Population Density and Daily Movement Patterns of Hochstetter's Frogs, Leiopelma hochstetteri, in a New Zealand Mountain Stream

Tessier, Catherine; Slaven, David H.; Green, David M.

doi:10.2307/1564652

Cited by 21 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…boulders and cobbles); steep-sloped stream channels covered by coarse substrates have been found to be positively associated with frog abundance (Nájera-Hillman et al 2009a), and this study indicates that they are also positively associated with frog distribution. Furthermore, it has been noted that L. hochstetteri is vulnerable to any disturbance that affects substratum stability (Tessier et al 1991), particularly, severe storms that cause sudden flooding (McLennan 1985); streams with small catchment areas are less susceptible to flooding than those with large catchment areas (Gregory et al 1991). This trend may explain why frog occurrence was associated with small catchment streams in the present study.…”

Section: Relationship Between Frog Distribution and Environmental Chamentioning

confidence: 52%

Habitat-use model for the New Zealand endemic frog Leiopelma hochstetteri

Nájera-Hillman

O’Shea

Breen

et al. 2009

Endang. Species. Res.

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Leiopelma hochstetteri is the most widespread and abundant endemic frog species in New Zealand, although it now survives only in spatially fragmented populations throughout the North Island of New Zealand and the Great Barrier Island of northeastern New Zealand. The species is known to occur in wet areas adjacent to shaded streams in forested catchments; however, no quantitative ecological data exist to enable characterisation of its habitat. In the present study, novel data on the current distribution and habitat requirements of this species are reported for 1 population in the Waitakere Ranges, northwestern New Zealand, which is considered as a conservation management unit for the species. Frogs were found within most streams surveyed (68.2%). Statistical modelling demonstrates that frogs most likely occur in small, erosive streams with coarse substrates and cold waters, surrounded by mature or undisturbed riparian vegetation. Anthropogenic activities such as clearing or logging are identified as threats to this frog species.

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Section: Relationship Between Frog Distribution and Environmental Chamentioning

confidence: 52%

Habitat-use model for the New Zealand endemic frog Leiopelma hochstetteri

Nájera-Hillman

O’Shea

Breen

et al. 2009

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…for example, it has been demonstrated that the infusion of fine sediments into streams prevents American amphibians (i.e., Dicamptodon tenebrosus and Ascaphus truei) from accessing interstices between coarse substrates, because the interstices can get filled with sediments (Welsh & Ollivier 1998). Accordingly, it is not surprising that L. hochstetteri has been reported to be absent from silted streams (green & Tessier 1990;Tessier et al 1991).…”

Section: Relationship Between Frog Abundance and Stream Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of pest–management operations on the abundance and size–frequency distribution of the New Zealand endemic frogLeiopelma hochstetteri

Nájera-Hillman

King²,

Baird

et al. 2009

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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in New Zealand, introduced mammals, especially rats, have been considered a primary factor in the extinction of amphibians. Leiopelma hochstetteri is a riparian frog, and is the most widespread of the surviving species of native frogs in New Zealand. at present, all populations of this frog species coexist with introduced mammals, which in some cases have been subject to pest-management operations without monitoring the potential benefits or damage to the frogs. We investigated the influence of a 7-year rat management operation on frog abundance in the Waitakere Ranges, New Zealand. We identified which habitat characteristics had significant influence on frog abundance; confirmed that the study areas represented similar habitats both inside and outside the pest-managed area, and finally evaluated the effects of the pest-management activities. frog abundance was positively correlated with percentage area covered by boulders and percentage area covered by water. Since the study sites were similar in terms of those variables, we could make a reliable comparison of frog abundance in relation to pest management. Presence/absence of pest-management operations did not have any significant effect on frog abundance. Size-frequency distribution data suggest that there has been recruitment of young frogs both inside and outside pest-management areas in the past 7 years.

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“…The dispersal tendencies of L. hochstetteri are unknown but the frogs are habitat specialists preferring narrow zones along rocky streambeds (Green and Tessier 1990) and their daily movements are limited (Tessier et al 1991). As a consequence of restricted gene flow and genetic drift, populations thus are likely to be highly genetically differentiated from one another.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeography of Leiopelma hochstetteri reveals strong genetic structure and suggests new conservation priorities

et al. 2009

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Leiopelma hochstetteri belongs to a singular anuran lineage endemic to New Zealand that diverged from other frogs about 200 million years ago. The species now is reduced to a series of isolated populations in the northern half of the North Island and Great Barrier Island. We have used mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data to examine the genetic affinities of extant populations of L. hochstetteri. Phylogenetic reconstructions reveal that populations are highly structured. Each of the geographically isolated populations harbours independent mtDNA lineages as well as different degrees of nuDNA differentiation. Moreover, molecular dating reveals that this structure originated in the early Pleistocene. This pattern of genetic structure likely results from unfavourable climatic conditions during the Pleistocene combined with the low dispersal ability of the species. Isolated populations in forested refugia existed even in the southern part of the distribution of the species during glacial cycles. Previously published variation in chromosome numbers and isozyme data are consistent with the new evidence. We identified 13 evolutionary significant units (ESUs) that should serve as the focus for future management and conservation of this species.

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Population Density and Daily Movement Patterns of Hochstetter's Frogs, Leiopelma hochstetteri, in a New Zealand Mountain Stream

Cited by 21 publications

References 4 publications

Habitat-use model for the New Zealand endemic frog Leiopelma hochstetteri

Habitat-use model for the New Zealand endemic frog Leiopelma hochstetteri

Effect of pest–management operations on the abundance and size–frequency distribution of the New Zealand endemic frogLeiopelma hochstetteri

Phylogeography of Leiopelma hochstetteri reveals strong genetic structure and suggests new conservation priorities

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