Species Management Plan Project
This project was about the management of bullfrogs in order permote the native species, northern leopard frog, on the Durango Nature Studies property. During the cores of this project is took samples and collected macroinvertebrates. Then the rest of the class and I determined data from the samples we took. From these samples we found the quality of the pound and river based of off phosphate levels and other stuff shown in figure 1 and 2. From the macroinvertebrates we found out that there is a presents of pollution but it is low based of off the species we found on figure 3. From the macroinvertebrates we were also able to assess the stability of the pound and river using the Shannon-Weiner formula. After collecting this data I wrote a paper about the requirements of the bullfrog and northern leopard frog I also wrote what the habitat of the DNS property is. At the end of this project my partner and I did a presentation on bullfrogs and leopard frogs and how we could permote native species and eliminate invasive species.
The article “Time to stop worrying about invasive species?” is about not worrying if an invasive species enters an environment because the can not hurt your environment they can infact improve your habitat with diversity. An example given in the article is the pine beetle. This information is relevant because the invasive species bullfrog could not be affecting the environment, making the removal of bullfrogs unnecessary.
I do not consider bullfrogs to be a concern in Colorado because it is to cold during winter and they are territorial species causing there to be low population in areas around Colorado, also other pounds and lakes are difficult for bullfrogs the enter because of the landscape. But I still believe that bullfrogs can hurt the environment depending on if they are affecting different native species. I do believe that bullfrogs are a concern globally because they do affect native amphibian species possibly having an effect on the environment. I do believe the work my class has done the past 8 weeks has been worthwhile because it has allowed us to learn a lot about biology and other things, it is also worthwhile because I believe that bullfrogs are hurting the native amphibian species in DNS property. I also believe that sense bullfrogs are an aggressive species that they are hurting the macroinvertebrate species causing the low number in biodiversity.
Through this project I learned how to write technical papers using none opinionated wording and correct in text citations. I also learned how to use excel, analyze data scientific papers, and present a scientific proposal through a presentation. I also learned how to use a key /guide to identify species. I also learned about invasive species and a lot about the two amphibian species bullfrog and northern leopard frog.
Species Management plan for
Rana pipiens & Rana catesbeiana on the Durango
Nature Studies Nature Center Property
Kaylee Kempinski and Skyler Dobbs
Durango, CO
2011
Field Condition Form: Skyler Dobbs
Durango Nature Center wants to promote the population of the native species Rana pipiens (leopard frog) by eradicating or managing the invasive species Ranna catesbeiana (bullfrogs). Rnna catesbein are in the 100 most invasive species list (Spitzen 2010). They out compete native species, such as Rana pipiens.
Durango Nature Center Property is used for many different school activities such as hikes field trips, and camps. But this property is specifically used for education purposes in wild life. Animas High School research on the DNS property is important because they teach what the ecosystem is and should be not what it is becoming.
Animas High School conducted field research including a amphibian visual encounter survey, water quality test, and a wildlife inventory. These inventories were to understand and asses the ecosystem. It was also to see how big the two populations are of the northern leopard frog and the bullfrog.
Durango Nature Studies budget for the management of the Bullfrog population is $2000. This money can be used for direct removal of the species and the indirect removal of the species. It can also be used for to pay for the people who take a visual encounter survey.
Plan Devolopment: Skyler Dobbs
Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) are native to the United States and far up north in to Canada. Northern Leopard frogs are a species of frogs that live in cooler climates. Due to the complex life history the northern leopard frog needs a wide variety of habitats within close proximity of each other. Smith and Keinath (2004) divided the northern Leopard frogs life history into three different sections: tadpoles, subadults, and adults. For each life style the northern Leopard. Frog requires a different habitat that have been categorized into three major habitats: summer, tadpole, and winter. Northern leopard frogs bred in shallow, quiet areas of permanent bodies of water, that can be in beaver ponds, and or seasonally flooded areas in close proximity to permanent bodies of pools or streams. These bodies of water are 30-60 m in diameter with a depth of 1.5-2.0 m. These ponds do not support fish populations. Even though the presence of fish in a breeding pond does not have an effect on Northern Leopard frogs matting it does have a 100% deficit on the number of subadults. Breeding pounds also must have an open canopy to allow the sun to heat up the pond to a temperature that is suited for faster development, especially at a higher altitude. Breeding ponds have a low salinity with mostly mud bottom with a <30% vegetation cover. After the larval stage of a leopard frogs life it becomes a subadult were it travels across land to a suitable feeding sites. Northern leopard frogs will migrate considerable distances form water in wet meadows or grasslands in the Adult stage during summer to feed. In meadows the grass length is several inches to a foot, at least 30 cm. Adults and subadults overwintering habitat consists of a pound, streams, and rivers in which they all hibernate under water in these habitats. During overwintering oxygen depletion is a source of mortality in overwintering sites. It has been reported that north leopard frog have higher numbers in areas with higher oxygen saturation. Due to the need for dissolved oxygen and a none solidly frozen body of water in overwintering sites for the Northern Leopard frog flowing streams, springs, and wet meadows are overwintering sites. Local adaptations have been noted for overwintering. Oscar Marinezof the USDA Forest Service had found a Leopard frog under the snow in winter in a wet meadow that had flowing, unfrozen water. (Smith and Keinath, 2004)e
The American Bullfrog is native species of North America (Rana catesbeiana). Bullfrogs live in densely vegetated deep large areas of water. Even though bullfrogs are mainly aquatic they can spend a considerable amount of time on land. Breeding ponds must be permanent bodies of water that are either slow or non-moving and a temperature of >0 degrees Celsius. Bullfrog larvae habitat is mainly near the banks of a pool in the warm upper layer of the water. Subadult mainly eats invertebrates. Adult bullfrogs will eat invertebrates, amphibians, fish, small rodents, reptiles, birds, and sometimes their own eggs and larvae. Bullfrog Males are territorial making the population density relatively low (2-4) inhabit a water body. American bullfrog is a warm-adapted species, temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius adults are usually inactive but they are still capable of activity over a much broader thermal range. Bullfrogs out compete native amphibians having a negative impact on the ecosystem. (Shaw, 1802)
Durango nature studies is a 140 acquire property that DNS acquired in 1998. DNS property is under a conservation easement, which protects there land from development. Durango Nature Studies is located on US Highway 550 on River's End Lane. Florida river runs through the South through the DNS property. DNS pound is 42feet wide and 157 feet long and is 144 feet away from the Florida River. The DNS pound is located at the NW side of the property by the entrance of the DNS property. The DNS property consists of the fallowing habitats: riparian, meadows, oak woodlands, piñon-juniper forests, and desert arroyos.
Animas High School conducted field research in order to assess habitat quality on the DNS property. Several water quality tests were completed. Nitrate levels were found to be 1ppm in the pound and 2ppm in the river this means that both are considered unpolluted.pH levels in the pond and the river are 8 and 9, this is considered alkaline which is good for frogs. Coliform tested positive and suggests the presence of other harmful protozoa & viruses. Dissolved Oxygen was found to be 6.5-8.5 mg/L in the DNS river and pound this sudjests that the DO level in the river and pound are high medium to low high (Mr. Brian Oram, 1997). Phosphate levels were found to be 1ppm in the pond and 4ppm in the river. Based on total phosphate quality index the pound is 40% and the river is 18% which is high putting the pound and the river at risk of a algal bloom. Biodiversity based on invertebrate of the pond was found to be 0.98 in the pond and 1.02 in the river suggests that the is low. (Sydney, 2011).
Plan Implementation: Kaylee Kempinski
(Leopard frogs)
There are a variety of different ways to manage Leopard frogs. One way Durango Nature Studies can manage Leopard frogs, is by making their everyday life better. [Leopard frogs, like Bullfrogs are a territorial species] To manage Rana catesbeiana, (Bullfrogs) AHS biology students will set up pitfall traps in the spring to capture bullfrogs. In addition, to promote Leopard frogs, DNS will expand the size of the pond so each amphibian has a little more space as their own. The expanding of the pond will be done in the summer, capturing of bullfrogs is completed in the spring. There are also Bluegills in the DNS pond. Bluegills, like bullfrogs, are a major threat to Leopard frogs. Another way Leopard frogs will be promoted is through DNS teaming up with the Division of Wildlife, and promoting fly fishing on the DNS property in the Florida River. This will allow Bluegills to be removed from the pond, so they are no longer a threat to Leopard frogs. DNS will rent a bulldozer and hire a professional to expand the pond.
These actions will be done in the summer, after breeding season, so that the number of bullfrogs will not increase. All Management will be done on the DNS property. These actions will have both AHS students and a hired professional all under the supervision of biology teacher Colleen Dunning, and a DNS employee. The estimated cost to rent a bulldozer for a day is anywhere from $400 to $450. The estimated price to have a hired professional is anywhere from $30 to $50 dollars an hour.
(Bullfrogs)
DNS will manage bullfrogs by having AHS students set up pitfall traps. The pitfall traps will be checked once in the morning, and once in the evening everyday by a volunteer DNS employee. For the pitfall traps, DNS will need a PVC pipe. The using of a PVC pipe will allow water to soak through instead of the water building up and drowning any mammals in the trap. The trap could possibly have a small hole big enough to let out any small animals such as mice and any other amphibians. The hole will also be small enough to were the targeted species can not get out. The average size of a leopard frog is anywhere from 2 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm). The average size of a bull frog is anywhere from 3 to 5 inches (9 to 15 cm) Once the bull frogs are caught in the trap, they will be taken away and killed by a DNS employee by being soaked in alcohol and water. DNS can then preserve the bullfrogs and can either sell or donate them to a school for a dissection project.
The estimated price for a total of two PVC pipes is around 12.90. A bottle of rubbing alcohol is anywhere from a dollar to two dollars a bottle. The traps will be made on DNS property. The traps will me made by AHS biology students under the supervision of biology teacher Colleen Dunning along with a DNS employee or employees. The capturing of the bullfrogs will be done in the summer after breeding season.
Plan Evaluation: Skyler Dobbs
Kaylee, an Animas High School student plan to promote the Leopard frog population is to expand the pond through machinery and manual labor with shovels and in the Fall. This plan will broaden the perimeter of the pound allowing the number of Northern Leopard frogs in this area to be greater. It will also allow tadpoles to be more spread out making it to be harder for the invasive predator fish the blue gill to eat the leopard frog larvae. Bluegills increase the survival of bullfrog through reducing the indigenous as of indigenous aeshnid dragonfly larvae (Shawn, 1802). Expanding the pound will allow dragonfly larvae and Leopard frog larvae to spread out making it harder for the introduced spices the bluegill to eat these animals. This increase the Leopard frog population and decreases the survival of bullfrog tadpoles. In bringing machinery and messing with the natural banks of the pond it will destroy natural habitats of the birds in the area. Bringing heavy machinery in will also will destroy the natural habitat of tadpoles exposing them to the predatory fish. Kaylee also has a plane to eliminate the invasive species bullfrog in the DNS property is to set up pitfall traps to capture and kill bullfrogs. Pitfall traps will also trap rodents lizards and other things that can wonder into the trap and not get out. In order to prevent pitfall traps to not affect other species a DNS volenter should check the traps at least once a day.
To ensure that AHS management plan has met its objective 10th grade biology students that attend AHS will take a visual encounter survey of the pound. 5 classes will take one encounter survey for roughly one hour. DNS volunteers will also have to take over the encountering server after AHS students believe they have meet their objective.
AHS students will be doing this once a year for 5 years because bullfrog’s tadpoles can take up to 2-4 years to metamorphose (Shaw, 1802). After 5 years of consistent no sitting of bullfrogs AHS students can leave the topic of bullfrogs. However bull frogs can still migrate back into the DNS property suggesting that DNS volunteers should do a visual encounter server once every 2 years.
Citation page
-Spitzen- van der Sluijs, A. M. & R. Zollinger, 2010. Literature review on the American Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana (Shaw, 1802). Stichting RAVON, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
-Keinath D., and Smith Brian E., 2004, Species assessment for the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) in Wyoming.