Protecting Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs

My Endangered Species

Tree Frog Similar to Yellow Spotted Tree Frog

Tree Frog Life Cycle 

Wetlands in New South Wales, Australia

The endangered species that I chose is called the Yellow spotted tree frog or the "Litoria Castanea". It is a smaller frog with webbed feet, brown/black eye color, a greenish yellow base with brown spots and white spots throughout its body. This specific frog is found in Australia, specifically New South Wales. These types of frogs are generally secondary or tertiary consumers because they eat smaller animals called invertebrates. Some of these smaller invertebrates are crickets, flies, and occasionally tadpoles. The predators that usually try to eat the Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs are snakes, lizards, birds, and large fish. The life cycle of the tree frog typically beings when clusters of eggs are laid and they hatch in about 2 -3 weeks. After this the tadpole stage lasts for 2-3 months before they become full grown Yellow spotted tree frogs. The species can then live up to 10 years. The yellow spotted tree frog is currently critically endangered (CR), and the population is decreasing. According to the IUCN red list page there are currently 0 mature individuals left, and there is a continual decline of the mature individual.

The Habitat 

Photo of Wetlands 

Forest Canopies- A Frogs Habitat

Consumer Pyramid

The habitat for the Yellow spotted tree frog is surrounded by water, forest, and usually tends to be a swampy area. This is crucial for the survival of the animal because they need to be close to water, and while they are a “newer” frog, they tend to stay closer to the forest floor. As it ages it is said to go to live in the forest canopies. While researching I have found that the general area this biome has is the Wetlands, or the inland area, and also grasslands. Wetlands and grasslands can be found all across the planet. According to the EPA wetlands are found from the tundra to the tropics. There are also wetlands on every continent except for Antarctica. The Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs are typically found in New South Wales Australia and the rain fall for this area is typically 200-300mm each year. The soil nutrient availability in New South Wales is specified to be very poor in nutrients, and sometimes infertile. In this area the climate is mild around the year, but it is usually humid in the subtropical area, and cooler near the ocean. The way the seasons go in Australia is completed opposite as it is here in America. December to February is summer, March to May is autumn, June to August is Winter and September to November is Spring. When it comes to producers and consumers in wetlands, the three primary producers are Phytoplankton, Algae, and Grasses. The primary consumers in the wetlands are organisms that eat producers so shellfish, zooplankton and hippos. An animal that’s at the top of the food chain is something called a tertiary consumer, an example of a tertiary consumer in the wetlands is an Alligator.

A Critical Threat 

Retrofitting Dam

La Nina Flood

Water Management photo from NSW Government

One of the main threats to the Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs habitat is Dams and Water management/use. This threat is so important to the biome because redirection or release of large bodies of water can severely disrupt and destroy the ecosystems that have been built in the wetlands. This doesn’t only affect wetlands but also affects all the other organisms in the wetlands. According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection “hydrologic alterations significantly alter the soil chemistry and plant and animal communities. These alterations can be results of: deposition of fill material, draining… diversion of flow and addition on impervious surfaces in the watershed, which increases water and pollutant runoff in wetlands”. This threat which causes flooding is still around and prevalent today. According to the IUCN red list in regards with the Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs, “ The last known surviving sub population of this species in the wild was devastated by an unprecedented La Niña flood that wiped out most of this important habitat for this species(NSA Department of Planning, Industry and Environment 2018).” While the wetlands has a huge problem with dams and water management use, a habitat that’s in the middle of the woods or rainforest may not have this same type of problem. Due to some of these areas being secluded from the human population the Yellow Spotted Tree Frogs won’t have to deal with dam and water management/use, but they may have to deal with flooding due to excess rainfall. This still impacts the frogs in the same ways as wrongful water management/use because it can flush away the specific environment and ecosystems that house these animals.

Solutions

Wood Frog Eggs at Harris Center in Keene

Amphibian Crossing

Here in Keene we are surrounded by a lot of wetlands. The fact that we are a busy town also means that we have lots of roads, that could disturb these wetlands. Construction workers and engineers may see wetlands, yet still decide to build roads that go right through them. The choices we make to construct roads and buildings in these areas could be changed if we put wetland environmental protections in place. Yes, we many benefit from these new roads and buildings because it gives us a new way of transportation and an opportunity for a business to thrive, yet it harms the animals in these areas. A solution to protecting these animals while they need to cross the road could be by teaching citizens salamander crossing or frog crossing skills to help them safely reach their habitat. The Harris center right here in Keene provides citizens with amphibian crossing training. According to their website “since 2007, our crossing brigades have modes more than 70,000 amphibians out of harms way!”