Visual implant elastomer (VIE) tags are an unreliable method of identification in adult anurans

There has long been debate over alternatives to toe-clipping as an individual marking method in anurans. Alternative methods include visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. VIE tags are low cost, easy to insert and have been used successfully in reptiles, fish and salamanders without tag loss or movement. In this study, we tested whether two species of VIE-tagged anurans (captive Kihansi spray toads, Nectophrynoides asperginis, and leopard frogs Lithobates pipiens) experienced tag movement or loss that could lead to errors in individual identification. VIE tag movement occurred in 50% of the tags implanted which caused 70.6% of individuals to be potentially misidentified. These results demonstrate that the use of VIE tags to individually mark anurans can be highly unreliable. We therefore recommend either verifying the reliability of VIE tags through species- and life stage-specific pilot studies, or choosing another method of marking

Fitness consequences of infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens)

The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked to amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide. The pathogen has been found on amphibians throughout eastern North America, but has not been associated with mass die-offs in this region. In this study, we conducted laboratory experiments on the effects of Bd infection in a putative carrier species, Lithobates pipiens, using two estimators of fitness: jumping performance and testes morphology. Over the 8-week study period, peak acceleration during jumping was not significantly different between infected and uninfected animals. Peak velocity, however, was significantly lower for infected animals after 8 weeks. Two measures of sperm production, germinal epithelium depth, and maximum spermatic cyst diameter, showed no difference between infected and uninfected animals. The width, but not length, of testes of infected animals was significantly greater than in uninfected animals. This study is the first to show effects on whole-organism performance of Bd infection in post-metamorphic amphibians, and may have important long-term, evolutionary implications for amphibian populations co-existing with Bd infection

Global COVID-19 lockdown highlights humans as both threats and custodians of the environment

The global lockdown to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic health risks has altered human interactions with nature. Here, we report immediate impacts of changes in human activities on wildlife and environmental threats during the early lockdown months of 2020, based on 877 qualitative reports and 332 quantitative assessments from 89 different studies. Hundreds of reports of unusual species observations from around the world suggest that animals quickly responded to the reductions in human presence. However, negative effects of lockdown on conservation also emerged, as confinement resulted in some park officials being unable to perform conservation, restoration and enforcement tasks, resulting in local increases in illegal activities such as hunting. Overall, there is a complex mixture of positive and negative effects of the pandemic lockdown on nature, all of which have the potential to lead to cascading responses which in turn impact wildlife and nature conservation. While the net effect of the lockdown will need to be assessed over years as data becomes available and persistent effects emerge, immediate responses were detected across the world. Thus initial qualitative and quantitative data arising from this serendipitous global quasi-experimental perturbation highlights the dual role that humans play in threatening and protecting species and ecosystems. Pathways to favorably tilt this delicate balance include reducing impacts and increasing conservation effectiveness