A conceptual model to facilitate amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains

Great Plains Research
By: , and 

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Abstract

As pressures on agricultural landscapes to meet worldwide resource needs increase, amphibian populations face numerous threats including habitat destruction, chemical contaminants, disease outbreaks, wetland sedimentation, and synergistic effects of these perturbations. To facilitate conservation planning, we developed a conceptual model depicting elements critical for amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains. First, we linked upland, wetland, and landscape features to specific ecological attributes. Ecological attributes included adult survival; reproduction and survival to metamorphosis; and successful dispersal and recolonization. Second, we linked ecosystem drivers, ecosystem stressors, and ecological effects of the region to each ecological attribute. Lastly, we summarized information on these ecological attributes and the drivers, stressors, and effects that work in concert to influence the maintenance of viable and genetically diverse amphibian populations in the northern Great Plains. While our focus was on the northern Great Plains, our conceptual model can be tailored to other geographic regions and taxa.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A conceptual model to facilitate amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains
Series title Great Plains Research
Volume 22
Issue 1
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher University of Nebraska
Publisher location Lincoln, NE
Contributing office(s) Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Description 14 p.
First page 45
Last page 58
Country United States
State Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Other Geospatial Northern Great Plains
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