DurangoNatureStudiesHabitatAssessment 2013 NickTarasewicz

ExecutiveSummary TheDurangoNatureCenter,nearBondad,Colorado,wasacquiredbyDurangoNature Studies(DNS)inJuneof1998.Aspartofthenegotiationstoacquiretheland,aswellasthe goalsofDNStoinspireapositivepersonalrelationshipwithournaturalworldthroughnonprofit outdooreducationpromotinganenhancedrespectfornature,all142acresoflandwasplaced underaconservationeasement.TheFloridaRiverrunsthroughtheDNSpropertyand,along withapond,providesahabitatforfish,frogs,andmacroinvertebrates. In2008,bullfrogsbegantobereportedontheDNSpropertybyvisitorsandemployees. Becausebullfrogsareconsideredaninvasivespeciesandwillnaturallyoutcompetethenative leopardfrogsontheDNSproperty,DNSwantedAnimasHighSchool(AHS)toconductannual surveysofthesespecies.Theywanttokeeptabsontheleopardfrogandbullfrogpopulations andassessthehealthoftheDNSecosystem. Toaccuratelyassessecosystemhealth,the10thgradeAHSbiologystudentsmadefour separatetripstoDNSpropertytocollectavarietyoffielddata.Waterqualitytestsweredoneto gaugecoliformbacteria,nitrates,pH(measureofacidityoralkalinity),dissolvedoxygen,and phosphates.Thestudentsalsomademultiplevegetationplotsurveysandcapturedandcounted aquaticmacroinvertebratesinboththeFloridaRiverandthepondontheDNSproperty.To estimatefrogpopulations,studentsconductedvisualencountersurveysandcollected markrecapturedata. DNSisanonprofitorganizationandasof2007,theannualbudgetis$147,300.AHS studentsmustmakerecommendationsformoderationandmanagementbasedontheir collectiondata,buttheymustalsokeeptheDNSbudgetinmindtoensurethattheir recommendationscanbeperformed.

SpeciesOverview Ranapipiens Thenorthernleopardfrog(Ranapipiens)isaformerlyabundantfrogthathas experiencedsignificantdeclinesinpopulationduetovariousfactorsandisrecognizedbyits prominentlateraldorsalridges.Ranapipiensrangesinsizefrom3to5in(7.6to12.7cm)andis foundinmostofnorthernNorthAmericaandCanada,exceptonthePacificCoast.They generallylivenearpondsandmarshesandoccasionallyventureintowellcoveredgrasslands. Northernleopardfrogsareconsideredopportunisticeatersandwillconsumeanyformof nutritionthatcanfitintheirmouths,mostlybeetles,ants,flies,worms,smallerfrogs(including theirownspecies),birds,andgartersnakes.Theybreedandoverwinter(hibernate)inwater bodiesduetotheirintolerancetowardsfreezingconditions,buttheadultsspendtheentire postbreedingsummerperiod(thatis,July,August,andearlySeptember)ingrassymeadows, openshrubareas,ordampwoods,oftenfarfromanywater.Femaleleopardfrogslayegg clutchesthatcontain2,000to6,500eggsandarelaidinshallowwatereithersingularlyorin communalmassesof25to40clutches(Smith2004andNorthern2013). RanapipiensisconsideredaspeciesofStateSpecialConcerninColoradoaccording toColoradoParksandWildlifeduetothemodernthreatsofhabitatdestruction,diseases, chemicalcontamination,acidification,increasedultravioletlightduetolossoftheozonelayer, introducedpredators,overcollecting,climaticchanges,andgeneralenvironmentaldegradation againstthespecies(Smith2004). Ranacatesbeiana Thebullfrog(Ranacatesbeiana)isthelargestofallNorthAmericanfrogs.Bullfrogsare typicallygreenorgraybrownwithbrownspotsandhaveeasilyidentifiablecirculareardrums,or

tympanum,oneithersideoftheirheads.Bullfrogshavebeenrecordedtogrowuptoalengthof 8inchesandweighupto1.5pounds,butaremorecommonlyfoundintherangebetween3.5to 6incheslongandweigh1.1pounds.ThebullfrogisanativeofeasternNorthAmericabuthas beenintroducedinareasrangingfromsouthernOntariotosouthernMexico,aswellasvarious locationsinEurope,Asia,andSouthAmerica.Ranacatesbeianaisageneralistpredator.This meansthattheywillconsumeanyformofnutritionthatwillfitintotheirmouths,includinginsects, mice,fish,birds,snakes,andotherfrogs.Bullfrogsspendthewintermonths(startingin October)hibernatingatthebottomofbreedingpondsuntilmidAprilorearlyMaywhenthey emergefromtheirslumberandbeginmating.Ifduringanypointinhibernationthetemperature risesadequately,hibernationwillbeinterrupted.Femalebullfrogsproduceupto20,000eggs. Malesarehighlyterritorialandwillaggressivelyguardtheirland(Spitzen2010). TheColoradoDivisionofWildlifecategorizesthebullfrogasaninvasivespeciesand states,Theintroductionofthebullfrogisbelievedtobeamajorfactorinthedeclineofnative leopardfrogs,asitoutcompetesandpreysonthenativefrogs.Thebullfrogisathreattonative amphibianandfishspeciesduetoitsaggressiontowardsotherspeciesandtheharmfulfungus thatiscarriedonthebullfrog.Ranacatesbeianahasanaturalresistancetothedisease chytridiomycosis,whichiscausedbythefungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis,andisa meansfortheinfectiontospread.Chytridiomycosisisanemerginginfectiousdiseasethatis consideredoneofthemaincausesofglobalamphibiandeclinesandextinctions.Unlikemost species,frogsabsorbnutrientsandwaterthroughtheirskin,butchytridiomycosiscausesa microscopicchangeintheskinthatpreventstheinfectedfrogfromabsorbingrequirednutrients. Anotherreasonwhybullfrogsareconsideredinvasiveisthattheyoutcompeteotherspeciesfor resourcesanddirectlypredateonotheramphibians.Furthermore,theyusetheiraggressionto drivetadpolesoutofsaferegionsofwaterintotheopenwaterwheretheyarevulnerabletobe

preyeduponbynonnativebluegillfish(Spitzen2010). Results DuringtheDurangoNatureStudiessurvey,waterchemistrytests,vegetationplots, macroinvertebratecollection,andvisualencounterdatawascollected.Basedon macroinvertebratedata,theDNSpondyieldedatotaldiversityindexof1.27whiletheriver providedatotalof1.41.(SeeTables4and5.)ThevegetationplotdatacollectedinTable3 resultedinanaveragetotaldiversityindexof1.16.Thewaterchemistrytestsconducted(in Table2)presentedpHlevelof8forboththeFloridaRiverandtheDNSpond:thisresultmeans thewaterisconsideredalkaline.Thedissolvedoxygentestresultedinalevelof7.5mg/L,which isconsiderednormalinthepond.DuetoahighconcentrationofsedimentsintheFloridaRiver, thetestfordissolvedoxygenwasinconclusive.TheFloridaRiverpresentedphosphateatalevel of4ppmand5ppmforthepond,whichisconsideredhighandcancontributetoexcessiveplant grow.Thetestfornitrogenlevelscameupas1ppmforthepondand2ppmfortheFlorida River.(ThusitisstableThecoliformtestforboththeriverandthepondyieldapositiveresult. Duringthevisualencountersurvey(Table1),atotalof37personhourswereconductedin surveyingandresultedinanaverageof6.25leopardfrogsand0bullfrogsbeingobserved.

HabitatAssessment: TheAverageShannonWeinerresultof1.16(outof5)forvegetationplotdata,1.27for thepond,and1.41fortheFloridaRiverindicatesthattheDurangoNatureStudiesecosystemis stableforthesurroundingarea.ShannonWeinerisbasedonascaleof1to5,andonewould onlyfindaresultof4inahighlydiverserainforestneartheequator(Shannon2013). DuringAnimasHighSchoolssurvey,nostoneflieswereobservedineitherthepondor theFloridaRiver.Outofallknownmacroinvertebrates,stoneflieshavethelowesttoleranceof

pollutionandcantsurviveinmoderatewaterquality(Pollution2013).Withthisknowledgein hand,itcanbeassumedthatboththeDurangoNatureStudiespondandtheFloridaRiveris pollutedinsomeway,butduetothefactthatothermacroinvertebrateswerecollected,those waterscanatleastprovidehabitatforothermacroinvertebratesthatarenotassensitiveto pollution. Theconductedsurveyyieldedanelevatedlevelofphosphorusfoundinthewater. Phosphorus,foundintheformofphosphates,isanutrientrequiredforplantgrowthandisa fundamentalelementinthemetabolicreactionsofplantsandanimals.Sourcesofphosphorus includehumanandanimalwastesanddecay,industrialwastes,runoff,fertilizers,and detergentsthatarenearsourcesofwaterandcaneasilybewashedordroppedintothewater (Managing2012). Excessamountsofphosphoruscauseextensivealgaegrowth,calledblooms,which leadtodecreasedoxygenlevelsinthewater.Whenthereisaspikeinalgaegrowth,excessive amountsofplantmatterdiesandisdecomposedbyanimals.Astheanimalpopulation increases,thebiologicaloxygendemand(thatis,howmuchoxygenanimalsinanenvironment needtosurvive)alsoincreases,whichcreatesunsustainablelevelsofdissolvedoxygeninthe water. Studentsalsoperformedatestforcoliform,whichyieldedapositiveresult,butitis recommendedthatAnimasHighSchoolstudentsmodifytheirtestingmethodstodeterminethe exactlevelofcoliformpresentinthewater.Coliformisacommonbacteriafoundintheintestinal tractsofallanimalsandinfecalmatter.Coliformservesasanindicatorforwaterqualityand suggeststhepresenceofotherharmfulprotozoaandviruses.Highlevelsofcoliformmaycause deformityinadevelopingRanapipiens,aswellasskinirritation. Todecreasethelevelsofbothcoliformandphosphoruscontamination,itissuggested

thatDNSaskownersoffarmlandanddomesticanimalsupstreamfromthepropertytorestrain theirlivestocktoaspecificarea(aroundmilefromtheFloridariveroranypossiblesources), preventingtheirfecesfromcontaminatingthewaterthroughrunoff,wind,orotherforces. Unfortunatelythereisnofeasiblewaytocontrolwildanimals,suchasdeer,fromsteppingin wasteandthencarryingittothewatertobewashedoff(Managing2013). Inthefutureitisrecommendedthatforbetterdatatobecollected,AnimasHighSchool studentsshouldconductsurveysduringthedifferentlifecyclesoftheleopardfrogandduring differenthoursoftheday.Itmightbethatduringthebreedingseason,asmallerquantityof leopardfrogsareseen,andthebullfrogsaremoreprominent.Waterqualityevaluationsshould alsobeconductedonceeverymonthtoseethedifferenceinnitrate,phosphate,anddissolved oxygenlevelstodeterminewhenthewaterismostpollutedandwhatsurroundingareascould becontributingtothepollution(ifany). Inthreeyearsofsurveying,AnimasHighSchoolstudentshavenevercapturedabullfrog buthaveviewedandmonitoredthemaswellasreceivedreportsfromDNSemployeesthatthey arepresentontheproperty.Thusstudentssuggestthatthecapturemethodsbeenhancedso thatbullfrogsmaybecounted,collected,andexamined. Onesuggestionwouldbetouseapitfalltrap.Apitfalltrapisatrappingpitsystemfor smallanimals.Whenananimalentersthetrap,theyareunabletoescapeandeitherdieor remainunscathed.TheAnimasHighSchoolsurveycurrentlyusesactivecollectionmethods, suchasbutterflynetsratherthanpitfalltraps,whicharepassive. AnimasHighSchoolstudentsandDNSemployeeshavecometotheconclusionthat activecollectionisdifficultandtimeconsuming,especiallyintheDurangoNatureStudieshabitat whereitishardtoseethebullfrogsinthethickgrassandothervegetationsheltersthatare presentthroughouttheproperty.Thusthecurrentapproachresultsinunreliabledata.As

suggestedabove,bullfrogsshouldbetrappedusingpitfalltraps.Nextspring(yearofof2014), DurangoNatureStudiesemployeesshouldinstallthetrapsonthepropertyaroundsuspected bullfrogareas(thatis,aroundthepondandinthebushesinthesurroundingareas).Thepitfall trapswillcontainsourcesoffoodidealforabullfrog(suchasfaketadpoles,frogs,andsoon.) AnimasHighSchoolstudents,inalternationwithDNSemployees,couldthencheckandmonitor thetrapsperiodicallythroughouttheyearincludingduringthebreedingseasonandthesummer whentheyareatlarge.Whenbullfrogsarecaptured,theywillbecountedanddisposedof.Ifa leopardfrogorothersmallanimalismistakenlysnared,itcouldbereleased(Use2013). Tobettermonitorleopardfrogpopulations,DNScouldimplementanIDtagsystem. Currentlywhenaleopardfrogiscaptured,itismarkedandcountedbutthereisnowayto differentiateonemarkedleopardfrogfromanother,andthisresultsinthecountingofthesame frog(adoublecount).IfAnimasHighSchoolstudentsbeganinstallingmicrochipsinleopard frogs,theywouldbeabletomonitorthesamefrogthroughoutmultipleyearsandhavetheability todifferentiateoneleopardfrogfromanotherwhenconductingpopulationsurveys(Microchip 2013). OnemodificationtotheDurangoNatureStudiespropertytopromoteleopardfrog populationistocontinueremovingtheinvasivebullfrogspeciesthroughtheutilizationofpitfall trapsasstatedabove.Withthebullfrogsgone,therewillbeminimalthreattotheleopardfrogs homerange,whichinturnwillincreasetheleopardfrogpopulation(Home2013). Toestimatepopulations,AnimasHighSchoolstudentsusedtwomethods, markrecaptureandvisualencountersurveys.Markrecaptureiswhenaportionofapopulation iscaptured,marked(withelastomer),andreleased.Later,anotherportioniscapturedandthe numberofmarkedindividualswithinthesampleiscounted.Becausethenumberofmarked individualswithinthesecondsampleshouldbeproportionaltothenumberofmarkedindividuals

inthewholepopulation,anestimateofthetotalpopulationsizecanbeobtainedbydividingthe numberofmarkedindividualsbytheproportionofmarkedindividualsinthesecondsample.This methodismostusefulwhenitisnotpracticaltocountalloftheindividualsinthepopulationand ismorereliablethanavisualencountersurvey(Kasmer2013). Avisualencountersurvey(VES)isascansearchtodeterminespeciesdiversityand populationdensity.TheVESworksonfourassumptions:1)Everyindividualhasanequal chanceofbeingcountedduringthesurvey,2)Eachspeciesisequallylikelytobeobserved duringeachsamplingsession,3)Eachindividualisonlycountedonce,and4)Resultsfromtwo ormoreobserverssurveyingthesameareasimultaneouslyareidentical.Thisformofsurveying issomewhatproblematicwhenitcomestoaccuracyduetothefactthatnotallofthenecessary assumptionswillbemetinanygivensituation(Haupt2008).Itisrecommendedthatnextyearif aVESisconducted,AnimasHighSchoolstudentssetuptransectstosatisfyVESassumptions moreaccurately.(Studentswillwalkinastraightlineinagivendirectionandwillcounthow manyfrogstheycaptureorobserve.) Themostreliableformofsurveyingismarkrecaptureandalthoughittakeslongerto executethemethod,shouldalwaysbereferencedduetoitslowmarginforerrorcomparedtoa visualencountersurveyandprovidesabetterunderstandingofthesizeofaspeciespopulation.

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