Decline and Extinction of the Italian Agile Frog from Core Areas of Its Range

Overview

Journal Animals (Basel)

Date 2023 Oct 28

PMID 37893911

Authors

Gentile Francesco Ficetola

Raoul Manenti

Elia Lo Parrino

Martina Muraro

Benedetta Barzaghi

Valeria Messina

Simone Giachello

Andrea Melotto

Mattia Falaschi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Detecting the trends of species and populations is fundamental to identifying taxa with high conservation priority. Unfortunately, long-term monitoring programs are challenging and often lacking. The Italian agile frog is endemic to Northern Italy and adjacent countries, is considered vulnerable by the IUCN, and is protected at the European level. However, quantitative estimates of its decline are extremely scarce. In this study, we document the trends in abundance and distribution of within Monza Park, which currently represents the area closer to the type locality of the species and holds unique genetic features. Wetlands within the park were monitored from 2000 to 2023; counts of egg clutches were taken as a measure of reproductive output and the abundance of breeding females. In 2000, the species occurred over a significant proportion of the park. Total abundance showed strong yearly variation but remained rather constant from 2000 to 2019. However, disappeared from the park around 2021 and was never detected in 2022-2023. The decline is probably related to the joint effect of multiple factors, including the conversion of breeding sites for farming, inappropriate water management, invasive alien species, and severe drought. The local extinction of occurred despite legal protection, highlighting the need for more effective and stringent tools for the conservation of European biodiversity.

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