Disappearing frogs

White, Arthur W.

doi:10.7882/az.1995.007

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Additional extant populations that occur within metropolitan Melbourne inhabit a range of natural and artificial waterbodies at the Werribee Sewage Treatment Plant, throughout the Merri Creek catchment north of Melbourne, and in several locations in the western suburbs (Robertson et al 2002;Heard et al 2004;Organ 2005a, Hamer andOrgan 2006b). Like the closely-related Green and Golden Bell Frog L. aurea, L. raniformis has the ability to colonise human-made habitats in the vicinity of large Australian Zoologist volume 34 3urban centres (White 1995), and currently, most of the core breeding sites around Melbourne occur in such environments. However, despite the close proximity of these populations to densely populated urban areas, there is little information on their ecology and conservation requirements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspects of the ecology and conservation of the Growling Grass FrogLitoria raniformisin an urban-fringe environment, southern Victoria

Hamer

Organ²

2008

Australian Zoologist

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Populations of the threatened Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis in metropolitan Melbourne currently occur in human-made habitats and there is little information on their current status. We conducted systematic field surveys at 28 waterbodies within a population distributed over agricultural land in the Pakenham area, on the southeastern urban-fringe of Melbourne, Victoria, during the 2005/06 breeding season. Our aim was to identify key areas for the conservation of L. raniformis. We recorded L. raniformis at 14 waterbodies where we marked 31 males and 16 females. Occupied waterbodies had a greater proportion of submerged vegetation, a higher pH, and were situated close to other occupied waterbodies, generally < 200 m. The adult male and female population size was estimated at 45 ± 10 (± S.E.) and 23 ± 8 individuals, respectively. There was high site fidelity at occupied waterbodies (> 80% recapture rates). Recruitment was recorded in only two waterbodies. Two males and four females were recorded moving 15-20 m between adjacent waterbodies, whereas one additional male moved 130 m. Dispersal and movement corridors important for the persistence of L. raniformis in the study area include agricultural drains and Gum Scrub Creek. High priority conservation areas are waterbodies situated in close proximity to the creek and Melbourne-Bairnsdale railway reserve, and clusters of occupied waterbodies to the south.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspects of the ecology and conservation of the Growling Grass FrogLitoria raniformisin an urban-fringe environment, southern Victoria

Hamer

Organ²

2008

Australian Zoologist

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“…Unexplained frog declines have received considerable attention (e.g. Czechura 1991;Tyler 1991aTyler , 1991bTyler , 1991cCouper 1993;Ingram and McDonald 1993;Trenerry et al 1994;Hero 1996;White 1996). Such attention is essential, as these species may become extinct if the threatening processes at work are not identified and halted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frog ecology in modified Australian landscapes: a review

Hazell¹

2003

Wildl. Res.

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Frog decline in Australia has often occurred where habitat is relatively intact. Habitat alteration and loss do, however, threaten many species. Widespread degradation of aquatic and terrestrial systems has occurred since European settlement, with only 6.4% of Australia's landmass reserved for conservation. But what do we know about how frogs use modified Australian landscapes? Do wildlife managers have the information required to ensure that frog habitat is considered in the management and revegetation of these areas? This review examines published Australian research on frogs to determine knowledge on processes of habitat loss and degradation. Literature that informs landscape restoration and revegetation is also examined to determine whether the habitat needs of frogs are considered. While many threats associated with frog habitat loss and change have been identified there is little quantitative information on frog–habitat relationships in modified landscapes, habitat fragmentation or knowledge of the connectivity required between terrestrial and aquatic frog habitat. Without this information frogs have largely been ignored in efforts to revegetate and manage for the conservation of Australian biota outside reserves. Ecological frog research in modified landscapes is required to avoid land-management decisions and conservation strategies based on inappropriate assumptions of how biota respond to landscape change.

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Effects of salinity on the survival, growth and development of tadpoles of the brown tree frog, Litoria ewingii

et al. 2006

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We investigated the effects of 4% seawater (sw), 8% sw, 12% sw and 16% sw (1.4 g NaCl L–1, 2.8 g NaCl L–1, 4.2 g NaCl L–1 and 5.6 g NaCl L–1, respectively) on survival, mass and development of larvae of the brown tree frog, Litoria ewingii. Salinity of 16% sw significantly decreased survival of tadpoles such that 39% of tadpoles in 16% sw treatment survived to metamorphosis compared with 92% in the control group (freshwater). Growth (mass) of 16% sw tadpoles (0.048 g ± 0.005 g) slowed significantly during early development compared with control tadpoles (0.105 g ± 0.004 g); however, there was no significant difference in final metamorphosis mass between 16% sw (0.192 g ± 0.008 g) and control tadpoles (0.226 ± 0.006 g). Time taken to reach metamorphosis was greater for 16% sw tadpoles (84 ± 1.8 days) than for control tadpoles (55 ± 0.84 days). Tadpoles at salinity concentrations of 4% sw, 8% sw and 12% sw were significantly heavier than control tadpoles at metamorphosis. Our results show that moderate levels of salinity (16% sw) are sufficient to significantly reduce survival and retard development of tadpoles of L. ewingii.

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Disappearing frogs

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Aspects of the ecology and conservation of the Growling Grass FrogLitoria raniformisin an urban-fringe environment, southern Victoria

Aspects of the ecology and conservation of the Growling Grass FrogLitoria raniformisin an urban-fringe environment, southern Victoria

Frog ecology in modified Australian landscapes: a review

Effects of salinity on the survival, growth and development of tadpoles of the brown tree frog, Litoria ewingii

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