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Ficetola GF, Manenti R, Lo Parrino E, Muraro M, Barzaghi B, Messina V, Giachello S, Melotto A, Falaschi M. Decline and Extinction of the Italian Agile Frog Rana latastei from Core Areas of Its Range. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3187. [PMID: 37893911 PMCID: PMC10603640 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Detecting the trends of species and populations is fundamental to identifying taxa with high conservation priority. Unfortunately, long-term monitoring programs are challenging and often lacking. The Italian agile frog Rana latastei is endemic to Northern Italy and adjacent countries, is considered vulnerable by the IUCN, and is protected at the European level. However, quantitative estimates of its decline are extremely scarce. In this study, we document the trends in abundance and distribution of Rana latastei within Monza Park, which currently represents the area closer to the type locality of the species and holds unique genetic features. Wetlands within the park were monitored from 2000 to 2023; counts of egg clutches were taken as a measure of reproductive output and the abundance of breeding females. In 2000, the species occurred over a significant proportion of the park. Total abundance showed strong yearly variation but remained rather constant from 2000 to 2019. However, Rana latastei disappeared from the park around 2021 and was never detected in 2022-2023. The decline is probably related to the joint effect of multiple factors, including the conversion of breeding sites for farming, inappropriate water management, invasive alien species, and severe drought. The local extinction of Rana latastei occurred despite legal protection, highlighting the need for more effective and stringent tools for the conservation of European biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
- University Grenoble Alpes, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Raoul Manenti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Elia Lo Parrino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Martina Muraro
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio, 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Benedetta Barzaghi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Valeria Messina
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Simone Giachello
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
- University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, Piazza della Vittoria 15, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Melotto
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Mattia Falaschi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (E.L.P.); (M.M.); (B.B.); (V.M.); (S.G.); (A.M.); (M.F.)
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Falaschi M, Gibertini C, Lo Parrino E, Muraro M, Barzaghi B, Manenti R, Ficetola GF. Assessing Population Trends of Species with Imperfect Detection: Double Count Analyses and Simulations Confirm Reliable Estimates in Brown Frogs. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162085. [PMID: 36009675 PMCID: PMC9405163 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most animal species are detected imperfectly and overlooking individuals can result in a biased inference of the abundance patterns and underlying processes. Several techniques can incorporate the imperfect detection process for a more accurate estimation of abundance, but most of them require repeated surveys, i.e., more sampling effort compared to single counts. In this study, we used the dependent double-observer approach to estimate the detection probability of the egg clutches of two brown frog species, Rana dalmatina and R. latastei. We then simulated the data of a declining population at different levels of detection probability in order to assess under which conditions the double counts provided better estimates of population trends compared to naïve egg counts, given the detectability of frog clutches. Both species showed a very high detection probability, with average values of 93% for Rana dalmatina and 97% for R. latastei. Simulations showed that not considering imperfect detection reduces the power of detecting population trends if detection probability is low. However, at high detection probability (>80%), ignoring the imperfect detection does not bias the estimates of population trends. This suggests that, for species laying large and easily identifiable egg clutches, a single count can provide useful estimates if surveys are correctly timed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Falaschi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Gibertini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Elia Lo Parrino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Muraro
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Benedetta Barzaghi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Raoul Manenti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine, University Grenoble Alpes, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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Vodrážková M, Šetlíková I, Navrátil J, Berec M. Presence of an alien turtle accelerates hatching of common frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles. NEOBIOTA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.74.82250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The presence of a predator affects prey populations either by direct predation or by modifying various parts of their life history. We investigated whether the hatching time, developmental stage, and body size at hatching of common frog (Rana temporaria) embryos would alter in the presence of a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) as a predator. The presence of a predator affected all factors examined. We found that in the absence of the slider, the embryos hatched in 12 days, while hatching was accelerated by two days in slider treatment. At the same time, the embryos hatched smaller and at a lower stage of development with the slider than without it. Our study extends the range of predators studied, including the effect on different phases of development of potential amphibian prey.
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Dalpasso A, Ficetola GF, Giachello S, Lo Parrino E, Manenti R, Muraro M, Falaschi M. Similar species, different fates: Abundance dynamics in spatially structured populations of common and threatened frogs. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Dalpasso
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
- Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine Univ. Grenoble AlpesUniv. Savoie Mont BlancCNRSLECA Grenoble France
| | - Simone Giachello
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Elia Lo Parrino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Raoul Manenti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Martina Muraro
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Mattia Falaschi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
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