Search USGS⌕ Search
Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70118789

Breeding chorus indices are weakly related to estimated abundance of Boreal Chorus Frogs

Paul Stephen Corn·Erin Muths·Amanda Kissel·Rick D. Scherer
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Also available from

Abstract

Call surveys used to monitor breeding choruses of anuran amphibians generate index values that are frequently used to represent the number of male frogs present, but few studies have quantified this relationship. We compared abundance of male Boreal Chorus Frogs ( Pseudacris maculata ), estimated using capture–recapture methods in two populations in Colorado, to call index values derived from automated recordings. Single index values, such as might result from large monitoring efforts, were unrelated to population size. A synthetic call saturation index (CSI), the daily proportion of the maximum possible sum of index values derived from multiple recordings, was greater in larger populations, but the relationship was not highly predictive.

Explore related subjects

CopeiaArticle
90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 36.94989178681327° to 40.97989806962013° latitude; -108.984375° to -101.90917968749999° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Paul Stephen Corn, Erin Muths, Amanda Kissel, Rick D. Scherer. 2011. Breeding chorus indices are weakly related to estimated abundance of Boreal Chorus Frogs. https://doi.org/10.1643/ch-10-190

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2019

Multiscale habitat factors explain variability in stream fish occurrence in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion, USA

The dynamic, multiscale nature of stream systems makes it challenging to establish basic ecological principles to guide stream fish conservation and management. For example, finer-scale instream habitat is often constrained by coarser-scale characteristics driving observed species distributions. Additionally, instream environmental variability can result in patchy species distributions within general upstream–downstream occurrence patterns (i.e., variation around a common theme). Groundwater contribution, an often-overlooked habitat characteristic in warmwater systems, has numerous influences on the instream environment and can play a role in fish habitat-use patterns and assemblage structure. We identified multiscale instream habitat characteristics associated with the occurrence probability of 20 Ozark Highland stream fishes. Fishes were surveyed using tow-barge electrofishing in 76 channel unit complexes (i.e., riffle-to-riffle habitat sequences) nested in 20 reaches of northwest Oklahoma and southwest Missouri. We used a multiscale, multispecies generalized linear mixed model to identify relationships between fish occurrence and both channel unit complex- and reach-scale variables. Stream fishes were more likely to occur in larger or deeper channel unit complexes. Fish occurrence was also associated with different levels of reach-scale groundwater contribution, bankfull width-to-depth ratio, and percent instream cover. Ten fishes, typically associated with warmer water temperatures, had lower occurrence probabilities in reaches with higher groundwater contribution, whereas Banded Sculpin Cottus carolinae and Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus occurrence probabilities were higher. There was no relationship between occurrence probabilities and instream cover for 11 fishes. The occurrence probabilities in relation to varying amounts of instream cover for the other nine stream fishes was dependent on bankfull width-to-depth ratio, where the direction and magnitude of the relationships varied among stream fishes. The variation in occurrence relationships can be attributed to thermal preferences, environmental interactions, and the use of multiple habitat types. Our findings demonstrate the multiscale nature of fish occurrence relationships and how conservation and management may benefit from considering this complexity when developing holistic instream habitat enhancement strategies.

Missouri, Oklahoma↗
USGS2018

Patterns in fish assemblage structure in a small western stream

Knowledge of how patterns in fish assemblages are spatially structured is important for guiding management and conservation actions. However, most studies have taken place in the eastern and midwestern U.S., resulting in a poor understanding of factors influencing western stream fishes. The objectives of this study were to evaluate habitat and species associations of fishes in Deep Creek, a small tributary of the Kootenai River in Idaho. Fishes and habitat were sampled from 58 reaches in Deep Creek. In total, 7,129 individual fishes representing 18 species were sampled. Patterns in species richness were largely a function of channel gradient and associated habitat characteristics. Species richness decreased with increased channel gradient. Species-specific habitat relationships for native and nonnative fishes in Deep Creek provided specific insights into the ecology of each species. Predicted probability of occurrence and relative abundance varied by species and were related to a broad suite of environmental characteristics. This study provides insight on patterns of fish assemblage structure, as well as important information on the ecology of native and nonnative fishes in a western stream system.

Idaho↗
USGS2018

Late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) in Oregon, USA

Many amphibians use multiple habitats across seasons. Information on seasonal habitat use, movement between seasonal habitat types, and habitats that may be particularly valuable is important to conservation and management. We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon Spotted Frog ( Rana pretiosa ) at nine sites from four populations along the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. Movement rates declined with date and were the lowest at the end of tracking in December and January. Frogs across our sites used vegetated shallows in late summer and early fall. In fall, frogs used a range of habitat types, and at several sites moved to distinctive habitats such as springs, interstices in lava rock, and semi-terrestrial beaver channels. Distance between first and last tracking location was <250 m for 84.5% (49/58) of frogs, ranged up to 1145 m, and was greater for frogs in ditch habitats than those not in ditches. Distinctive features like springs or semi-terrestrial retreats can host multiple frogs and may represent particularly valuable wintering habitat for R. pretiosa in some sites in their Oregon range.

Oregon↗