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Long-toed salamander occupancy trends in the Kananaskis

Description

The Alberta Wild Species General Status Listing (GOA 2010) classifies the long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) as Sensitive because the distribution may be declining due to vulnerability... More ≫

Description

The Alberta Wild Species General Status Listing (GOA 2010) classifies the long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) as Sensitive because the distribution may be declining due to vulnerability to habitat alteration associated with industrial, recreational, and transportation development. This report provides an update on the population trends of long-toed salamanders in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis area.

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Analysis of researching amphibian numbers in Alberta (RANA) project : amphibian captures at pitfall trapping sites 1997-2008

Description

Declines in amphibian populations at local, regional and global scales have focused attention on this group of vertebrates. Of the 10 amphibian species in Alberta, seven are listed as "at risk" by... More ≫

Description

Declines in amphibian populations at local, regional and global scales have focused attention on this group of vertebrates. Of the 10 amphibian species in Alberta, seven are listed as "at risk" by provincial or federal agencies. In response to concern about amphibians populations, and a lack of amphibian monitoring in the province, the Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 with two main objectives: to collect long-term information on amphibian populations, and to increase public awareness of the importance of amphibians and wetland conservation. Seven RANA sites were established in Alberta and monitored using pitfall trapping at a designated poind within each study area. This report presents an analysis of pitfall trapping data collected between 1997 and 2008.

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Occurrence and prevalence of chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in amphibian species of Alberta

Description

Infectious diseases are one of a suite of factors implicated in the declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. One such disease, chytridiomycosis, is caused by the chytrid fungus... More ≫

Description

Infectious diseases are one of a suite of factors implicated in the declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. One such disease, chytridiomycosis, is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Chytrid fungus was discovered in Alberta in 1999 from necropsies of several specimens of boreal toads and northern leopard frogs collected near Caroline. In late 2006, a pilot-study was conducted to determine whether Bd was present at northern leopard frog sites in southern Alberta. The detection of Bd at multiple sites, and in a provincially Threatened species, led to the expansion of Bd surveillance to other areas of the province, and to other amphibian species between 2007 and 2010. The results, reported in this study, provide a base-line for the occurrence and prevalence of Bd in Alberta. This information is required for the effective conservation and management of a broad suite of amphibian species, many of which are of high conservation concern in Alberta.

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Status of the Great Plains toad (Bufo [Anaxyrus] cognatus) in Alberta : update 2009

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the Great Plains toad, a moderately large toad species and one of three species of the genus Bufo found in Alberta (the other species being the western toad... More ≫

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the Great Plains toad, a moderately large toad species and one of three species of the genus Bufo found in Alberta (the other species being the western toad and the Canadian toad). The Great Plains toad prefers ephemeral, clear, shallow ponds within areas of sandy soil in the mixed grasslands of southeastern Alberta, which is the northwestern extreme of the species' global range. This report compiles and summarizes the most recent information available on the Great Plains toad in Alberta as a means toward updating the species' current provincial status. It is part of the Alberta Wildlife Status Report series, which provides comprehensive summaries of selected wildlife species intended to be useful to those managing populations of species and their habitats, and to help identify species that may be formally designated as endangered or threatened.

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Distribution and population trends of the Canadian toad (Anaxyrus hemiophrys) in Alberta

Description

The objectives of this study were to collect and collate all available data on Canadian toads and conduct a preliminary assessment of the trends in distribution and population size for the... More ≫

Description

The objectives of this study were to collect and collate all available data on Canadian toads and conduct a preliminary assessment of the trends in distribution and population size for the Canadian toad in Alberta. Canadian toads are still widespread, but the number of populations seems to have decreased in the Parkland and Grasslands regions of Alberta despite an increase in survey effort. The lack of province-wide, standardized surveys makes it difficult to assess the status of Canadian toad in Alberta. However, comparing the proportion of Canadian toad observations reported from 1998-2007 versus 1988-1997, to observations of other anuran species (wood frogs, chorus frogs, and western toads) suggests a decline has occurred.

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Habitat suitability index for the northern leopard frog in Alberta : model derivation and validation

Description

Alberta's northern leopard frog recovery plan identifies habitat modelling as an action item. A habitat model could aid in predicting location sites that support previously unknown populations and... More ≫

Description

Alberta's northern leopard frog recovery plan identifies habitat modelling as an action item. A habitat model could aid in predicting location sites that support previously unknown populations and as a tool in the assessment of reintroduction sites. In 2005, a detailed population survey was undertaken to document the distribution and abundance of current northern leopard frog populations in Alberta. That data provided background for a number of management and research initiatives listed in the recovery plan, and was instrumental in the development of the northern leopard frog Habitat Suitability Index (HIS) model, which is reported here. Two data sets were used to test the model and it was found that the model appears to have some predictive power. In hopes of locating new populations, the model will be applied in the 2010 northern leopard frog provincial survey, to target specific areas in sub-drainages that have received little attention in the past.

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Researching amphibian numbers in Alberta (RANA) : 2005 provincial summary

Description

The Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians and aims to establish long-term amphibian population and... More ≫

Description

The Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians and aims to establish long-term amphibian population and distribution data while increasing public awareness of the importance of amphibians and their wetland habitat. This report summarizes results from the 2005 field season of the RANA program and presents amphibian population trends from the history of the program.

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Magrath northern leopard frog reintroduction project : final report

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from... More ≫

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from much of its former range in the province and due to the continued declining populations it was designated as threatened under Alberta's Wildlife Act in 1996. Because the small number of remaining populations of leopard frogs are patchy and separated by large areas of unsuitable habitat, their re-establishment into previously occupied habitat may rely on transplanting individuals or egg masses from existing major breeding populations in southern Alberta. This report looks at the results of a reintroduction project which was initiated in Magrath in spring 2003.

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Researching amphibian numbers in Alberta (RANA) : 2004 provincial summary

Description

Field data collection for the Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians. RANA has two primary objectives: to... More ≫

Description

Field data collection for the Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians. RANA has two primary objectives: to collect long-tenn data on amphibian species populations in Alberta, and to provide public education on the importance of amphibians and wetland conservation. This document is a compilation of 2004 field results from the six existing RANA sites at Kananaskis (Bow Valley), Hinton (Athabasca Valley), Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Saskatoon Island Provincial Park, and Manook Biological Research Station near Athabasca.

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Researching amphibian numbers in Alberta (RANA) : 2003 provincial summary

Description

Field data collection for the Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians. RANA has two primary objectives: to... More ≫

Description

Field data collection for the Researching Amphibian Numbers in Alberta (RANA) program was initiated in 1997 in response to the global decline of amphibians. RANA has two primary objectives: to collect long-tenn data on amphibian species populations in Alberta, and to provide public education on the importance of amphibians and wetland conservation. This document is a compilation of 2003 field results from the six existing RANA sites at Kananaskis (Bow Valley), Hinton (Athabasca Valley), Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Saskatoon Island Provincial Park, and Manook Biological Research Station near Athabasca.

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