Investigating a Range Expansion Associated with Anthropogenic Alterations in Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Utilizing Prey Selection Parameters

Miguel Avila Garcia Author

08/05/2020 Added

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[00:00:02.763]My name is Miguel Avila Garcia, and I'm a senior
[00:00:04.060]Fisheries and Wildlife major.
[00:00:05.850]I conducted my research under the guidance
[00:00:07.640]of Dennis Ferraro of the School of Natural Resources,
[00:00:10.640]and I will be presenting "Investigating a Range Expansion
[00:00:13.627]"Associated with Anthropogenic Alterations
[00:00:15.750]"in Cope's Gray Tree Frog
[00:00:17.069]"Utilizing Prey Selection Parameters."
[00:00:21.030]So beginning with some background information,
[00:00:22.840]amphibians are among the most vulnerable
[00:00:24.690]vertebrates to the impacts of climate change,
[00:00:26.730]due to their morphological and physiological traits.
[00:00:29.970]Habitat loss and alteration, along with fire suppression,
[00:00:33.190]are also the most serious threats to amphibians.
[00:00:36.330]Additionally, some of the consequences of climate change
[00:00:39.110]on amphibians include changes in breeding chronology,
[00:00:42.330]population decline, decreased immune function,
[00:00:45.660]range shift including expansions and contractions,
[00:00:48.650]morphological changes, and changes in food availability.
[00:00:52.340]The study species in my research was
[00:00:54.080]the Cope's Gray Treefrog, or Hyla Chrysoscelis,
[00:00:57.640]and in Figure One you can see an image
[00:00:59.210]of Cope's Gray Treefrog.
[00:01:01.420]They are an arboreal, insectivorous,
[00:01:03.100]and nocturnal Anuran.
[00:01:04.600]They live in riparian woodlands
[00:01:06.550]in the eastern United States, and recently,
[00:01:09.190]the distribution in Nebraska has extended west
[00:01:11.380]from its original range.
[00:01:13.410]I hypothesized that Hyla chrysoscelis
[00:01:15.990]has expanded from its former range
[00:01:17.125]because of climate change and other human activities,
[00:01:20.430]and this has initiated changes to their diet.
[00:01:23.590]Some reasons why my research is important is
[00:01:25.338]even though the conservation status
[00:01:27.350]of Hyla chrysoscelis is of least concern,
[00:01:29.690]it is still important to study common species
[00:01:31.720]because of the important niches they serve
[00:01:33.350]in their ecosystems.
[00:01:35.480]Also, this study could provide insight
[00:01:37.130]into their ecology and ecology of other similar species.
[00:01:43.150]I collected data at Pioneers Park Nature Center,
[00:01:45.780]Wagon Tongue Creek Preserve,
[00:01:47.040]and Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center,
[00:01:49.400]and in Figure 5, you can see the locations of my study sites
[00:01:52.850]in relation to Nebraska.
[00:01:54.960]I aimed for a sample size of 60 frogs,
[00:01:57.850]and the capture methods I utilized
[00:01:59.960]were by hand at Pioneers Park Nature Center
[00:02:02.610]during nightly visits to breeding choruses,
[00:02:05.290]and with the use of PVC pipe refugia
[00:02:07.268]during the daylight hours
[00:02:09.150]at Pioneers Park Nature Center, Wagon Tongue Creek Preserve,
[00:02:11.900]and Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center,
[00:02:14.002]and in Figure Two you can see a photo
[00:02:15.912]of the PVC pipe refugia I utilized in my study.
[00:02:20.660]Some more of the procedures and analysis in my study were
[00:02:24.900]the stomach contents of each tree frog was flushed
[00:02:27.020]following a stomach flushing technique
[00:02:29.290]which was gentle and humane for the frogs.
[00:02:32.050]The specimens were held for 48 hours,
[00:02:34.000]and any fecal samples produced were collected.
[00:02:36.890]The extracted stomach contents were then analyzed
[00:02:39.470]for insect species and richness,
[00:02:40.900]as well as any fecal samples.
[00:02:43.230]I would then go on to use ANOVA
[00:02:44.810]to determine the relationship between prey selection
[00:02:46.990]and range location.
[00:02:49.970]In Figures Three and Four, you can see
[00:02:52.140]the stomach flushing technique.
[00:02:54.510]In Figure Three, you can see a plastic spatula
[00:02:57.180]being used to open the mouth of Hyla chrysoscelis,
[00:03:00.026]and in Figure Four you can see the metal catheter
[00:03:02.470]inserted into their stomachs,
[00:03:04.350]which was then used to inject water
[00:03:06.840]flushing down any stomach content.
[00:03:09.310]In Figures Six and Seven, you can see
[00:03:10.782]photos of the fecal matter under a microscope.
[00:03:15.940]As of now, I have captured 14 Hyla chrysoscelis
[00:03:19.510]between Pioneers Park Nature Center
[00:03:21.230]and Wagon Tongue Creek Preserve,
[00:03:22.860]and data collection is ongoing.
[00:03:25.210]The stomach flushing technique
[00:03:26.730]did not produce any stomach contents,
[00:03:28.610]and contrary to a study by Mahan and Johnson in 2007
[00:03:32.490]of Hyla versicolor, a morphologically similar species,
[00:03:36.140]it was determined that
[00:03:36.973]Hyla chrysoscelis feeding was nocturnal.
[00:03:39.880]Difficulty in producing stomach contents
[00:03:41.520]has also been cited in other frog species,
[00:03:44.390]and fecal samples were collected
[00:03:45.920]but need to be analyzed for insect species and richness.
[00:03:49.340]In the future, I'd like to increase my sample size
[00:03:51.390]to produce a more robust dataset,
[00:03:53.690]and also I'd like to collect data
[00:03:55.020]at Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center
[00:03:56.780]with an increased number of PVC pipe refugia.
[00:03:59.668]Also, I'd like to collect specimens earlier in the day
[00:04:02.530]to improve the stomach flushing success,
[00:04:04.172]since they are nocturnal feeders
[00:04:06.030]and it's thought that digestion occurs
[00:04:07.480]one to two hours after feeding.
[00:04:10.370]I would also then analyze the fecal matter.
[00:04:13.920]I'd like to acknowledge Professor Dennis Ferraro,
[00:04:16.350]who served as my faculty mentor
[00:04:17.950]over this summer research project.
[00:04:20.210]Also Lincoln Parks and Recreation,
[00:04:21.950]for allowing me to collect data
[00:04:23.150]at Pioneers Park Nature Center,
[00:04:25.390]Ron and Judy Parks for allowing me to collect data
[00:04:30.218]at Wagon Tongue Creek Preserve,
[00:04:31.410]and Emma Chelsey, a UCARE student
[00:04:32.995]who helped me to collect data
[00:04:35.070]at Wagon Tongue Creek Preserve,
[00:04:36.960]and finally the UNL McNair Scholars Program.
[00:04:40.250]Thank you.

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Tags:
amphibians
breeding chronology
climate change
frog species
stomach flushing

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Investigating a Range Expansion Associated with Anthropogenic Alterations in Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Utilizing Prey Selection Parameters

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