Amphibian surveys at Klondike Gold Rush NHP: 2017 summary

Surdyk S and Waldo A. 2018. Amphibian surveys at Klondike Gold Rush NHP: 2017 summary. Natural Resource Report. NPS/KLGO/NRR—2018/1587. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado

National Park managers use many indicators to understand and help maintain the integrity of park natural resources. Amphibians are considered good indicators of ecosystem health because of their sensitivity to environmental change. E.O. Wilson, a Harvard biologist said, “We ourselves could not have devised a better early-warning device for general environmental deterioration than the frog,” (Wilson 2002).Worldwide, 32% of amphibian species are now threatened with extinction while 43% exhibit some form of population decrease (Stuart et al. 2004). Amphibians are far more threatened and declining more rapidly than either mammals or birds, with many amphibians on the brink of extinction (Stuart et al. 2004). A recent study published by USGS scientists and collaborators found that amphibians in the United States are disappearing at a rate of 3.7% each year with the greatest declines observed on National Park Service (NPS) lands (Adams et al. 2013). Primary hypotheses to explain global amphibian declines include habitat degradation, climate change, contaminants, and disease as well as other unknown stressors (Adams et al. 2013). Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatitis) is an invasive pathogen responsible for amphibian declines around the globe and was first confirmed in Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park (KLGO) in 2005. Two amphibian species have been confirmed in KLGO: the Boreal Toad, Anaxyrus boreas boreas (formerly Bufo boreas) , and the Columbia spotted frog, Rana luteiventris. Prior to 2007, with the discovery of Columbia spotted frogs in the White Pass Unit of KLGO, the Boreal Toad was the only confirmed amphibian species within Park boundaries. KLGO also falls within the expected range of the wood frog, Lithobates sylvatica (formerly Rana sylvatica) (Lenz et al. 2002); however, its presence has not yet been confirmed.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Surdyk, Shelby; Waldo, Andrew
Date of Issue
2018-02
Publisher
National Park Service
Units
KLGO , NRSS
Keywords
Alaska, amphibian, Boreal Toad, Chilkoot Trail, Chytrid, Columbia spotted frog, Dyea, KLGO, Klondike Gold Rush, Lost Lake, West Creek
Subjects
Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Infestations and Disease | Animal Diseases , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Wetland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Riparian Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Amphibians and Reptiles

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