Landscape Ecology and Bioclimatic Conditions of the Wallum Sedge Frog (Litoria olongburensis) in Coastal Wallum Wetlands of Eastern Australia: Resilience to Climate Change

Abstract

Many species are threatened by rapidly changing climate and amphibians may be particularly vulnerable. As ectotherms, all aspects of amphibian physiology and life history are directly or indirectly influenced by temperature and moisture. For amphibian conservation, a clear priority is to investigate impacts of climate change on key environmental parameters within breeding habitats, as well as the ecology of threatened species. This information is vital for assessing species vulnerability to climate change and informing conservation efforts. Wallum frogs are species that are restricted to naturally acidic, oligotrophic coastal wetlands of eastern Australia. There is a paucity of ecological data on wallum frogs and their breeding habitats however climate change predictions suggest they are likely to be exposed to changes in the timing and intensity of precipitation, and increases in temperature. Consequently, the aim of this study was to enhance our understanding of the bioclimatic conditions of threatened wallum frogs at a landscape scale. This information was then used to assess climate change vulnerability for these wallum associated frog species, particularly the threatened wallum sedge frog (Litoria olongburensis). This study determined environmental factors influencing reproductive behaviours of L. olongburensis, namely calling phenology and breeding effort. Also, the impacts of fire on wallum frog ecology and morphology were assessed, as their habitat is exposed to regular and intense fires, which are predicted to increase in frequency and/or severity in the future.