Frogs and flows: Using life-history traits and a systematic review to establish water-dependent functional groups for stream frogs in New South Wales, Australia

Coleman, DW; Wood, RJ; Healey, M

Frogs and flows: Using life-history traits and a systematic review to establish water-dependent functional groups for stream frogs in New South Wales, Australia

Coleman, DW Wood, RJ Healey, M

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Publisher:: WILEY
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Ecohydrology, 2024, 17, (3)
Issue Date:: 2024-04-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Coleman, DW
dc.contributor.author	Wood, RJ
dc.contributor.author	Healey, M
dc.date.accessioned	2024-11-06T03:42:07Z
dc.date.available	2024-11-06T03:42:07Z
dc.date.issued	2024-04-01
dc.identifier.citation	Ecohydrology, 2024, 17, (3)
dc.identifier.issn	1936-0584
dc.identifier.issn	1936-0592
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181776
dc.description.abstract	Hydrological alteration has contributed to the global decline of stream frogs. Flows support stream frog reproduction, juvenile development, food resources, and maintain habitats for all life stages. At present, there is a lack of information regarding the specific water requirements necessary for the conservation of stream frogs. To address this gap, we developed a traits-based approach that serves as a valuable tool for grouping and prioritising water-dependent stream frog species to inform future research priorities and environmental flow design. In this study, we focussed on 53 Australian frog species and analysed eight species traits to develop water-dependent functional groups for stream frogs. We classified frogs based on their level of water dependency using an agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis and a systematic review of water requirements and water management threats. The distinguishing traits that determined functional groups were: tadpole body type, egg clutch type, stream breeding habitat type, and documented association with flowing water and water permanence. Our study identified two distinct water-dependent groups: facultative stream spawners, capable of reproducing in both stream and non-stream habitats, and obligate stream spawners, restricted solely to stream habitats. Importantly, we highlight that the obligate stream spawners are the most sensitive group to within-channel flow alteration and should be prioritised for water management decisions in lotic environments. This study represents the first comprehensive overview of the importance of hydrology for stream frogs and identifies the critical need for additional research and validation to enhance our understanding of stream frog responses to flows regimes.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	WILEY
dc.relation.ispartof	Ecohydrology
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1002/eco.2643
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences, 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
dc.subject.classification	30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	41 Environmental sciences
dc.title	Frogs and flows: Using life-history traits and a systematic review to establish water-dependent functional groups for stream frogs in New South Wales, Australia
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	17
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-11-06T03:42:05Z
pubs.issue	3
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	17
utslib.citation.issue	3

Abstract:

Hydrological alteration has contributed to the global decline of stream frogs. Flows support stream frog reproduction, juvenile development, food resources, and maintain habitats for all life stages. At present, there is a lack of information regarding the specific water requirements necessary for the conservation of stream frogs. To address this gap, we developed a traits-based approach that serves as a valuable tool for grouping and prioritising water-dependent stream frog species to inform future research priorities and environmental flow design. In this study, we focussed on 53 Australian frog species and analysed eight species traits to develop water-dependent functional groups for stream frogs. We classified frogs based on their level of water dependency using an agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis and a systematic review of water requirements and water management threats. The distinguishing traits that determined functional groups were: tadpole body type, egg clutch type, stream breeding habitat type, and documented association with flowing water and water permanence. Our study identified two distinct water-dependent groups: facultative stream spawners, capable of reproducing in both stream and non-stream habitats, and obligate stream spawners, restricted solely to stream habitats. Importantly, we highlight that the obligate stream spawners are the most sensitive group to within-channel flow alteration and should be prioritised for water management decisions in lotic environments. This study represents the first comprehensive overview of the importance of hydrology for stream frogs and identifies the critical need for additional research and validation to enhance our understanding of stream frog responses to flows regimes.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181776