Postbreeding Movement and Habitat Use of the Plateau Brown Frog, Rana kukunoris, in a High-Elevation Wetland

Abstract

ABSTRACT.-We studied the movement patterns and habitat selection of 33 radio-tagged Plateau Brown Frogs (Rana kukunoris) in the Zoige Alpine Wetland in southeastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Our goals were to (1) understand postbreeding movement patterns of R. kukunoris; (2) describe microhabitat use, with special reference to use of small mammal burrows; (3) test for movement pattern and microhabitat use differences between sexes and between seasons; and (4) provide a preliminary description of overwintering sites. We found no differences in movement patterns between sexes in R. kukunoris, however, directional movement trends differed between habitats. Male and female R. kukunoris showed similar microhabitat selection with regard to air temperature, relative humidity, and vegetation height. Although males used mammal burrows more frequently than females at one study site, BaiHua, both sexes used these microhabitats frequently during their movements. Overwintering sites of R. kukunoris were characterized by year-round flowing water. Results from this study will assist in making decisions about conservation and land protection for this species.

Net neutral effects of a generalist vertebrate predator on seed production result from simultaneous suppression of plant antagonists and mutualists

“…It is 40-80 mm in adult body length, and it often uses burrows and high-grass clumps as temporary shelters in the spring-autumn period (Zhang 1999), and year-round flowing waters for overwintering (Qi, Felix, Wang, Gu, & Wang 2011). The estimated population density of R. kukunoris at this site ranges from 10 to 50 per 100 m 2 in the meadows around ponds during growing seasons (Fellers, Wang, & Liu 2003) but sometimes may reach >4 per m 2 in some particular microhabitats (e.g.…”

The brown-world role of insectivores: Frogs reduce plant growth by suppressing detritivores in an alpine meadow

“…Plateau Zokor Myospalax fontanierii; Li, Liu, Frelich, & Sun, 2011) while females like to inhabit high-grass clumps (Qi et al 2007). Nevertheless, both males and females need microhabitats of high air temperature and high relative humidity, and year-round flowing water sites for overwintering (Qi, Felix, Wang, Gu, & Wang, 2011). The frogs often breed at the age of three (for males) and four (for females) to eight years old with body length being 47 mm and 54 mm on average for males and females, respectively, but the age and size seem to vary with altitude (Chen, Yu, & Lu, 2011).…”

Artificial warming increases size at metamorphosis in plateau frogs (Rana kukunoris) in the presence of predators

“…The plateau frog is endemic to China, and it is a dominant amphibian species in alpine meadows at altitudes ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 m on the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. However, its population density is declining and distribution area is shrinking, possibly because of anthropogenic disturbance and global climate change (Dai et al 2005;Qi et al 2007). After overwintering in the local puddles (Li et al 2010), the frog adults often spawn from mid-April to early July and lay eggs in still water or in the puddles of brooks (Li et al 2010).…”