Evidence-Based Amphibian Conservation: A Case Study on Toad Tunnels

Schmidt, Benedikt R.; Brenneisen, Stephan; Zumbach, Silvia

doi:10.1655/0018-0831-76.2.228

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Or, would habitat management and thinning actions aimed at limiting IAS abundance be enough? Answers to these questions will require a trial-and-error approach and the publication of management results to allow evidence-based conservation (Schmidt et al 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive Species and Amphibian Conservation

et al. 2020

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The recognition that invasive alien species (IAS) are among the greatest threats to biodiversity has stimulated a growing interest in their impacts on native amphibians. Here we describe the multifaceted consequences of biological invasions on native amphibians and identify potential mechanisms and strategies that could better enable the long-term persistence of native species. IAS can influence amphibian fitness, population size and community structure via multiple pathways and can exert major, direct impacts through predation, competition and hybridization. The consequences of indirect impacts, too, such as habitat alteration and the spread of emerging diseases, can be particularly severe in native populations. Native amphibians may respond to IAS by modulating aspects of their behaviour, morphology or life history. Nevertheless, it is still unclear the extent to which phenotypic plasticity and rapid evolution may actually help native species withstand the impacts of IAS in invaded communities. Practical management strategies focused on prevention, monitoring and early control are the most effective approaches to allay the impacts of IAS and should be prioritized in pro-active conservation plans. Eradications of IAS and mitigation approaches should they become established are feasible and can greatly improve the status of native populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive Species and Amphibian Conservation

et al. 2020

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“…This information, used in conjunction with the park's other spatial layers, will assist to: appropriately zone the park for tourist use such that footpaths and infrastructure are avoided or diverted in high-diversity areas; aid in the prioritization of areas for alien species removal; and identify where existing roads and tourism infrastructure impact on connectivity between hotspots. For example, many toads are killed on roads during breeding and appropriate under-passes may be useful (Schmidt et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of a trait‐based climate change vulnerability assessment to determine management priorities at protected area scale

Harper

Wilgen

Turner

et al. 2022

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Estimating and planning for the impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of protected areas is a major challenge for conservation managers. When these areas are topographically heterogenous and contain species' entire ranges, this challenge is exacerbated because the coarse spatial scales of Global Circulation Model projections provide limited information for within-park management. South Africa's Table Mountain National Park, home to three endemic amphibian species in just ~24,500 hectares, provides a case study for identifying conservation needs under climate change. Selecting the park's herpetofauna as pilot taxa, we identified life history and demographic characteristics believed to make species more sensitive and less able to adapt to climate change. We organized these into assessment frameworks and, through a combination of literature review and expert elicitation, reviewed and used them to assess climate change vulnerability of 18 amphibian and 41 reptile species. The assessment highlighted that 73% and 67% of the park's reptile and amphibian species, respectively, had at least one high-sensitivity and low-adaptive capacity trait.Using ordinal and additive scoring methods, we identified the species most vulnerable to climate change and highlight the park areas containing their highest concentrations. These areas will be used to inform landscape-scale management priorities and park use zones. The current IUCN Red List assessments for these species do not incorporate climate change vulnerability. Considering some species appear to be threatened by climate change, their conservation needs might be underestimated. Identifying the most vulnerable species and the mechanisms underpinning their vulnerability can guide the identification and prioritization of conservation needs, while the highlighted knowledge gaps inform priorities for monitoring and research. While comprehensive climate change adaptation planning for Table Mountain National Park

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“…However, modified fences do not appear to have been thoroughly assessed for their effectiveness as an amphibian barrier. Novel approaches to redirect amphibian movements (e.g., Buxton et al 2018) will not succeed unless an evidence‐based framework is adopted (Schmidt et al 2020) in which techniques are quantitatively and rigorously evaluated to determine if they achieved their intended outcome.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Exclusion Barriers for Treefrogs in Agricultural Landscapes

Hughes

Green

Warner

et al. 2021

Wildlife Society Bulletin

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Agricultural co‐management aims to promote environmental sustainability while maintaining food‐safety standards. Amphibians, especially treefrogs, are known to enter fields of fresh produce intended for human consumption, which raises concerns for food safety and quality. We evaluated the effects of modifications to reduce the scalability of exclusion barriers on the fence‐crossing behavior of Pacific treefrogs (Hyliola regilla) from lettuce fields in the Salinas Valley of California during January to May 2019. From small‐scale field experiments, we found that fences modified with a horizontal lip at the top prevented all treefrogs from successfully crossing over. Fences incorporating sandpaper were also effective at deterring treefrog crossings compared to fences made of fiberglass square mesh (window screen) and polypropylene fabric (silt fence). The fence design that inhibited the most treefrog crossings—aluminum flashing with a horizontal lip—was a modification to commercially available material that is feasible to install at large scales, is durable over long periods of time, and can help to exclude additional nuisance wildlife, such as small mammals and lizards. Our findings provide quantitative evidence on the efficacy of an exclusion barrier constructed with off‐the‐shelf material that can be easily modified to improve the co‐management of amphibians and agriculture. © 2021 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

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Evidence-Based Amphibian Conservation: A Case Study on Toad Tunnels

Cited by 14 publications

References 46 publications

Invasive Species and Amphibian Conservation

Invasive Species and Amphibian Conservation

Application of a trait‐based climate change vulnerability assessment to determine management priorities at protected area scale

Evaluating Exclusion Barriers for Treefrogs in Agricultural Landscapes

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