herps of Texas project • In the last 5.5 years, TPWD Texas Nature Trackers (TNT) researchers sourced 3,800 observations from the iNaturalist Herps of Texas project to the TXNDD • We encourage everyone to: • Submit your amphibian monitoring data to iNaturalist • Join the iNaturalist Herps of Texas project because observations that meet all data quality and completeness criteria and have been curated can be added to the TXNDD 12 Our Amphibian Monitoring Project • Kathy McCormack and Sue Anderson attended separate TPWD Amphibian Workshops • Kathy started monthly nocturnal amphibian monitoring at Riata Pond (north Austin) in 2008 • Current Site Coordinators: • Berry Springs Preserve – Kathy McCormack since 2009 • Riata Pond and Lake Creek Dam – Sue Anderson since 2009 • Bauerle Ranch Park – Jerry Mayfield since 2010 • Mary Moore Searight Park – Jerry Mayfield since 2010 • Devine Lake – Beth Duncan since 2014 • Hundreds of people have participated in monitoring at these six sites 13 Sites with Monitoring Data 14 CAMN* “Weekly Reader” Email and GWMN* Online Volunteer Events Calendar • How we announce locally EXAMPLE: Texas Amphibian Watch - Nocturnal • Project qualifies for Master Monitoring Click this link (http://bit.ly/1nD8ivz) for a story Naturalist volunteer hours map with contact information and directions to all five CAMN locations. • Announcement includes: VMS Category: FR: Amphibian Watch: monthly amphibian survey • Link to full description April 7 – Devine Lake – 7:55 PM of the project 14 – Lake Creek Dam – 7:55 PM 21 – Berry Springs Preserve – 8:00 PM 21 – Bauerle Ranch Park – 8:00 PM • VMS Code 28 – Mary Moore Searight Park– 8:05 PM • Date, location, and May start time 5 – Devine Lake – 8:10 PM 12 – Lake Creek Dam – 8:15 PM 19 – Berry Springs Preserve – 8:20 PM * Capital Area Master Naturalist, 19 – Bauerle Ranch Park – 8:20 PM Good Water Master Naturalist 26 – Mary Moore Searight Park– 8:25 PM 15 Website Intro Page 16 Schedule & Contact Info for Each Site 17 Directions for Each Site 18 Our Species of Interest 19 Who Do We Detect the Most? • Our “Big Twelve” • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray and Cope’s Gray Tree Frogs • Green Tree Frog • Cajun Chorus Frog • Strecker’s Chorus Frog • Cliff and Rio Grande Chirping Frogs • Western Narrow-mouthed Toad • Rio Grande Leopard Frog • American Bullfrog • The following species description slides are courtesy of our mentors, Lee Ann Linam and Marsha May, both now retired from TPWD Thank you, ladies !!! 20 Gulf Coast Toad Incilius nebulifer (was Bufo valliceps) Size: 2 – 5 in. Breeding season: March - Sept. w / rain Breeding habitat: temporary & permanent wetlands in many habitats Page21 19 Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Acris blanchardi Size: 5/8 – 1 3/8 in. Breeding season: March - August Breeding habitat: ponds and streams with sparsely- vegetated edges 22 Cope’s Gray Gray Tree Frog Tree Frog Hyla versicolor Hyla chrysoscelis Linda Lowenthal Size: 2 – 3 ¼ in. Breeding season: April- Sept. w / rain Breeding habitat: temporary wetlands in sandy soil habitats 23 Green Tree Frog Hyla cinerea Size: 1 ¼ - 2 ¼ in. Breeding season: March – Oct. Breeding habitat: permanent wetlands, especially emergent wetlands and swamps 24 Cajun Chorus Frog Pseudacris fouquettei © Terry Hibbitts Size: ¾ - 1 3/8 in. Breeding season: Nov. - May Breeding habitat: woodland wetlands This frog in Texas was formerly called the striped, western, and/or upland chorus frog. It was previously 25 classified as P. triseriata and P. feriarum. Strecker’s Chorus Frog Pseudacris streckeri Size: 1 – 1 5/8 in. Breeding season: Nov. - April Breeding habitat: small wetlands in woods, ravines & fields 26 Cliff Chirping Frog Eleutherodactylus marnockii Size: ¾ - 1 ½ in. Breeding season: Feb.-Dec., with peaks in April & May Breeding habitat: lay eggs in moist cracks and crevices in limestone hills and canyons 27 Rio Grande Chirping Frog Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides © Terry Hibbitts Size: 5/8 - 1 in. Breeding season: April & May Breeding habitat: lay eggs in moist soil and tropical plants 28 Western Narrow-mouthed Toad Gastrophryne olivacea Size: 7/8 – 1 ½ in. Breeding season: April- Sept. after good rain Breeding habitat: temporary rain-filled wetlands 29 Rio Grande Leopard Frog Lithobates (Rana) berlandieri Size: 2-4 in. Breeding season: year-round Breeding habitat: permanent wetlands 30 American Bullfrog Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus © Terry Hibbitts Size: 3 ½ - 6 in. Breeding season: Feb. – Oct. Breeding habitat: large, permanent water bodies 31 Quiz Time !!! • We will replay calls of eight of the previous amphibians • How Many Can You Recognize?? • There will be a ‘Bonus Points Recording’ at the end 32 Quiz Time !!! 33 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad 34 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad 35 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog 36 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog 37 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog 38 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog 39 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog 40 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog 41 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog • Rio Grande Chirping Frog 42 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog • Rio Grande Chirping Frog 43 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog • Rio Grande Chirping Frog • Western Narrow-mouthed Frog 44 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog • Rio Grande Chirping Frog • Western Narrow-mouthed Frog 45 Quiz Time !!! • Gulf Coast Toad • Blanchard’s Cricket Frog • Gray Tree Frog • Green Tree Frog