Dr.Raffael Ernst and colleagues at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections studied how abandoned forest roads in the rainforest of Central Guyana impact amphibian diversity. The study suggest that these roads serve as a sanctuary for amphibians during severe dry periods to enhance their survival and reproduction. For example, the water-filled potholes of roads act as spawning grounds. Researchers suggest these roads should not be disturbed as they are advantageous to amphibians during dry periods. However, this is not to encourage the establishment of new roads or restoring of old ones as there are different factors that should be considered for restoration initiatives. As a consequence of species ability to adapt to new habitats, we should not be so quick to assume which conservation strategy would be most effective. Further studies need to be performed to identify the long-term changes in the rainforest ecosystem and ensure the conservation of all species and their ecological functions. RESEARCH ARTICLE SUMMARY Cosentino, B. et al., (2014) investigated how landscape factors impacted amphibian populations. Researchers hypothesized road disturbance impact amphibians as they directly replace habitats, increased mortality rates when amphibians migrate during breeding season and restrict the dispersal of metapopulations. Previous studies have been limited by small spatial scales, thus Cosentino, B et al. decided to take a novel approach and study the influence of roads and development on a geographical scale – across eastern and central U.S. To execute such a large scale study, Cosentino, B. et al (2014) had the participation of 200 undergraduate students to compiled data for 1617 sites from the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP), a citizen science database of amphibian populations. Method of data collection by the NAAMP was through random road routes, which observers select 10 locations of set conditions. At these sites, observers conducted auditory surveys of amphibian calls during specific times of the breeding season. Observers were also required to document the number of passing vehicles and any noise that may bias surveys. Findings showed species’ populations were negatively impacted by roads, which could be explained due to the presence of a foreign obstacle and de-icing salt run-off shown to lower survival during early amphibian stages. Additionally, noise from traffic served as a good predictor for a negative trend with species richness as it interferes with breeding chorus but there is no conclusive evidence. Conversely, it appears modest development unintentionally creates breeding sites to show small positive effects. However, habitat split between wetlands and uplands caused by either roads or development, both had a negative impact on populations. These results provide motivation to have management practices to protect wetland-upland areas and …show more content…
The news article primarily emphasizes the point that infrastructure, namely roads, in Central America can be beneficial on frog populations and should not be restored because amphibian species have learned to adapt to human intervention. (Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum 2016). The research states that active roads have a negative influence, but fortunately moderate infrastructural modifications may provide frog populations with more potential of breeding locations (Cosentino et al. 2014). Essentially, both the news article and research article are directed towards a central theme where amphibian populations can benefit from human intervention, if they can find a means of adequately adapting. The news story emphasized how the frog species Hypsiboas boans adapted to old roads of Central America, thus in this case conservation efforts would likely be better spent on initiatives other than restoration. In contrast, the research presents an array of negative effects that functioning roads due to frequent human disturbances of traffic have on mortality and mobility of amphibian populations, while also mentioning the positive effect modest human development has on amphibian frog reproduction and richness. While initially, these two articles seem to present separate viewpoints on the impact of roads – they are actually supportive of each other and intimately linked. The research reinforces the idea presented in the news article that abandoned human roads have an adaptive function of serving as breeding sites, whereas in the research study active roads were sites of high mortality. Thus the proposal made by the news article to leave existing roads intact for frog reproduction is validated. Analyzing, the research does change our perspective on the news story. The news story portrays human