From Effects of Linear Transport Infrastructures on Amphibians to Mitigation Measures

Linear transport infrastructures (e.g., roads, highways, railways) are affecting biodiversity by habitat loss and fragmentation, degraded or suppressed connectivity, and direct and indirect mortality. In response, planners try to propose mitigation or compensatory measures. Amphibians are particularly impacted by these infrastructures, in terms of habitat loss but also because their obligatory migration to breeding sites exposed them to the barrier effect of infrastructure (direct mortality and loss of connection among sub-populations). Several compensatory (e.g., creation of new ponds) and mitigation measures (construction of wildlife passage) have been proposed specifically for amphibians. This chapter aims to describe measures implemented for amphibian populations and tries to evaluate their efficiency in terms of frequentation (wildlife passage) and population persistence

Connectivity loss in human dominated landscape: operational tools for the identification of suitable habitat patches and corridors on amphibian's population

International audienceLandscape connectivity is a key issue for biodiversity conservation. Many species have to refrain to move between scattered resources patches. This is particularly the case for the common frog, a widespread amphibian migrating between forest and aquatic habitats for breeding. Face to the growing need for maintaining connectivity between amphibians' habitat patches, the aim of this study is to provide a method based on habitat suitability modelling and graph theory to explore and analyze ecological networks. We first used the maximum entropy modelling with environmental variables based on forest patches distribution to predict habitat patches distribution. Then, with considerations about landscape permeability, we applied graph theory in order to highlight the main habitat patches influencing habitat availability and connectivity by the use of the software's Conefor Sensinode 2.2 and Guidos. The use of the JRC Forest/Non Forest European map for the characterisation of common frog terrestrial habitat distribution combined with the maximum entropy modelling gives promising results for the identification of habitat discontinuities within a regional perspective. This approach should provide an operational tool for the identification of the effects of landscape barriers and corridors on populations structure. Then, the method appears as a promising tool for landscape planning

Invasive North American bullfrogs transmit lethal fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infections to native amphibian host species

Invasive species can be a threat to native species in several ways, including transmitting lethal infections caused by the parasites they carry. However, invasive species may also be plagued by novel and lethal infections they acquire when invading, making inferences regarding the ability of an invasive host to vector disease difficult from field observations of infection and disease. This is the case for the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in Europe and one invasive host species, the North American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus, hypothesized to be responsible for vectoring lethal infection to European native amphibians. We tested this hypothesis experimentally using the alpine newt Ichthyosaura alpestris as our model native host. Our results show that infected bullfrog tadpoles are effective vectors of Bd. Native adult newts co-housed with experimentally infected bullfrog tadpoles became Bd infected (molecular and histological tests). Moreover, the exposed adult newts suffered mortality while the majority of infected bullfrog tadpoles survived until metamorphosis. Invasive species can be a threat to native species in several ways, including transmitting lethal infections caused by the parasites they carry. However, invasive species may also be plagued by novel and lethal infections they acquire when invading, making inferences regarding the ability of an invasive host to vector disease difficult from field observations of infection and disease. This is the case for the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in Europe and one invasive host species, the North American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus, hypothesized to be responsible for vectoring lethal infection to European native amphibians. We tested this hypothesis experimentally using the alpine newt Ichthyosaura alpestris as our model native host. Our results show that infected bullfrog tadpoles are effective vectors of Bd. Native adult newts co-housed with experimentally infected bullfrog tadpoles became Bd infected (molecular and histological tests). Moreover, the exposed adult newts suffered mortality while the majority of infected bullfrog tadpoles survived until metamorphosis. These results cannot resolve the historical role of alien species in establishing the distribution of Bd across Europe or other regions in the world where this species was introduced, but they show its potential role as a Bd reservoir capable of transmitting lethal infections to native amphibians. Finally, our results also suggest that the removal of infected bullfrogs from aquatic environments may serve to reduce the availability of Bd in European amphibian communities, offering another justification for bullfrog eradication programmes that are currently underway or may be considere

Interannual variation in life history traits between neighbouring populations of the widespread amphibian Bufo bufo

Life-history variation within and among populations of widespread amphibian species has attracted much attention so far. In relation to a variety of problems (e.g. climate change, large-scale clines, conservation), this information is needed not only on broad geographic scale, but also at local level and from year to year. In this study, we investigated variation in body size and life history traits, including age, fecundity and egg size, in two neighbouring populations of a widespread amphibian, the Common Toad Bufo bufo, during a 3-year period. Body size varied significantly between populations in males only, but not between years. Age was assessed by skeletochronology, and osteometrical analyses revealed a complete endosteal resorption of the first line of arrested growth in 1.1 % of the individuals and a partial resorption in 77 % of the individuals. Age structures did not differ significantly between sexes, populations, nor between years. Age at first reproduction was one year later in females than in males in both populations (4 vs 3 years), but adult survival rates did not differ between sexes. Fecundity did not differ between populations or years, but egg size varied between years. Fecundity increased with size, but not with age of females. This lack of significant interpopulation variation in age structure and reproductive traits is important for monitoring local populations which can be exposed to various potential disturbance factors. On the other hand, these results stress the importance of analysing temporal variation in life history traits because one-year data may not represent properly the reproductive features of a population, and this issue is becoming more so important with the growing interest in climate changes and its possible effects on amphibian populationsLes variations intra- et interpopulationnelles des traits d'histoire de vie chez les amphibiens à grande aire de répartition font l'objet d'une attention soutenue. Pour de nombreux problèmes (e.g. les changements climatiques, variations clinales, conservation), cette information est nécessaire, non seulement à une large échelle géographique, mais aussi au niveau local et d'une année à une autre. Dans cette étude nous avons étudié durant trois années successives les variations de la taille corporelle, de l'âge et des traits d'histoire de vie, y compris la fécondité et la taille des oeufs, dans deux populations voisines du Crapaud commun Bufo bufo, une espèce à grande aire de répartition. La taille corporelle des mâles varie significativement entre les populations mais pas d'une année à une autre. L'âge a été déterminé par squelettochronologie et les analyses ostéologiques révèlent une résorption endostéale complète de la première ligne d'arrêt de croissance chez 1,1 % des individus et une résorption partielle chez 77 % des individus. Les structures d'âge ne différent pas entre les sexes, les populations, ni entre les années. Les femelles se reproduisent pour la première fois un an après les mâles dans les deux populations (4 vs 3 ans), mais le taux de survie des adultes ne diffère pas entre les sexes. La fécondité ne varie pas entre les populations ou les années, mais la taille des oeufs change d'une année à une autre. La fécondité augmente avec la taille, mais pas avec l'âge des femelles. Cette absence de variation de la structure d'âge et des paramètres de la reproduction est importante pour la surveillance des populations locales qui peuvent être exposées à divers facteurs de perturbation potentiels. Ces résultats soulignent également l'importance d'analyser les variations temporelles des traits d'histoire de vie car les données d'une année peuvent ne pas représenter correctement les caractéristiques de la reproduction d'une population, cette question étant exacerbée par l'intérêt croissant sur l'impact possible des changements climatiques sur les populations d'amphibiens

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibians from the Po River Delta, Northern Italy

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogen infecting amphibians at the global scale and causing their decline, but knowledge of the distribution of this pathogen is far from complete. We sampled amphibians from three species (Hyla intermedia, Rana dalmatina and Pelophylax synklepton esculentus) to evaluate whether B. dendrobatidis infects amphibians in the Po River Delta Natural Park, Northern Italy. We detected the pathogen in one population of P. sk. esculentus (prevalence: 0.33). These findings expand the known distribution of B. dendrobatidis in Italy and add further concern to the conservation of amphibians in this area

Landscape epidemiology of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans : reconciling data limitations and conservation urgency

Starting in 2010, rapid-fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) population declines in northwestern Europe heralded the emergence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), a salamander-pathogenic chytrid fungus. Bsal poses an imminent threat to global salamander diversity owing to its wide host range, high pathogenicity, and long-term persistence in ecosystems. While there is a pressing need to develop further research and conservation actions, data limitations inherent to recent pathogen emergence obscure necessary insights into Bsal disease ecology. Here, we use a hierarchical modeling framework to describe Bsal landscape epidemiology of outbreak sites in light of these methodological challenges. Using model selection and machine learning, we find that Bsal presence is associated with humid and relatively cool, stable climates. Outbreaks are generally located in areas characterized by low landscape heterogeneity and low steepness of slope. We further find an association between Bsal presence and high trail density, suggesting that human-mediated spread may increase risk for spillover between populations. We then use distribution modeling to show that favorable conditions occur in lowlands influenced by the North Sea, where increased survey effort is needed to determine how Bsal impacts local newt populations, but also in hill- and mountain ranges in northeastern France and the lower half of Germany. Finally, connectivity analyses suggest that these hill- and mountain ranges may act as stepping stones for further spread southward. Our results provide initial insight into regional environmental conditions underlying Bsal epizootics, present updated invasibility predictions for northwestern Europe, and lead us to discuss a wide variety of potential survey and research actions needed to advance future conservation and mitigation efforts

Persistence of Environmental DNA in Freshwater Ecosystems

The precise knowledge of species distribution is a key step in conservation biology. However, species detection can be extremely difficult in many environments, specific life stages and in populations at very low density. The aim of this study was to improve the knowledge on DNA persistence in water in order to confirm the presence of the focus species in freshwater ecosystems. Aquatic vertebrates (fish: Siberian sturgeon and amphibian: Bullfrog tadpoles) were used as target species. In control conditions (tanks) and in the field (ponds), the DNA detectability decreases with time after the removal of the species source of DNA. DNA was detectable for less than one month in both conditions. The density of individuals also influences the dynamics of DNA detectability in water samples. The dynamics of detectability reflects the persistence of DNA fragments in freshwater ecosystems. The short time persistence of detectable amounts of DNA opens perspectives in conservation biology, by allowing access to the presence or absence of species e.g. rare, secretive, potentially invasive, or at low density. This knowledge of DNA persistence will greatly influence planning of biodiversity inventories and biosecurity surveys

Mothers Matter Too: Benefits of Temperature Oviposition Preferences in Newts

The maternal manipulation hypothesis states that ectothermic females modify thermal conditions during embryonic development to benefit their offspring (anticipatory maternal effect). However, the recent theory suggests that the ultimate currency of an adaptive maternal effect is female fitness that can be maximized also by decreasing mean fitness of individual offspring. We evaluated benefits of temperature oviposition preferences in Alpine newts (Ichthyosaura [formerly Triturus] alpestris) by comparing the thermal sensitivity of maternal and offspring traits across a range of preferred oviposition temperatures (12, 17, and 22°C) and by manipulating the egg-predation risk during oviposition in a laboratory thermal gradient (12–22°C). All traits showed varying responses to oviposition temperatures. Embryonic developmental rates increased with oviposition temperature, whereas hatchling size and swimming capacity showed the opposite pattern. Maternal oviposition and egg-predation rates were highest at the intermediate temperature. In the thermal gradient, females oviposited at the same temperature despite the presence of caged egg-predators, water beetles (Agabus bipustulatus). We conclude that female newts prefer a particular temperature for egg-deposition to maximize their oviposition performance rather than offspring fitness. The evolution of advanced reproductive modes, such as prolonged egg-retention and viviparity, may require, among others, the transition from selfish temperature preferences for ovipositon to the anticipatory maternal effect

Reassessment of red list status of european amphibians

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