From the natural history to the conservation of Brazilian amphibinas

• Grant number: 22/11096-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Duration: August 01, 2023 - July 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Felipe de Toledo Ramos Pereira
• Grantee: Luis Felipe de Toledo Ramos Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Benjamin Timothy Phalan ; Carlos Guilherme Becker ; Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad ; Cybele Sabino Lisboa ; Daniel Loebmann ; David Chambers Blackburn Jr ; Diego José Santana Silva ; Elaine Maria Lucas Gonsales ; Juliane Silberschmidt Freitas ; Márcio Borges Martins ; Mario Ribeiro de Moura ; Rodrigo Lingnau ; Susana Oliveira Dias ; Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/10830-2 - Ecological niche modeling and passive acoustic monitoring of three endemic and important species for the conservation of Atlantic Forest biodiversity, BP.DR; 23/16747-0 - COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CARDIORESPIRATORY SYSTEM IN ANURANS, BP.DR; 24/10034-4 - Temporal Stability of Biodiversity Conservation Strategies, BP.MS; + associated scholarships 24/10747-0 - Temporal trends in the description of global amphibian species, BP.IC; 24/10748-7 - Temporal trends in the discovery of smal mammals and songbirds globally, BP.IC; 24/06465-0 - Testing morphological evidence for recognition and description of a new anuran species, BP.IC; 23/17980-0 - Pumpkin toadlets and the disappearance of amphibians, BP.JC; 23/17981-6 - pumpkin toadlets and the disappearance of amphibians, BP.JC; 24/00049-4 - Review of threats to amphibians in Brazil, BP.PD; 23/17812-0 - The chytrid fungus and its influence on anuran vocalization., BP.IC; 23/11870-8 - Sequencing and Bioinformatics of Amphibians and their Pathogens, BP.TT; 23/11398-7 - Organization of the LaHNAB biological collections and support for field expeditions and lab experiments, BP.TT - associated scholarships

Abstract

The study of amphibian conservation is urgent and broad. In order to understand and act in the preservation of this taxon, we must deepen the studies in the different facets of the amphibian biology, from the most basic questions, such as taxonomy, behavior, natural history, ecology and evolution, but also to investigate the aspects more directly related to their threats, such as environmental changes (fragmentation and climate change), lethal pathologies and invasive species. It is in this integrative context that the present proposal fits. Our study team is multidisciplinary and must investigate different aspects of the biology of amphibians (essentially anurans), always with conservation in the background. In this project, we also foresee the collection and storage of a large amount of biological material (animals, audio and video recordings, photographs, cultures of the chytrid fungus, skin swabs and tissues for molecular analyses) that will be available to the Brazilian scientific community even after the end of the project. At the same time, in addition to producing data and scientific articles, we also propose the production of outreach material (a book of the Brazilian amphibians), so that the results can be used in other types of production, and also we will be transferring the knowledge generated in this project to the non-academic community. Still, unprecedented in our group, we should also investigate the interaction between humans and amphibians, to also better understand the Brazilian population and enhance their engagement in amphibian conservation. The project also provides for the training of human resources to work with the theme of conservation, in different lines of research, especially in studies with chytridiomycosis (still lacking dedicated laboratories in Brazil), with invasive species of amphibians, or even with animal communication, where we will address novel (or rarely explored) lines in Brazil (for example, the one focused on the hearing of frogs, and not on sound production, as more commonly addressed). Thus, this project is ambitious and innovative in several aspects and must, with the great commitment of a specialized team, contribute to issues ranging from natural history to amphibian conservation. (AU)