Download or read book Effects of the Invasive Bullfrog Rana Catesbeiana on the Native Herpetofauna Community in Northern New Mexico written by Calvin I. Vialpando and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive species are among the greatest causes for decline of biodiversity. Since native species have no evolutionary history with the invasive species, the latter has ample opportunity to drive local populations to extinction via competition, predation, introduction of diseases and associated synergistic effects. Introduction of Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) occurred in several areas outside of their native range including the southwestern United States. In this study, I investigated the effects of the invasive Bullfrog on the native herpetofauna community in northern New Mexico. I conducted my study along the Mora River at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge in 2015. I sampled two 2.4 km segments of the Mora River that differ in Bullfrog management. In one "managed" segment, Bullfrog eradication has been ongoing since 2012. In the upstream "unmanaged" segment of the river, the Bullfrog population was left intact. Both sites were separated by a 1.6 km "buffer zone" of river where Bullfrog populations were not removed to eliminate the effect of migration between the two sites in the river. I utilized several methods to sample for different species. 1) I conducted call surveys to estimate the abundance of calling male Northern Leopard Frogs (R. pipiens) and Bullfrogs. 2) I conducted daytime visual encounter surveys to determine the relative abundance of Bullfrog populations between the managed and unmanaged sites. 3) I used artificial cover objects (ACOs) on a board line survey to estimate the relative abundance of small rodents, amphibian, and reptile species. I used data from the board line ACOs surveys to estimate a Shannon-Weiner diversity index and compare diversity and evenness between both sites. I conducted a mark and recapture study on Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans) to determine their population structure. Species diversity and overall abundance of some reptile species was highest where Bullfrogs were managed. I found an unexpected trend where two species, Northern Leopard Frogs and Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes, were more abundant where the Bullfrog population was left intact (unmanaged site). This unexpected trend may be explained by other factors related to Bullfrog invasion including the predator release on the also invasive Norther Crayfish (Orconectes virilis), which may be more detrimental to the riparian community. Overall, this study indicates the herpetofauna species diversity along a riparian zone is negatively impacted by invasive Bullfrog presence. Though active management of invasive bullfrogs is not practical in some cases, removal of invasive species is beneficial to overall diversity.
Download or read book The Impacts of the Invasive American Bullfrog Lithobates Catesbeianus on the Woodhouse Toad Anaxyrus Woodhousii Population at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge in Northeastern New Mexico written by Alfonso Trujillo and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are one of the most aggressive invasive species causing ecological damage across many ecosystems. Bullfrogs can negatively impact native amphibians through either predation or competition when they become established in an ecosystem. This invasion leads to the loss of native biodiversity and can eventually drive some species into extinction. Invasive Bullfrogs were established in the Rio Mora Wildlife Refuge (RMNWR) in Northern New Mexico during the last century. Bullfrogs were eradicated from an "Experimental" 2,600 meter section of the Mora River, creating an area virtually free of Bullfrogs. Another similar length of the river was left intact and referred to as the "Control." this study examines whether Bullfrogs have a negative impact on Woodhouse toads (Anaxyrus woodhousii) by using five methods to determine differences between the sites with Bullfrogs and without Bullfrogs: (1) A mark-recapture study to determine total abundance and population structure; (2) Random transects in the study area to estimate relative abundance; (3) Deterministic transects going perpendicular away from the river to evaluate habitat preference, either due to prey preference, vegetation choices, or avoidance of Bullfrogs; (4) Call surveys to define the relative abundance of active calling males; and (5) Tadpole abundance surveys to measure the larvae quantity. Our results suggest that there are more Woodhouse toads in the area where Bullfrogs have been eradicated based on the calculated total abundance of Woodhouse toad adults in both sites. I also found more juveniles and tadpoles in our site with the absence of bullfrogs. Also, I captured fewer female toads along road transects where Bullfrogs were removed, suggesting females may be utilizing the river more because they do not risk encounters with Bullfrogs. Females are larger in the area that has Bullfrogs (mean mass= 84.57g; mean SVL= 7.81 cm) than in the area without Bullfrogs (mean mass= 53.80g; mean SVL= 6.84 cm). This may be the result of increase recruitment on the early sizes where Bullfrogs have been eradicated. Overall, my study demonstrates that Bullfrogs have important impacts on the Woodhouse toad population in the RMNWR by affecting abundance on juveniles and tadpoles and causing the overall population to avoid areas that are heavily populated with Bullfrogs.
Download or read book Using Artificial Cover Objects to Monitor the Effects of Invasive Bullfrogs on the Small vertebrate Riparian Community of Northeastern New Mexico written by Nicasio Gonzalez and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive species and their ecological effects are regarded as one of the paramount threats to biodiversity worldwide. American Bullfrogs are well recognized as a detrimental invasive species, however, knowledge is lacking concerning both the functioning of invasive Bullfrogs in novel ecosystems and the ecological consequences of their removal. Bullfrogs are thought to have colonized North Eastern New Mexico between 1900 to 1940. In 2012. the Highlands Vertebrate Biology Lab initiated the invasive Bullfrog eradications at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge, where a 2 km stretch of river was cleared of Bullfrogs and in continually being reinforced. The eradication of invasive Bullfrogs provides an experimental design in which various studies, regarding Bullfrog ecology, can be compared to an unaltered population of invasive Bullfrogs. The overall purpose of this long-term comprehensive study is to provide insights to the possible effects that the presence of Bullfrogs may have in this ecosystem as well as to monitor the effects of the Bullfrog removals. The aim of my specific study was to monitor the riparian community of small vertebrates through sampling transects of artificial cover objects (ACOs) to provide baseline assessments of community structure in order to study the effects of the presence of invasive Bullfrogs and the community response to their eradication. Biodiversity indexes and the relative abundances of Terrestrial Western Garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans), and White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were compared between study sites to search for correlations with the presence of Bullfrogs. Creating and comparing similarly places ACOs (micro-habitat types) will aid in isolating the observed differences to the presence of the invasive Bullfrog. Surprisingly, my results indicate that he presence of invasive Bullfrogs support a community of higher diversity, in contradiction with the original hypothesis. They study site where Bullfrogs are present (control) resulted in a Shannon-Wiener index value of 1.244, 18.67 T. elegans per sampling event, and 4.05 P. leucopas per sampling event; compared to the site without the presence of Bullfrogs (experimental) where diversity index value was 1.005, 6.05 T. elegans per sampling event, and 2.10 P. leucopus per sampling event. The results from the biodiversity indexes and relative abundances indicate that the presence of invasive Bullfrogs is correlated with an increased diversity and trophic complexity of the small vertebrate community of the Rio Mora riparian ecosystem in Northeastern New Mexico.
Download or read book Amphibians and Reptiles of the US Mexico Border States Anfibios y reptiles de los estados de la frontera M xico Estados Unidos written by Julio A. Lemos-Espinal and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2015-12-11 with total page 626 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the first bilingual work on the reptiles and amphibians of the US–Mexico border, top herpetologists come together to describe the herpetofauna of the states of this region, which includes more than 600 species of toads, frogs, salamanders, turtles, sea turtles, alligators, lizards, snakes, and sea snakes that are found along the almost 2,000-mile border between the two countries. Each chapter is devoted to one state—four in the US (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) and six in Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas)—with text in both English and Spanish. The chapters contain an introduction to the area, a review of the research, a sketch of the state’s physiography, and a description of the species present as well as the pertinent conservation issues they face. A color photo gallery includes images of nearly all species. Almost 40 percent of the featured native species are shared between the US and Mexico, reminding us that animals depend on the integrity of natural landscapes and proving the need for a comprehensive, bilingual reference to help lead a shared effort in the management and conservation of the borderlands.
Download or read book The Ecology of Native Tadpoles rana Boylii and Hyla Regilla and the Impact of Invading Bullfrogs rana Catesbeiana in a Northern California River written by Sarah Julia Kupferberg and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 606 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Biological invaders in inland waters Profiles distribution and threats written by Francesca Gherardi and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-08-30 with total page 735 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive species have come to dominate 3% of the Earth’s ice-free surface, constituting one of the most serious ecological and economic threats of the new millennium, and freshwater systems are particularly vulnerable. This book examines the identity, distribution, and impact of freshwater non-indigenous species and the dynamics of their invasion. It focuses on old and new invaders and provides a starting point for further research.
Download or read book Southwestern Desert Resources written by William L. Halvorson and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2023-01-17 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The southwestern deserts stretch from southeastern California to west Texas and then south to central Mexico. The landscape of this region is known as basin and range topography featuring to “sky islands” of forest rising from the desert lowlands which creates a uniquely diverse ecology. The region is further complicated by an international border, where governments have caused difficulties for many animal populations. This book puts a spotlight on individual research projects which are specific examples of work being done in the area and when they are all brought together, to shed a general light of understanding the biological and cultural resources of this vast region so that those same resources can be managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. The intent is to show that collaborative efforts among federal, state agency, university, and private sector researchers working with land managers, provides better science and better management than when scientists and land managers work independently.
Download or read book Ecology and Management of the Bullfrog written by R. Bruce Bury and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Bullfrog written by Susan H. Gray and published by Cherry Lake. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bullfrogs are big eaters, consuming almost anything that fits in their mouths. Meals include birds, turtles, snakes, and even other frogs. At one time, bullfrogs lived only in North America and east of the Rocky Mountains. Today, the large frogs have invaded many parts of the world, causing problems for native wildlife. Look inside to discover how bullfrogs became an invasive species and what is being done to help stop their spread.
Download or read book Attack of the Bullfrogs written by Therese M. Shea and published by Gareth Stevens Publishing LLLP. This book was released on 2016-12-15 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bullfrogs in the United States started as a way for Californians to eat more frog legs. Now, the bullfrog population grows almost completely unchecked. In many places in the world where bullfrogs have spread, there arent predators to eat them! Readers are likely familiar with the bullfrog croak, but in this book, theyll learn why hearing it is a bad sign! The main content introduces the definition of invasive species and explains through the bullfrogs story the harm these animals cause. Full-color photographs help readers identity bullfrogs, and informative fact boxes add details about conservation, habitats, and food chains.
Download or read book Alien Reptiles and Amphibians written by Fred Kraus and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-12-19 with total page 571 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the “Homogocene” in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive – and frequently unpredictable – ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many “natural” areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance.
Download or read book The Impact of Introduced Species written by Theresa Childers and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative to Native Populations written by Jacob C. Lafond and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maintenance of genetic diversity at ecologically-relevant loci may be important for allowing invasive populations to become established despite decreases in genomic diversity due to founder effects. To evaluate this prediction, we compared genetic diversity at an expressed MHC class II[beta] gene fragment to a 909 bp region of the neutral cytochrome b (cytb) locus from 20 populations of the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) across its North American invasive and native ranges and quantified the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen, for which R. catesbeiana is a vector species. We recovered 28 unique MHC alleles and found that invasive populations had significantly higher Bd prevalence and intensity and significantly higher pairwise F[subscript ST] than native populations, but maintained similar levels of MHC diversity, contrasted by lower neutral cytb diversity. Across all populations the two most common alleles (LiCA_B & Rapi_33) were associated with a significant decreased risk of Bd infection, and we detected positive selection acting on three MHC peptide binding residues, indicating that positive selection drives MHC evolution, likely in part due to disease pressure. A cytb phylogenetic analysis indicated that invasive populations likely arose from a single founding population from somewhere in the American Midwest with a possible subsequent invasion. In contrast, MHC phylogenetic analyses revealed widespread allele sharing across native and invasive ranges, but limited trans-species polymorphism, indicating a unique MHC evolutionary history in R. catesbeiana that may play a key role in the species’ high Bd tolerance. Overall, our data indicate that balancing selection maintains MHC diversity in invasive R. catesbeiana despite founder effects evident from the cytb dataset. This study suggests that maintenance of diversity at ecologically-relevant loci contribute to the successful establishment of invasive populations and highlights the importance of quantifying diversity at functional loci to assess the evolutionary potential of invasive populations.
Download or read book The Spatial Ecology of the Exotic Bullfrog Rena Catesbeiana and Its Relationship to the Distribution of the Native Herpetofauna in a Managed River System written by Terra Elaine Fuller and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prior to western settlement, the Trinity River probably offered little suitable habitat for bullfrogs (Rana catesbieana). Anthropogenic habitat modifications such as mining and homesteading may have resulted in conditions more favorable for bullfrogs. Damming in 1963 led to modifications in riverine habitat, producing a highly modified lotic system which is much different from pre-dam conditions. Research has shown these habitat modifications to negatively impact foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii). My objectives were to determine the downstream distribution of an exotic ranid frog, the bullfrog, and its relationship to the foothill yellow-legged frog, other native amphibians, and the habitats they occupy along the dam-impacted Trinity River. I used census data from 2004 to determine bullfrog occupancy and data on breeding from 2005 to determine bullfrog breeding habitat on the Trinity River. With the occupancy data, I also examined native species composition in relation to bullfrog habitats and plotted bullfrog and native species distribution along the river. Bullfrog occupancy models were developed for both spring/summer high-flow and late summer low-flow surveys, with the low-flow model producing more accurate information than the high-flow model. Top predictor variables for all occupancy models were: max depth, percentage rooted floating vegetation, and river mile, although individual variables showed some variation in significance between the two flow regimes. The breeding model was more stable and out-performed the bullfrog occupancy models. The breeding model had high predictability and was positively correlated with the variables: percentage lentic, percentage rooted floating vegetation, max depth and river mile. Canopy cover was negatively correlated and water clarity had no relationship to bullfrog breeding sites. Most sites where bullfrogs were found also provided habitat for western pond turtles and western toads. Additionally, rough-skinned newts were commonly found at bullfrog breeding sites. Using the occupancy data set, native species and bullfrog distributions were inversely correlated along the 43 mile river reach below the dam. My results suggested that if one wished to control bullfrog populations on the Trinity River the most successful approach would be to focus management efforts on bullfrog breeding sites. Over half of the bullfrog breeding sites were artifacts of historic mining activities, whereas other breeding sites are a result of dam-induced habitat modifications. Making restoration of those sites a high priority could greatly benefit native species.
Download or read book A Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species written by Robert A. Francis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-03-12 with total page 918 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate the spread of invasives. This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.
Download or read book Freshwater Biodiversity written by David Dudgeon and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing human populations and higher demands for water impose increasing impacts and stresses upon freshwater biodiversity. Their combined effects have made these animals more endangered than their terrestrial and marine counterparts. Overuse and contamination of water, overexploitation and overfishing, introduction of alien species, and alteration of natural flow regimes have led to a 'great thinning' and declines in abundance of freshwater animals, a 'great shrinking' in body size with reductions in large species, and a 'great mixing' whereby the spread of introduced species has tended to homogenize previously dissimilar communities in different parts of the world. Climate change and warming temperatures will alter global water availability, and exacerbate the other threat factors. What conservation action is needed to halt or reverse these trends, and preserve freshwater biodiversity in a rapidly changing world? This book offers the tools and approaches that can be deployed to help conserve freshwater biodiversity.
Download or read book Investigating the Genetic Diversity of Immune Genes in Non native Populations of American Bullfrogs Rana Catesbeiana written by Luisa Nereyda Segovia and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is a highly invasive species that has successfully colonized habitats around the world. The genetic variability of immune genes within invasive populations, like that of bullfrogs, may contribute to how resistant a population is to pathogens. The objective of this project was to characterize the genetic diversity of an immune gene in invasive bullfrog populations in California to better understand how persistent these populations might be over time. To characterize immune gene variability, I isolated exon 2 of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class II Beta chain gene and a neutral mitochondrial marker, cytochrome b (cyt b), from five bullfrog populations. I used standard population genetic metrics to compare the genetic diversity between these two loci across populations. I found high diversity in MHC II exon relative to cyt b, however these populations harbored differing levels of diversity at both loci. I also reconstructed a phylogeny of the isolated alleles with those from other ranids and found that the majority of my MHC alleles clustered with other R. catesbeiana alleles instead of with those of other ranids, except two alleles may exhibit transspecies polymorphism. The majority of the selection tests detected significant positive selection acting on MHC alleles, while there was little evidence on cyt b. Overall, these non-native populations have similar genetic diversity to other native amphibian populations. I conclude that they likely have sufficient genetic diversity to persist in the face of novel pathogens they may encounter in non-native habitats.
