Trophic ecology of the Endangered Darwin’s frog inferred by stable isotopes

Molina-Burgos, Blanca E.; Valenzuela‐Sánchez, Andrés; Alvarado‐Rybak, Mario; Klarian, Sebastián A.; Soto‐Azat, Claudio

doi:10.3354/esr00906

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(32 reference statements)

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“…There are plans to reintroduce R. darwinii individuals from captive breeding projects to areas from which they have been extirpated, or to use them for population reinforcement. Translocation success will depend on evidence-based management of the threats that led to the extirpations or declines at the release sites (IUCN, 2013; Molina-Burgos et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A flagship for Austral temperate forest conservation: an action plan for Darwin's frogs brings key stakeholders together

Soto‐Azat

Valenzuela‐Sánchez

Delgado³

et al. 2020

Oryx

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Darwin's frogs Rhinoderma darwinii and Rhinoderma rufum are the only known species of amphibians in which males brood their offspring in their vocal sacs. We propose these frogs as flagship species for the conservation of the Austral temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. This recommendation forms part of the vision of the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs, which was launched in 2018. The strategy is a conservation initiative led by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, which in 2017 convened 30 governmental, non-profit and private organizations from Chile, Argentina and elsewhere. Darwin's frogs are iconic examples of the global amphibian conservation crisis: R. rufum is categorized as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) on the IUCN Red List, and R. darwinii as Endangered. Here we articulate the conservation planning process that led to the development of the conservation strategy for these species and present its main findings and recommendations. Using an evidence-based approach, the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs contains a comprehensive status review of Rhinoderma spp., including critical threat analyses, and proposes 39 prioritized conservation actions. Its goal is that by 2028, key information gaps on Rhinoderma spp. will be filled, the main threats to these species will be reduced, and financial, legal and societal support will have been achieved. The strategy is a multi-disciplinary, transnational endeavour aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of these unique frogs and their particular habitat.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A flagship for Austral temperate forest conservation: an action plan for Darwin's frogs brings key stakeholders together

Soto‐Azat

Valenzuela‐Sánchez

Delgado³

et al. 2020

Oryx

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“…2012, Molina‐Burgos et al. 2018, Cameron et al. 2019), can be reconstructed over a broad spatial and temporal scale (Cerling and Harris 1999, Tillberg et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Molina‐Burgos et al. (2018) used Bayesian statistics to estimate that the endangered Darwin’s frog ( Rhinoderma darwinii ) occupied a trophic position of 2.9 (secondary consumer). If this estimate differed by just a few tenths of a trophic level and the trophic position was 2.6 instead of 2.9, it would imply that Darwin’s frogs relied on higher amounts of plant material, which might influence conservation strategies for this species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widespread variation in stable isotope trophic position estimates: patterns, causes, and potential consequences

Kjeldgaard

Hewlett

Eubanks

2021

Ecological Monographs

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Stable isotope analysis is one of the most widely used techniques to estimate trophic position and provides fundamental insight into the structure and management of ecological communities. To account for the effects of geographic variation in isotope levels, trophic position is typically estimated relative to an isotope “baseline” (i.e., material representing geographic variation) using a methodology such as a formula or statistical analysis. There is, however, remarkable variation in the baselines and methodologies used to estimate trophic position from stable isotopes. The consequences of this lack of standardization are unknown but could result in biased or erroneous conclusions. We conducted a literature review to quantify the variation in baselines and methodologies used to estimate trophic position from stable isotopes. Next, we assessed the consequences of this variation on individual species estimates and food web structure by extracting published trophic positions and applying various baselines and methodologies to existing data sets. We identified 10 baselines and eight methodologies, the use of which varied by ecosystem studied. Moreover, we found that different baselines and methodologies yield significantly different trophic position estimates for individual species, as well as different conclusions about food web structure. Authors should avoid biological interpretations of absolute, stand‐alone trophic positions (as these are prone to a number of biases). We recommend pairing stable isotope analysis with other techniques for more robust conclusions. Increased sample size may mitigate some of the variation caused by different baselines and methodologies; however, an alarmingly large proportion of studies collected only one sample in at least one trophic group (41% of all reviewed studies). Authors should collect a minimum of five samples per trophic group (but ten for best practices) from as many trophic groups as possible to increase statistical power and redundancy in comparisons. When sample size is unavoidably constrained, we recommend using compound‐specific isotope analysis with a taxon‐specific trophic discrimination factor, because it may be more accurate and require fewer samples to maintain appropriate statistical power. Implementing our recommendations will increase the robustness and accuracy of conclusions based on stable isotopes, resulting in better management decisions and a more accurate understanding of ecological communities.

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“…Anderson et al (1999) concluded that the main functions of plant ingestion in anurans include facilitating insect exoskeleton digestion and parasite elimination and providing water to prevent dehydration. We suggest further behavioral studies to understand how Physalaemus species feed on termites and ants in the leaf litter and determine if ingestion of leaves is intencional or accidental, and analysis of stable isotopes (e.g., Molina-Burgos et al, 2018) would help determine if ingested plant material is assimilated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%