Restoring ponds for amphibians: a success story

Rannap, Riinu; Lõhmus, Asko; Briggs, Lars

doi:10.1007/978-90-481-9088-1_20

Cited by 48 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…We spent a maximum of 30 min searching for amphibians including all the microhabitats that were present in the ponds. Although we did not measure the probability of detection, the dip-netting method we used is a generally accepted procedure, and this duration should give representative results in accordance with other studies performed in small waterbodies (Rubbo and Kiesecker 2005;Rannap et al 2010;Vági et al 2013). Presenceabsence data were recorded for each amphibian species.…”

Section: Field Samplingmentioning

confidence: 60%

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Metacommunity dynamics of amphibians in years with differing rainfall

Péntek

Vad

Zsuga³

et al. 2016

Aquat Ecol

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Many studies investigated the habitat preference and behaviour ecology of individual amphibian species while we know less about how their community assembly reflects changes in environmental factors, including the role of climatic extremes. Communitylevel studies also allow us to apply trait-based analyses that are crucial for a better understanding of the functioning of amphibian communities and metacommunities. In two years with contrasting rainfall (2012 and 2013), we found amphibian species in 85 different waterbodies of a heterogeneous landscape in Central Europe (Hungary). Within the metacommunity framework, the contributions of local, landscape and spatial variables to community assembly were assessed. We also measured the local extinction-colonisation rates in the ponds for all species between the two years. To investigate the role of dispersal traits in explaining the spatial distribution of species, we studied the relationship between body size and the pure spatial fraction of variation. According to our results, the main drivers were the same in both the dry and wet year, but their relative contribution changed. Local variables played a predominant role in the assembly of the amphibian metacommunity. Spatial signals were more evident in the dry year. This implies not only the adverse effect of decreased connectivity due to the drying out of several habitats but also a loss of breeding sites for the studied amphibians. Local colonisation rates were higher in primarily terrestrial species (Hyla arborea, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo) which only visit ponds during breeding. We found a negative relationship between the pure spatial effect and body size, suggesting an increased level of dispersal limitation in small-bodied species. Our results showed that while the strength and relative role of local and spatial processes changed between years, the role of dispersal traits in explaining the spatial distribution of species was similar. Specialisation to different habitats seems to be a major process in determining vertebrate metacommunities in landscapes. Dispersal traits of different species should be taken more into consideration in the practical conservation of amphibian habitats.

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Section: Field Samplingmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…In the case of P. fuscus, this pattern is in accordance with former studies. In a large-scale restoration in Estonia, where some old ponds were restored and many new ones created, the number of ponds occupied by P. fuscus increased by 6.5 times in only 3 years (Rannap et al 2010).…”

Section: Species Turnover and The Role Of Body Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Metacommunity dynamics of amphibians in years with differing rainfall

Péntek

Vad

Zsuga³

et al. 2016

Aquat Ecol

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“…For our artificial ponds, we used 18 garden ponds (1.7 m × 1.2 m, 344 L capacity, Lowe's model # FPSK91) that had been installed ≥140 m apart from each other in a grid throughout the study site in March 2014 [26]. Distance between ponds was designed to minimize noise contamination among ponds while still reflecting clustering that is often exhibited in constructed wetland systems [7,28,29]. Ponds were flush with the ground and made of flexible polyethelene liner that had two shallow shelves on each side (22.86 cm deep) and a deeper middle (45.72 cm deep).…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Conspecific Attraction as a Management Tool across Several Species of Anurans

2018

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Amphibian populations are declining worldwide, with habitat loss and alteration being a primary driver of many declines. Management strategies to mitigate these declines include translocation and creation or restoration of breeding habitats, yet these techniques are not always effective. We examined whether conspecific attraction-a management tool frequently used in avian conservation-would be similarly valuable in management and conservation of anuran amphibians (i.e., frogs and toads). We broadcast conspecific chorus sounds at unoccupied, artificial breeding ponds for six anuran species across three field sites. We documented when frogs arrived at each pool and when eggs were laid. We compared differences in number of pools found with adults and egg masses between playback and control pools and examined latency to first colonization. We found that Mexican spadefoots colonized playback ponds faster and more often than control ponds, while Cope's gray treefrogs, Arizona treefrogs, green frogs, spring peepers, and wood frogs exhibited weak or non-existent responses. We discuss why breeding ecology may influence tendency to exhibit conspecific attraction and how this behavior could be used in amphibian management and conservation.

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“…Shoo et al 2011). In North America and Europe habitat creation has been successfully used to increase abundance in threatened (Rannap et al 2009) and non-threatened amphibians (Vasconcelos and Calhoun 2006). To succeed, newly created pools must provide suitable habitat and have high levels of connectivity (Lesbarreres et al 2010).…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decline of an endangered amphibian during an extreme climatic event

et al. 2012

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Abstract. Climate change is a poorly understood, emerging threat to many amphibian species. One of the ways climate change is likely to affect amphibians is through increased recruitment failure associated with more frequent climatic extremes. To understand the risk posed by this threat, we combined 13 years of annual monitoring and multi-scaled habitat modelling at the site (n ¼ 60), pool (n ¼ 105) and nest (n ¼ 170) levels to investigate the decline of the endangered northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi ), during the most severe drought on record in southern Australia. We documented the local extinction of 42% of P. pengilleyi breeding sites during the climatic extreme. Using logistic regression we investigated habitat variables associated with extinction sites. We found that locally extinct sites now resemble historically absent sites, with fewer pools, less water, and drying-related tree invasion. Extended periods of limited water availability at extinction sites is likely to have restricted breeding, contributing to localised extinctions. Habitat variables recorded at the pool and nest level did not significantly influence P. pengilleyi presence/absence, indicating that site level wetness had an overriding effect. We anticipate that increasing climate variability is likely to disproportionately threaten seasonal pool-breeding amphibian species, exacerbating the global amphibian biodiversity crisis. However, our work with P. pengilleyi suggests there are a range of simple habitat manipulations that could help to ameliorate the impacts.

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Restoring ponds for amphibians: a success story

Cited by 48 publications

References 26 publications

Metacommunity dynamics of amphibians in years with differing rainfall

Metacommunity dynamics of amphibians in years with differing rainfall

Evaluation of Conspecific Attraction as a Management Tool across Several Species of Anurans

Decline of an endangered amphibian during an extreme climatic event

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