Cooperative amphibian monitoring protocol for the Greater Yellowstone Network [Peer Review Draft]

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This report gives a brief history of amphibian monitoring in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) and issues regarding and threats to amphibian persistence. Conceptual models for amphibians were developed in 2004 during a process of evaluating and selecting vital signs for the Greater Yellowstone Network (GRYN). Amphibians were selected as an indicator of Biological Integrity at the level of Focal Species or Communities. Long-term monitoring of amphibians not only provides insights into the status of a significant component of biological diversity, but can also help assess the level of overall ecological condition or stress in this perhaps last, large, nearly intact ecosystem in the northern temperate zone of the planet. Ultimate goals for this monitoring project are to answer the following questions: 1) Are native amphibian species declining with the GRYN, remaining stable, or increasing? 2) What are the possible underlying causes of any observed declines? 3) What further directed research or management actions are warranted? Objectives and relevance are discussed. Sampling design is explained in detail, as are field methods. Data management, analysis, and reporting are similarly examined. Extensive supplementary materials provide process descriptions, specific sampling designs, modeling examples, an analysis example, data entry steps; eight standard operating procedures; figures that portray on-the-ground specifics, such as sample frame examples, annual survey examples, database structure; and tables illustrating information such as roles and responsibilities, cost estimates, sample catchments, etc.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology

[Please note that there appears to be a replacement version to this "Peer Review Draft" called "Standard Operating Procedures, Version 1.0," which is Natural Resource Report NPS/GRYN/NRR—2013/655, dated April 2013. Note also that since people's names are used as the authors of that report, I will use Patla and others as the authors of this Biblio record for the 2008 draft document. Their names are what appear on the title page, though later in the document a suggested citation uses Amphibian Monitoring Working Group as the author.]