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Attention Amphibian Enthusiasts!

Your chance to become involved in globally relevant research is here!  Have you become overwhelmed by the constant reminder of worldwide amphibian declines?  Do not despair!  Rather take this opportunity for action by joining our long-term monitoring project aimed at assessing amphibian status in the verdant forests of Costa Rica!

Worldwide reductions of amphibian populations have been occurring for at least the last 100 years due to a number of considerations; overexploitation, disease, introduction of alien species and, most importantly, land use change.  However, unnaturally swift declines in amphibian populations were first noted in the early 1980s in several regions, including Central America.  Extinctions have been reported from Honduras (Wilson and McCranie 2004), Costa Rica (Pounds et al. 1997; Lips 1998; Lips et al. 2003) and Panama (Lips 1999) since the 1990s. 

A recent paper by Whitfield et al. (2007) has brought to light a decline of similar magnitude but on a much slower scale.  The paper documents a massive decline in density (75 percent) of the leaf litter herpetofauna in a protected area, La Selva, over the past 30 years.  By their very nature, these gradual community wide declines are difficult to perceive.  The authors, therefore, strongly advocate the need for long term abundance-based data on population densities collected by using consistent methodology.  This allows us to assess any and all population declines.  The method they propose is an extremely effective means of amphibian population analysis and monitoring, though costly and time consuming.

This is where your enthusiasm is needed!  We are in need of 8-12 adventure seeking volunteers, willing to get down and dirty in search of amphibians.  Your participation in the project is vital in sustaining this essential monitoring.  While here you will play two pivotal roles: 1. Being actively involved in surveys gathering data vital to conservation and 2. Acting as the core source of funding while participating. Due to the very inconsistent nature of research grants this project, vital in assessing the amphibian status of the region, cannot be consistently fueled without your help!

Within the Neotropical region reside approximately half of all known amphibian species and current population trends for most are unknown (Collins and Halliday 2005; Lips et al 2005).  However, it is known that at least 107 species, (from 24 genera and 5 families), within the Neotropical region are currently experiencing declines. 

During your stint here we will actively gather valuable data while exploring the regions luxuriant forests.  The data gathered will be used to monitor amphibian populations of the Golfo Dulce by assessing persistence or declines.  Again, given present global trends, we cannot reiterate enough your vital role in this project!  So hop aboard this monumental task deep in the untamed jungles of southwestern Costa Rica!

Hyla ebraccata

Sincerely,

Gareth Blakemore
Principal Investigator

Michael Boston
Investigator

References

1. Wilson, L.D. and J.R. McCranie. 2004. The herpetofauna of the cloud forests of Honduras. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 3(1): 34-48. 
2. Pounds, J.A., M.P.L. 1997. Fogden and J.H. Campbell. Biological response to climate change on a tropical mountain. Nature. 398(6728): 611-615.
3. Lips, K.R. Decline of a Tropical Montane Amphibian Fauna. 1998. Conservation Biology. 12(1): 106–117.
4. Lips, K.R., D.E Green and R. Papendick. 2003. Journal of Herpetology. 7(1): 215-218.
5. Lips, K.R. 1999. Mass Mortality and Population Declines of Anurans at an Upland Site in Western Panama. Conservation Biology. 13(1): 117-125.
6. Whitfield, S. M.; etc. 2007. Amphibian and reptile declines over 35 years at La Selva, Costa Rica. Available at www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/0611256104/DC1, March 6, 2007.
7. Collins, J.P. and T. Halliday. 2005. Forecasting changes in amphibian biodiversity: aiming at a moving target. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences. 360(1454): 309-314.
8. Lips, K.R. et al. 2005. Amphibian Population Declines in Latin America: A Synthesis. Biotropica. 37(2): 222–226

Please contact Gareth Blakemore at gareth@osaaventura.com for tour specifics and any questions.