Linking Ecology and Evolution to Protect Australian Frogs

Australia is home to over 240 described native species of frogs and virtually all of them are found nowhere else on earth. Australias frogs are also our most endangered group of animals, over 18% are of serious conservation concern and five species are already extinct. There are three gaps in knowledge this project will fill at three different levels: 1) predictive modelling of future conservation issues for Australian frogs that are currently either data deficient or unthreatened, 2) testing the impact of dispersal ability at the local scale to evaluate if or how species can respond to future climate change, and 3) conservation genetics of Australias iconic corroboree frogs for release programs. The project will benefit Australia by addressing fundamental issues in Australian frog conservation with analyses of extinction risk, dispersal capabilities, genetic divergence and future clim