Amphibian Conservation: Global evidence for the effects of interventions

by Rebecca Smith, William Sutherland

Overview

This book brings together scientific evidence and experience relevant to the practical conservation of amphibians. Approximately 32% of species are threatened with extinction and at least 43% of species are declining. Work is now being carried out to conserve many species, but it is often not adequately documented.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781907807862
Publisher:	Pelagic Publishing
Publication date:	05/16/2014
Series:	Synopses of Conservation Evidence , #4
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	279
Product dimensions:	6.42(w) x 9.54(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

Dr Rebecca K. Smith is a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge.  She holds degrees in the ecology & conservation of European hares (PhD, University of Bristol), Applied Ecology & Conservation (MSc, University of East Anglia) and Biology (BSc with Honours, University of Bristol). Dr Smith is part of the Conservation Evidence group at the University of Cambridge, which focuses on summarising and disseminating scientific evidence about the effects of conservation interventions for habitats and species. She is an author of the Farmland Conservation synopsis and has undertaken systematic reviews on the effectiveness of conservation management for birds. Prior to this work Dr Smith undertook projects developing monitoring and management strategies for high conservation priority mammal species. Her current scientific duties include facilitating the development of further synopses including bat, reptile and forest conservation and invasive species management. She is also the Editorial Administrator of the Conservation Evidence Journal.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Threat: Residential and commercial development

Key messages

Protect brownfield or ex-industrial sites

We captured no evidence for the effects of protecting brownfield sites on amphibian populations.

Restrict herbicide, fungicide and pesticide use on and around ponds on golf courses

We captured no evidence for the effects of restricting herbicide, fungicide or pesticide use on or around ponds on golf courses on amphibian populations.

Legal protection of species

Three reviews, including one systematic review, in the Netherlands and UK found that legal protection of amphibians was not effective at protecting populations during development. Two reviews found that the number of great crested newt mitigation licences issued in England and Wales increased over 10 years.

1.1 Protect brownfield or ex-industrial sites

• We found no evidence for the effects of protecting brownfield sites on amphibian populations.

1.2 Restrict herbicide, fungicide and pesticide use on and around ponds on golf courses

• We found no evidence for the effects of restricting herbicide, fungicide or pesticide use on or around ponds on golf courses on amphibian populations.

1.3 Legal protection of species

• Three reviews (including one systematic review) in the Netherlands and UK found that legal protection of amphibian species was not effective at protecting populations during development.

• Two reviews in the UK found that the number of great crested newt mitigation licences issued over 10 years increased to over 600 in England and Wales.

A review from 1990 to 2001 of great crested newt Triturus cristatus mitigation licences in England, UK (1) found that the number issued had increased, from 3 in 1990 to 153 in 2000 and 97 in 2001. Of the 737 licences examined, only 45% contained reporting ('return') ocuments, a condition of the licence. Great crested newts are a European Protected Species. Licences are therefore issued for certain activities that involve mitigation and/or compensation for the impacts of activities such as development. Licensing information collected by the governmental licensing authorities (1990–2000: English Nature; 2000–2001: Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) was analysed.

A review of habitat compensation for amphibians in the Netherlands (2) found that legislation was not effective at protecting habitats and amphibians. Only 10% of 20 development projects had completed habitat compensation measures as set out within legal contracts. Some of the compensation required was provided by 55% of projects and none by 35% of projects. Three of the projects created a compensation habitat before destroying a habitat as required, three provided it after destruction and timing was unknown for seven projects. No monitoring data were available from any project. For 11 of 31 projects work had not yet started. In the Netherlands, amphibian species are protected and loss of habitat for these species must be compensated by creating new equivalent habitat. Thirty-one projects required to undertake compensation were selected from government files. Projects were assessed on the implementation of proposed measures in the approved dispensation contracts and on monitoring data. Field visits were undertaken.

A review in 2011 of compliance with legislation during development projects in the Netherlands (3) found that evidence was not provided to suggest that legislation protected a population of moor frogs Rana arvalis. By 2011 only 42% of the compensation area that was required had been provided. Translocation of frogs started in 2007, but as the compensation area was not complete they were released into a potentially unsuitable adjacent habitat. Monitoring before and after translocation was insufficient to determine population numbers or to assess translocation success. The ecological function of the landscape was not preserved during development. In the Netherlands, the Flora and Fauna Act protects amphibians. The development project was required by law to provide a 48 ha compensation area for moor frogs and to translocate the species from the development site to that area.

A review from 2000 to 2010 of great crested newt Triturus cristatus mitigation licences issued in England and Wales, UK (4) found that the number issued had increased. Licences issued in England increased from 273 in 2000 to over 600 in 2009. In Wales numbers increased from 7 in 2001 to 26 in 2010. Of the licences examined, only 41% of English licences and 30% of Welsh licences contained reporting ('return') documents, a condition of the licence. Reporting had therefore decreased since 1990–2001 (45%; (1)). Of those that reported, only 9% provided post-development monitoring data; a further 7% suggested surveys were undertaken but no data were provided. The majority of English (71%) and Welsh (56%) licences were for small populations (<10 recorded). Just over half of projects were considered to be of 'low impact', a quarter 'medium impact' and 20% 'high impact' to newts. A review of the governmental licensing authorities (Natural England and Welsh Assembly Government) licence files was undertaken.

In a continuation of a study (4), a systematic review in 2011 of the effectiveness of mitigation actions for legally protected great crested newts Triturus cristatus in the UK (4) found that neither the 11 studies captured or monitoring data from licensed mitigation projects showed conclusive evidence that mitigation resulted in self-sustaining populations or connectivity to populations in the wider countryside. Only 5% of 460 licensed projects provided post-development monitoring data and of those, 16 reported that small populations, 3 medium and 1 large population, were sustained. Two reported a loss of populations. The review identified 11 published or unpublished studies and 309 Natural England and 151 Welsh Assembly Government (licensing authorities) mitigation licence files. Mitigation measures were undertaken to reduce the impact of the development and included habitat management, as well as actions to reduce mortality, including translocations.

CHAPTER 2

Threat: Agriculture

Key messages – engage farmers and other volunteers

Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures

Four of five studies, including two replicated studies, in Denmark, Sweden and Taiwan found that payments to farmers increased amphibian populations, numbers of species or breeding habitat. One found that amphibian habitat was not maintained.

Engage landowners and other volunteers to manage land for amphibians

Three studies, including one replicated and one controlled study, in Estonia, Mexico and Taiwan found that engaging landowners and other volunteers in habitat management increased amphibian populations and axolotl weight. Six studies in Estonia, the USA and the UK found that up to 41,000 volunteers were engaged in habitat restoration programmes for amphibians and restored up to 1,023 ponds or 11,500 km2 of habitat.

Key messages – terrestrial habitat management

Manage cutting regime

Studies investigating the effects of changing mowing regimes are discussed in 'Habitat restoration and creation – Change mowing regime'.

Manage grazing regime

Two studies, including one replicated, controlled study, in the UK and the USA found that grazed plots had lower numbers of toads than ungrazed plots and that grazing, along with burning, decreased numbers of amphibian species. Five studies, including four replicated studies, in Denmark, Estonia and the UK found that habitat management that included reintroduction of grazing maintained or increased toad populations.

Reduced tillage

We captured no evidence for the effects of reduced tillage on amphibian populations.

Maintain or restore hedges

We captured no evidence for the effects of maintaining or restoring hedges on amphibian populations.

Plant new hedges

We captured no evidence for the effects of planting new hedges on amphibian populations.

Manage silviculture practices in plantations

Studies investigating the effects of silviculture practices are discussed in 'Threat: Biological resource use – Logging and wood harvesting'.

Key messages – aquatic habitat management

Exclude domestic animals or wild hogs by fencing

Four replicated studies, including one randomized, controlled, before-and-after study, in the USA found that excluding livestock from streams or ponds did not increase overall numbers of amphibians, species, eggs or larval survival, but did increase larval and metamorph abundance. One before-and-after study in the UK found that pond restoration that included livestock exclusion increased pond use by breeding toads.

Manage ditches

One controlled, before-and-after study in the UK found that managing ditches increased toad numbers. One replicated, site comparison study in the Netherlands found that numbers of amphibians and species were higher in ditches managed under agri-environment schemes compared to those managed conventionally.

Engage farmers and other volunteers

2.1 Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures

• Three studies (including one replicated study) in Denmark, Sweden and Taiwan found that payments to farmers created amphibian breeding habitat or increased frog or toad populations. However, a second study in Taiwan found that payments did not maintain green tree frog habitat.

• One replicated, site comparison study in the Netherlands found that ditches managed under agri-environment schemes had higher numbers of amphibian species and higher abundance than those managed conventionally.

A study in 1986–1993 of payments to landowners to create ponds on the island of Samsø, Denmark (1) found that landowners created 29 ponds following payments, of which 17 were colonized and 12 used for breeding by green toads Bufo viridis. Breeding was successful in 10 of the 12 ponds. Toads colonized the ponds over three years. Private landowners were offered payment by the county to build ponds. Twenty-nine ponds were created in 1989–1992. Fish, crayfish and ducks could not be introduced and a 10 m pesticide-free zone was required around each pond.

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1986–2004 of coastal meadows in Funen County, Denmark (2) found that green toad Bufo viridis and natterjack toad Bufo calamita populations increased significantly following habitat management supported by agri-environment schemes. On 10 islands with management, green toads increased from 1,132 to over 10,000 adults. In contrast, numbers remained stable on four islands without management. Pond occupancy increased from 27 to 61 ponds in 1997 and ponds with successful breeding from 11 to 22. Natterjacks increased from 3,106 to 4,892 adults in 1997. Ponds with successful breeding remained similar (28 increased to 34). In 2000–2004, numbers dropped and small populations were lost due to insufficient grazing. In 1987–1993, cattle grazing was reintroduced to 111 ha of coastal meadows on 6 islands and continued on a further 10. From 1990, farmers could get financial support from agri-environmental schemes. In addition, 31 ponds were created and 31 restored on 16 islands. Green toad eggs were translocated to one island. Four populations were monitored annually and others less frequently during two or three call, visual and dip-net surveys.

A before-and-after study in 2001–2006 of subsidising farmers to maintain bamboo bushes in Taiwan (3) found that following five years of subsidies, the area of green tree frog Rhacophorus arvalis habitat had decreased by approximately 50%. This was considered by the authors to be the result of aging farmers changing from growing bamboo to crops that were less physically demanding and the low price of bamboo. Before agreement finalization in 2006, farmers asked for double the subsidies otherwise they would change their crops. Some did change crops. Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoological Foundation, the Wild Bird Society of Yunlin and the Farmers' Association of Gukeng Township raised funds for the conservation project. A 5-year agreement was drawn up with 21 farmers to maintain a 5 ha area of bamboo bush that they owned. Farmers were given approximately US $150 each year provided that original farming patterns were maintained, pesticide use was avoided, fallen leaves were left on the ground and bamboo bushes were watered.

A before-and-after study in 1999–2006 of a water lily paddy field in Taipei County, Taiwan (4) found that providing financial incentives resulted in a farmer adopting organic farming practices. Halting herbicide and pesticide use along with habitat management more than doubled a population of Taipei frogs Rana taipehensis (from 28 to 85). In 2002, a proportion of a farmer's crop was sold for him and additional expenses resulting from no longer using herbicides and pesticides were paid for. Habitat management, with participation from the local community, included cutting weeds in the field. Community-education programmes about wetland conservation were also carried out in the area.

A replicated, site comparison study of 42 ditches within pasture in the Western Peat District of the Netherlands (5) found that amphibian diversity and abundance were significantly higher in ditches managed under agri-environment schemes compared to conventional management. Adult green frog Rana esculenta numbers in conventional ditches declined with distance from reserves; this was not the case in agri-environment scheme ditches. Farmers managing ditches under agri-environment schemes are encouraged to reduce grazing/ mowing intensity, reduce fertilizer inputs, and not to deposit mowing cuttings or sediments from ditch cleaning on the ditch banks. Relative amphibian abundance was measured in ditches in April–May and/or May–July 2008. Ditches were perpendicular to eight nature reserve borders and monitoring was just inside reserves and at four distances (0–700 m) from reserve borders. Three methods were used during each sampling period: 5 minute counts, 20 dip net samples and 2 overnight funnel traps.

2.2 Engage landowners and other volunteers to manage land for amphibians

• Two before-and-after studies (including one replicated study) in Estonia and Taiwan found that habitat management with participation of volunteers increased natterjack toad and Taipei frog populations.

• One controlled study in Mexico found that engaging landowners in aquatic habitat management increased axolotl weight.

• Six studies in Estonia, the USA and the UK found that between 8 and 41,000 volunteers were engaged in aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration programmes for amphibians. Individual programmes restored up to 1,023 ponds or over 11,500 km2 of habitat.

A replicated, before-and-after study in 2001–2004 of three coastal meadows in Estonia (1) found that habitat restoration with participation from 200 volunteers resulted in increased numbers of natterjack toads Bufo calamita on 1 island and a halt in the decline of the species on the other 2 islands. In 2001–2004, habitats were restored with the help of 200 volunteers during 14 work camps. Restoration included reed and scrub removal, mowing (cuttings removed) and implementation of grazing where it had ceased. Sixty-six breeding ponds and natural depressions were cleaned, deepened and restored. The project also involved educational and informational activities.

A before-and-after study in 1999–2006 of a water lily paddy field in Taipei County, Taiwan (2) found that participation from the local community resulted in the doubling of a population of Taipei frogs Rana taipehensis. Habitat management by the community, along with the halting of herbicide and pesticide use by providing financial incentives to a farmer, resulted in a significant population increase (from 28 to 85). Habitat-improvement work including cutting weeds in the field was undertaken with participation from a local school and the TseXing Organic Agriculture Foundation. Community-education programmes about wetland conservation were also carried out in the area.

A study in 2008 of a partnership programme in the USA (3) found that since establishment the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program supported over 41,000 private landowners and developed partnerships with over 3,000 nationwide organizations to restore huge areas of habitat. Working together, partners have restored and enhanced 324,000 ha of wetlands, 800,000 ha of uplands and 10,500 km of stream habitat. Data were not provided to determine the effect on target species. The programme run by the US Fish and Wildlife Service was a voluntary habitat restoration programme. It provided technical and financial assistance to private landowners to support the habitat needs of species of conservation concern. Projects included creating and restoring ponds and wetlands for the Puerto Rican crested toad Peltophryne lemur, chiricahua leopard frog Lithobates chiricahuensis and the California red-legged frog Rana draytonii.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Amphibian Conservation"
by .
Copyright © 2014 William J. Sutherland.
Excerpted by permission of Pelagic Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Advisory board x

About the authors xi

Acknowledgements xii

About this book xiii

1 Threat: Residential and commercial development 1

Key messages 1

1.1 Protect brownfield or ex-industrial sites 1

1.2 Restrict herbicide, fungicide and pesticide use on and around ponds on golf courses 2

1.3 Legal protection of species 2

2 Threat: Agriculture 4

Key messages - engage farmers and other volunteers 4

Key messages - terrestrial habitat management 4

Key messages - aquatic habitat management 5

Engage farmers and other volunteers 5

2.1 Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures 5

2.2 Engage landowners and other volunteers to manage land for amphibians 7

Terrestrial habitat management 10

2.3 Manage cutting regime 10

2.4 Manage grazing regime 10

2.5 Reduce tillage 12

2.6 Maintain or restore hedges 12

2.7 Plant new hedges 13

2.8 Manage silviculture practices in plantations 13

Aquatic habitat management 13

2.9 Exclude domestic animals or wild hogs by fencing 13

2.10 Manage ditches 15

3 Threat: Energy production and mining 17

Key messages 17

3.1 Artificially mist habitat to keep it damp 17

4 Threat: Transportation and service corridors 18

Key messages 18

4.1 Install culverts or tunnels as road crossings 19

4.2 Install barrier fencing along roads 28

4.3 Modify gully pots and kerbs 30

4.4 Use signage to warn motorists 31

4.5 Close roads during seasonal amphibian migration 31

4.6 Use humans to assist migrating amphibians across roads 32

5 Threat: Biological resource use 34

Key messages - hunting and collecting terrestrial animals 34

Key messages - logging and wood harvesting 34

Hunting and collecting terrestrial animals 36

5.1 Use amphibians sustainably 36

5.2 Reduce impact of amphibian trade 36

5.3 Use legislative regulation to protect wild populations 37

5.4 Commercially breed amphibians for the pet trade 38

Logging and wood harvesting 38

5.5 Thin trees within forests 38

5.6 Harvest groups of trees instead of clearcutting 42

5.7 Use patch retention harvesting instead of clearcutting 44

5.8 Use leave-tree harvesting instead of clearcutting 44

5.9 Use shelterwood harvesting instead of clearcutting 46

5.10 Leave standing dead wood/snags in forests 48

5.11 Leave coarse woody debris in forests 49

5.12 Retain riparian buffer strips during timber harvest 52

6 Threat: Human intrusions and disturbance 57

Key messages 57

6.1 Use signs and access restrictions to reduce disturbance 57

7 Threat: Natural system modifications 58

Key messages 58

7.1 Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime 58

7.1.1 Forests 59

7.1.2 Grassland 64

7.2 Use herbicides to control mid-storey or ground vegetation 65

7.3 Mechanically remove mid-storey or ground vegetation 66

7.4 Regulate water levels 67

8 Threat: Invasive alien and other problematic species 69

Key messages - reduce predation by other species 69

Key messages - reduce competition with other species 70

Key messages - reduce adverse habitat alteration by other species 70

Key messages - reduce parasitism and disease ? chytridiomycosis 71

Key messages - reduce parasitism and disease ? ranaviruses 72

Reduce predation by other species 72

8.1 Remove or control mammals 72

8.2 Remove or control fish population by catching 73

8.3 Remove or control fish using rotenone 76

8.4 Remove or control fish by drying out ponds 78

8.5 Exclude fish with barriers 80

8.6 Encourage aquatic plant growth as refuge against fish predation 80

8.7 Remove or control invasive bullfrogs 80

8.8 Remove or control invasive viperine snake 82

8.9 Remove or control non-native crayfish 82

Reduce competition with other species 83

8.10 Reduce competition from native amphibians 83

8.11 Remove or control invasive cane toads 83

8.12 Remove or control invasive Cuban tree frogs 84

Reduce adverse habitat alteration by other species 84

8.13 Prevent heavy usage or exclude wildfowl from aquatic habitat 84

8.14 Control invasive plants 85

Reduce parasitism and disease ? chytridiomycosis 86

8.15 Sterilize equipment when moving between amphibian sites 86

8.16 Use gloves to handle amphibians 88

8.17 Remove the chytrid fungus from ponds 90

8.18 Use zooplankton to remove zoospores 90

8.19 Add salt to ponds 91

8.20 Use antifungal skin bacteria or peptides to reduce infection 91

8.21 Use antifungal treatment to reduce infection 94

8.22 Use antibacterial treatment to reduce infection 99

8.23 Use temperature treatment to reduce infection 101

8.24 Treat amphibians in the wild or pre-release 102

8.25 Immunize amphibians against infection 103

Reduce parasitism and disease ? ranaviruses 104

8.26 Sterilize equipment to prevent ranavirus 104

9 Threat: Pollution 105

Key messages - agricultural pollution 105

Key messages - industrial pollution 105

Agricultural pollution 106

9.1 Plant riparian buffer strips 106

9.2 Prevent pollution from agricultural lands or sewage treatment facilities entering watercourses 106

9.3 Create walls or barriers to exclude pollutants 107

9.4 Reduce pesticide, herbicide or fertilizer use 107

Industrial pollution 108

9.5 Add limestone to water bodies to reduce acidification 108

9.6 Augment ponds with ground water to reduce acidification 110

10 Threat: Climate change and severe weather 111

Key messages 111

10.1 Use irrigation systems for amphibian sites 111

10.2 Maintain ephemeral ponds 112

10.3 Deepen ponds to prevent desiccation 112

10.4 Provide shelter habitat 112

10.5 Artificially shade ponds to prevent desiccation 113

10.6 Create microclimate and microhabitat refuges 113

10.7 Protect habitat along elevational gradients 113

11 Habitat protection 114

Key messages 114

11.1 Protect habitats for amphibians 114

11.2 Retain connectivity between habitat patches 116

11.3 Retain buffer zones around core habitat 116

12 Habitat restoration and creation 119

Key messages - terrestrial Iwbitat 119

Key messages - aquatic habitat 120

Terrestrial habitat 122

12.1 Replant vegetation 122

12.2 Clear vegetation 124

12.3 Change mowing regime 127

12.4 Create refuges 127

12.5 Create artificial hibernacula or aestivation sites 130

12.6 Restore habitat connectivity 131

12.7 Create habitat connectivity 132

Aquatic habitat 132

12.8 Create ponds 132

12.8.1 Frogs 141

12.8.2 Toads 144

12.8.3 Natterjack toads 146

12.8.4 Green toads 148

12.8.5 Salamanders (including newts) 149

12.8.6 Great crested newts 150

12.9 Add nutrients to new ponds as larvae food source 152

12.10 Create wetlands 153

12.11 Restore ponds 158

12.12 Restore wetlands 162

12.13 Deepen, de-silt or re-profile ponds 168

12.14 Create refuge areas in aquatic habitats 171

12.15 Add woody debris to ponds 171

12.16 Remove specific aquatic plants 171

12.17 Add specific plants to aquatic habitats 171

12.18 Remove tree canopy to reduce pond shading 172

13 Species management 173

Key messages - translocate amphibians 173

Key messages - captive, breeding, rearing and releases (ex-situ conservation) 173

Translocate amphibians 175

13.1 Translocate amphibians 175

13.1.1 Frogs 176

13.1.2 Wood frogs 181

13.1.3 Toads 182

13.1.4 Natterjack toads 184

13.1.5 Salamanders (including newts) 186

13.1.6 Great crested newts 188

Captive breeding, rearing and releases (ex-situ conservation) 190

13.2 Breed amphibians in captivity 190

13.2.1 Frogs 191

13.2.2 Toads 198

13.2.3 Mallorcan midwife toad 201

13.2.4 Harlequin toads (Atelopus species) 202

13.2.5 Salamanders (including newts) 203

13.3 Use hormone treatment to induce sperm and egg release 205

13.4 Use artificial fertilization in captive breeding 211

13.5 Freeze sperm or eggs for future use 212

13.6 Release captive-bred individuals 216

13.6.1 Frogs 217

13.6.2 Green and golden bell frog 219

13.6.3 Toads 221

13.6.4 Mallorcan midwife toad 222

13.6.5 Salamanders (including newts) 223

13.7 Head-start amphibians for release 224

14 Education and awareness raising 231

Key messages 231

14.1 Raise awareness amongst the general public through campaigns and public information 232

14.2 Provide education programmes about amphibians 234

14.3 Engage volunteers to collect amphibian data (citizen science) 236

Index 239

Editorial Reviews

The global amphibian decline crisis, first noted in 1989, has stimulated a huge amount of conservation activity across the world, much of it building on existing conservation efforts focused on local concerns about amphibians. In Britain, for example, realisation that amphibian declines are a global problem gave fresh impetus to efforts to reverse the widespread destruction of amphibian breeding ponds that has occurred, as a result of changing agricultural practices, since World War II. A key question raised by all this activity is: does it work?

This remarkable and very important book addresses this question. It is a product of the Conservation Evidence project, an initiative that pursues an evidence-based approach to determine the effectiveness of the many and various interventions that have been made across the world to conserve biodiversity. The Conservation Evidence project produces an open-access journal, Conservation Evidence, maintains an expanding database, and compiles detailed synopses on specific topics, of which this book is the fourth to be published. It is the product of an enormous effort of scholarship, covering 107 different interventions that have been made to conserve amphibians around the world, and analyzing the result of 416 studies. Only studies in which the outcome of interventions has been assessed are included. Sadly, a great deal of conservation effort has been conducted over the years, the success of which, for lack of motivation or funding, has not been evaluated. A majority of studies come from Europe and North America and thus deal with temperate species.

The book is divided into 14 sections, representing major areas of conservation activity. These include: agricultural landscapes, the use of biological resources (including amphibians themselves and the habitats in which they live), countering the impact of invasive species (including chytridiomycosis), pollution, and habitat creation and restoration. A large section deals with all aspects of relocating amphibians, rearing them in captivity and releasing them into the wild. A final section discusses education and awareness raising. The book contains a mass of detailed information, concisely presented and with virtually no discussion. The reader is left to reach his or her own conclusions on the basis of the evidence presented. It is by no means ‘easy reading’ but it is an invaluable resource for anyone contemplating doing something useful to help amphibians.

In keeping with an evidence-based approach, the tone of this book is measured and scrupulously objective, and free of both the optimistic rhetoric or the doom-laden foreboding that pervades much of the conservation literature. The overall message is that conservation efforts work in some instances, but not in others. What works for one species does not necessarily work for another. The book is thus an invaluable resource for anyone designing a new conservation project and it should lead to better-designed and better-informed conservation efforts in the future. It should also lead to a better use of limited resources, both financial and human, by enabling project designers to focus on procedures the effectiveness of which has been demonstrated.

Some of the results of the analyses presented in this book are surprising and thought provoking. For many years I participated in a ‘help a toad across the road’ exercise, going out at night to rescue migrating toads from a busy road before they were squashed. There are many such exercises in the UK, resulting in the apparent rescue of thousands of toads each year. The evidence suggests, however, that the impact of such activity on toad population sizes is rather modest. However, toad rescues are a low-cost activity that achieves the invaluable objectives of involving local people and raising awareness of conservation issues. In contrast, the translocation of Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus) in Britain incurs huge costs for developers, but yields low returns in terms of the successful long-term establishment of new populations.

Sadly, amphibians across the world are threatened by a variety of factors that cannot be addressed by dedicated groups of people working at the local level. Much of the habitat deterioration and destruction that is causing amphibian declines is global in origin, resulting from pollution and climate change. Reversing the results of these processes lies not with local groups but with the world’s political and industrial leaders, who show no sign of deviating from their pursuit of the continuing economic growth that threatens our planet’s biodiversity. This excellent book reports many successful attempts to conserve amphibians at a local scale but, globally, the sixth mass extinction continues to gather pace.

Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology - Dr Oxford UK Tim Halliday

This book attempts to summarize all of the published evidence relating to conservation interventions aimed at amphibians and specifically, where interventions have been quantitatively monitored. This ranges from very small specific interventions such as the introduction of artificial hibernacula to wide ranging interventions such as the Million Ponds Project in the UK. No attempt is made to make recommendations, merely to lay out the evidence in an easy to read and easy to find format in a way that can help decision makers at a local, national or international scale make more informed judgements as to the most effective measures to implement. The first half of the book is arranged into chapters that each relate to a specific threat such as climate change, transport networks, agriculture and pollution whilst the second half examines the impact of habitat management, species management (captive breeding and translocations) and education and awareness raising.

One of the big plus points of this book is that it is very easy to establish if there is evidence available about a particular subject and where to find the source material. In this respect it serves its purpose well. However, it is intriguing to examine whether the book can actually be applied by land managers or those giving advice to land managers to fine tune the management of sites for their amphibian populations. The Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group regularly gives advice to a wide range of organisations and individuals about managing ponds and terrestrial habitat for amphibians and most of the advice is based around generally accepted best practice guidance. At least 90% of advice is covered by just a few basic principles. In other words, creating ponds is good, and almost always more cost effective than managing existing ponds, discouraging birds and fish is useful, maintaining structurally complex terrestrial habitat will help and not moving the widespread amphibians around except under exceptional circumstances is the best option. So, could this book confirm that this is sound advice based on well established, published literature or just the ramblings of well meaning amateurs that is at best ineffective or in a worst case scenario, counterproductive?

Things started well, pond creation gets a resounding thumbs up though the success of specific species depends upon the kind of ponds created and some studies have expressed doubt that the creation of ponds specifically for translocated species leads to self-sustaining populations. In contrast, evidence suggests that pond restoration can have mixed effects on existing amphibian populations. Fish control similarly has good evidence to back up its effectiveness though the use of piscicides can also kill off amphibian populations. The evidence to support other interventions is less conclusive as the example of excluding waterfowl shows. The book simply states that ‘We captured no evidence for the effects of preventing heavy usage or excluding wildfowl from aquatic habitat on amphibian populations.’ Herein lays the challenge of writing a book such as this. The complexities of amphibian habitat management and the impact of interventions on a range of species mean that there simply isn’t enough published information to fully inform a land manager. Other examples, particularly broad ranging interventions such as introducing a grazing regime or the management of terrestrial habitat have evidence of both success and failure. This simply illustrates that for most interventions it is the fine-tuning of management techniques and regimes that yield success rather than simply the type of intervention itself. In short, this book provides a useful starting point for justifying specific interventions (or not intervening) and can help direct the reader to further information.

One of the conclusions it is impossible not to draw from reading this text is that there are still significant areas of amphibian conservation that are not covered by scientific literature. This is exemplified by the lack of evidence for either protecting brownfield sites or habitat connectivity having a positive impact on amphibian populations. It is a challenge to summarize so much information into one relatively small book and even more of a challenge to make sense of what all the data means. This book is a useful tool and perhaps an ideal first step for identifying or rejecting potential interventions for amphibian conservation but does not provide all of the answers to making the most of the limited resources available for amphibian conservation. That would just be too simple wouldn’t it?

The Herpetological Bulletin - Mike Phillips

This is part of an ambitious series that aims toward accumulating a comprehensive summary of evidence on the effects of conservation interventions on saving the diversity of life over the entire planet.

Canadian Field Naturalist - Francis R. Cook

This book clearly brings us a large step closer to making the right choices in practical nature management, and is indispensable for those involved in doing so.

RAVON - Tom Stumpel

Amphibian Conservation is a welcome antidote to the proliferation of depressing reports of amphibian declines. The book is packed with literature summaries and citations; a veritable information goldmine for graduate students and researchers. It also admirably provides decision makers with a well-researched resource of proven interventions that can be employed to stem/reverse the decline of amphibian populations.

Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society - John G. Palis

It will be a valuable guide for graduate students interested in evaluating evidence for effective amphibian conservation, and is sure to generate new approaches, critical analyses, and discussions.

Copeia - Karen R. Lips

This excellent book reports many successful attempts to conserve amphibians at a local scale but, globally, the sixth mass extinction continues to gather pace.

Phyllomedusa - Tim Halliday