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Ecology of Kurdistan newt (Neurergus microspilotus: Salamandridae): Population and conservation with an appraisal of the potential impact of urbanization PDF

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2 Copyright: ©2013 Rastegar-Pouyanietal.This isanopen-accessarticledistributedunderthetermsoftheCre- Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 6(4):30-35. ativeCommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs3.0UnportedLicense,whichpermitsunrestrictedusefor non-commercialandeducationpurposesonlyprovidedtheoriginalauthorandsourcearecredited. Ecology of Kurdistan newt Neurergus microspilotus ( : Salamandridae): Population and conservation with an appraisal of the potential impact of urbanization 1>2Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, 1 Mohsen Takesh, 1>2Akbar Fattahi, 3Marzieh Sadeghi, 3Fatemeh Khorshidi, and 4Robert Browne 1Department ofBiology, Faculty ofScience, Rail University, 6714967346 Kertnanshah, IRAN 2Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group (IPHRG), Faculty ofScience, Razi University, 6714967346Kermanshah, IRAN *Faculty ofChemistry, Razi University, Kertnanshah, Iran 4Royal BELGIUM Zoological Society ofAntwerp, Koningin, Astridplein 26, 2018, Antwerp, — Abstract. The Kurdistan newt, Neurergus microspilotus Nesterov, 1916, inhabits springs, ponds, brooks, streams, and wet caves in the western Iranian Plateau in both Iran and Iraq. The Iranian distribution of N. microspilotus is limited to Kurdistan and Kermanshah Provinces. Several major We populations of N. microspilotus are threatened by urban development. gathered autecologi- cal data of N. microspilotus and evaluated factors that may affect the distribution and abundance We of this species. conducted visual surveys for N. microspilotus at twelve localities across the north-western regions of Kermanshah Province from February to July 2012. The survey sites were classified as undeveloped or developed based on their proximity to urban or rural landscapes, We and other anthropogenic disturbance and structures. analyzed the effect of ecological factors, including water pH and specific conductance, temperature, peak of mating behavior, and the time of egg-laying. The daily air temperature of the study sites was provided by the weather bureau of Kermanshah Province. We investigated the correlation between daily maximum air temperature and N. microspilotus population density using Pearson Correlation Analysis, and analyzed the impact of urbanization on specific conductance and pH of habitat water and numbers of N. microspilotus according to Independent-Samples f-test. The densities of N. microspilotus across sites were posi- tively correlated with increased water and daily maximum air temperatures. In addition, we found that densities of N. microspilotus at undeveloped sites were significantly higher than those of de- veloped sites, whereas no relationship was recorded between specific conductance and pH of the water and urbanization. Key words. Kurdistan newt, Neurergus microspilotus, ecology, conservation, urbanization Citation: Rastegar-Pouyani N,Takesh M, Fattahi A, Sadeghi MS, Khorshidi F, Browne R. 2013. Ecology of Kurdistan newt (Neurergus microspilotus: Sal- amandridae): Population and conservation with an appraisal of the potential impact of urbanization. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 6(4):30-35(e58). Introduction areas, and specifically results in the creation of new as- semblages ofplants and animals, and possible alteration Many species of amphibians globally have declined in of the types and frequency of disturbance regimes (Mc- abundance and range over recent decades (Collins and Donnell and Pickett 1993; Kinzig and Grove 2001). Storfer 2003; Stuart and Chanson 2004; Beebee and Urbanization alters hydrology through water extrac- Griffiths 2005) and 30% of species are now threatened tion, the constructionofimpervious surface and increased with extinction (IUCN 2010). Related causes ofthese de- runoff, increase sedimentation, and pollution of hydro- clines and extinctions are habitat loss and fragmentation, logical systems (Paul and Meyer 2001; Miltner et al. unsustainable harvesting, environmental contaminants, 2004), and through modifying soils (Effland and Pouyat UV increasing radiation, climate change, introduced 1997). Urbanization may also result in an increase in in- predators, and emerging diseases (Young et al. 2001; vasive plants and animals (Pickett et al. 2001; McKinney Collins and Storfer 2003; Baillie et al. 2004). Urbaniza- 2006), different climates between urban and surrounding tion is a substantial cause ofhabitat loss and fragmenta- rural areas (Grimm et al. 2008). Urbanization is therefore tion (McKinney 2002, 2006). Urbanization is a complex currently one ofthe most pervasive causes ofnatural eco- process characterized by increasing in human popula- system modification globally, and thus presents a major tion density, which generates significant changes in the threat to biodiversity conservation (Czech et al. 2000; chemical, physical, and ecological conditions ofaffected Miller and Hobbs 2002). Correspondence. Email: [email protected] amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 030 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | | Rastegar-Pouyani et al. Previous investigations indicated that the distribution We categorized study sites into two categories; 1) ofthe Kurdistan newt, Neurergus microspilotus, is in the Developed-sites placed at the center or vicinity ofurban, mid-Zagros range at the bordering regions of Iran and rural, or tourism areas, and 2) Undeveloped-sites remote Iraq (Nesterov 1917; Schmidtler and Schmidtler 1975). from urbanization with limited ecological change such Najafimajd and Kaya (2010) reported the first observa- as grazing. tion of N. microspilotus in west-Azarbaijan, Iran, how- The counting of N. microspilotus in the Kavat and ever, molecular studies were not conducted on these Dorisan habitats begun on 08 March 2012 and, with specimens to confirm their claimed status. Major locali- weekly intervals, ended on 05 July 2012. Neurergus mi- ties ofN. microspilotus are found in both urban and rural crospilotus were surveyed and counted through stream areas some of which are centers for tourism (Sharifi et bank observation without substrate disturbance. The al. 2004; Rastegar-Pouyani et al. 2005; Rastegar-Pouyani peak of mating behavior was recorded as the maximum 2006). In the present study, we investigated the relation- amount of courting behavior, and the time of egg-laying ships between presence and density ofN. microspilotus, through the observation of eggs in the water for the first and the degree ofurbanization, and analyzed factors that time during the season. may affect this relationship including autecological data Collection of habitat data and water temperature. To assay the specific conductance and pH of water, wa- Materials and methods ter-sampling was performed on a 50 ml water sample A from each site. Jenway 3345 Ion Meter was used for Study sites and survey techniques determination of conductivity measurements. The pH of water was calculated via pH meter model Metrohm The survey area is located in north-western regions of 827 pH lab equipped with a combined glass electrode, Kermanshah Province, western Iran, and surveys were calibrated against two standard buffer solutions at pH 4.0 conducted from February to July 2012. Twelve sites in- and 7.0 and used for monitoring of the pH values. The cluding arange ofponds, pools, brooks, and streams were daily maximum air temperature of the study sites, over selected for surveys. The selection of sites was based on the period ofthe study, was provided by the weather bu- our previous knowledge ofthese sites providing a consis- reau of Kermanshah Province (Table 3). tent occurrence ofN. microspilotus. N Sites investigated were Darian (35°08' 46°19' E), Statistical analysis N N Darre-Najjar (35°06' 46°19' E), Deshe (35°04' 46°16' N N E), Dorisan (35°1E 46°23' E), Hajij (35°09' 46°19' To statistically analyze the effect ofurbanization on spe- E), Kavat (34°53' N 46°3E E), Lashgargah (35°01' N cific conductance and pH of water, and the population N N 46°08' E), Nilan (35°09' 46°12' E), Nodeshe (35°1E density of N. microspilotus, we subjected the data to 46°14' E), Noseme (35W N 46°22' E), Qholani (34°54' Independent-Sample /-tests. To analyze the relationship N 46°27' E), and Qhuri-Qhala (34°2E N 46°30' E) (See between daily maximum air temperature and increas- Table 1). ing populations ofA. microspilotus subjected the data to Table 1 Study site names and coordinates (North, East), N. microspilotus numbers (no.), water specific conductance (SC; pS cm 1 . ), and pH, natural (normal font) or developed (italic font) sites, and threats. Sites Coordinates No. SC pH Threats from development — Kavat 34°53'N46°31'E 750 0.3 8.2 — Qholani 34°54' N 46°27' E 79 0.4 7.8 — Darre-Najjar 35°06'N46°19'E 19 0.4 7.6 Darian 35°08'N46°19'E 24 0.2 7.8 Fish aquaculture and gardening Gardeners in this suburban development, clearing the bottom ofthe pools Nilan 35°09'N46°12'E 48 0.3 7.6 ofaquatic plants thatprovide shelter for eggs, larvae,juveniles, and adults Hajij 35°09'N46°19'E 7 0.3 7.4 Dam-construction in the Sirvan River, ecotourism, gardening N Habitat degradation or loss through irrigation and domestic waterusage, Noseme 35°00' 46°22' E 5 0.3 7.2 accumulation ofrubbish inwater, and home-construction in the village Deshe 35°04'N46°16'E 1 0.3 7.3 ft Dorisan 35°01'N46°23'E 58 0.3 7.3 ft Nodeshe 35°11' N 46°14' E 30 0.3 7.5 Organic-pollution ofwater and gardening Qhuri-Qhala 34°21' N 46°30' E 3 0.4 7.4 Major tourist destination. Accumulation ofrubbish in the water and the ma- nipulation ofhabitat through sanitationprocesses and cleaners in streams Lashkargah 35°01' N 46°08' E 5 0.46 7.6 ManyN. microspilotus are road fatalities amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 031 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | | n n . Ecology of Neurergus microspilotus Table 2. Statistical analysis ofthe effect ofurbanization on the specific conductance and pH ofwater and the number of N. microspilotus Developed habitats ( = 9) Undeveloped habitats ( = 3) Variable Mean ± SD Mean ± SD t df p-value Specific conductance 0.3 ± 0.1 0.48 ± 0.1 1.1 10 0.32 pH 7.5 ± 0.2 7.9 ± 0.3 2.9 10 0.02 Number 20.1 ± 21.3 299.7 ± 393.9 2.4 10 0.04 Pearson Correlation Analysis using the program SPSS for the reproduction of N. microspilotus within the Ka- (version 16 for Windows; SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois, vat and Dorisan habitats, as well as on Shahoo Mountain USA). Data were considered statistically different at P (northwestern Kermanshah Province), gradually reaches <0.05. an optimum with the onset of increased moisture (from melting snow and spring rain) and temperature, with a peak in mid-June and early July (Fig. la, b). Results and discussion — Our results suggest that nine out of 12 localities of N. Acknowledgments. We wish to thank the Mohamed microspilotus from the populations were lowered by ur- Ben Zayed Foundation, and the EuropeanAssociation of banization. These localities are Darian, Deshe, Dorisan, Zoos and Aquaria for supporting of this project through Hajij, Lashgargah, Nilan, Nodeshe, Noseme, and Qhuri- grants. Support was also provided by core funding from We Qhala. the Royal Zoological Society ofAntwerp. also thank The Independent-Samples /-test revealed that devel- the weather bureau of Kermanshah Province, especial- oped/undeveloped sites do not have any difference in ly Mr. Shaygan for providing weather data, the driver, specific conductance (p = 0.31), but do in the water pH Sabzali Rasooli, who helped us very much during field and number of newts (p = 0.04). Bowles et al. (2006) work in western Iran, and Mohammad Reza Ashrafi used specific conductance to investigate the effect of Kooshk and Dariush Naderi for their help in preparation urbanization on water of habitats in Eurvcea tonkawae, ofthe manuscript. but our results indicate that specific conductance could not be used as a separator tool to measure the impact of Literature cited urbanization on N. microspilotus. The resulting data of tohveerslpaepcibfiectwceonednucdteavnecleopienddi(c0a.t2es2 t<haXt th<er0e.4i6s)noatnmduucnh- Baillie JEM, Hilton-Taylor C, Stuart SN (Editors). 2004 developed sites (0.27 < X < 0.44). Instead, the analysis IUCNRed List ofThreatened Species. A Global Spe- ciesAssessment. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cam- suggests that the pH is a better indicator (p = 0.02) ofthe bridge, United Kingdom. effects of urbanization on N. microspilotus (in our stud- Beebee TJC, Griffiths RA. 2005. The amphibian decline ied populations) (Table 2). A crisis: watershed for conservation biology? Biologi- The resulting data on the counting of the newt in the cal Conservation 125(2):271-285. Kavat and Dorisan habitats, the temperature of the two Bowles BD, Sanders MS, Hansen RS. 2006. Ecology of synoptic stations, dates ofobservations and statistical as- sessment ofcorrelation between maximum daily air tem- the Jollyville Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae'. Plethodontidae) with an assessment of the potential perature, and the number ofN. microspilotus are present- effects of urbanization. Hydrobiologia 553(1): 111- ed in Table 3. The Pearson Correlation Analysis revealed 120 that there is a strong association between the temperature . Collins JP, Storfer A. 2003. Global amphibian declines: and presence of individuals oftwo populations in Kavat sorting the hypotheses. Diversity and Distributions and Dorisan (/7-value = 0.919, r = 0.000;/7-value = 0.812, 9(2):89-98. = r 0.000, respectively). Czech B, Krausman PR, Devers PK. 2000. Economic as- According to the data, N. microspilotus adjusts its sociations among causes of species endangerment in transition from torpor, and presence in the environment the United States. BioScience 50(7):593-601. and mating behavior, at a time when food availability of EfflandWE, Poutat RV. 1997. The genesis, classification, insects and other invertebrates is maximum and the thick- and mapping of soils in urban areas. Urban Ecosys- ness ofthe forest canopy and leaves on the water surface tems 1(4):217-228. provides the maximum shelter from predators (Table Grimm NB, Faeth SH, Golubiewski NE, Redman CL, 3; Fig. la, b). At this time a maximal cover of aquatic Wu Bai X, Bridges JM. 2008. Global change and J, vegetation provides the best environment for reproduc- the ecology ofcities. Science 319(5864):756-760. tive activities, the deposition of sperm, and egg attach- IUCN, Conservation International, and Nature Serve. ment. In March and early April, the vegetative cover of 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment. [Online] Avail- the Kavat and Dorisan habitats is low. Habitat suitability able: http://www.globalamphibians.org [Accessed: amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 032 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | | Rastegar-Pouyani et al 0) O o _3 o o o o t>o CM oON oOo 3 o NmO cc in cc C 3 O cc in ^1" oion om o> cn CM C 3 O CM m CM NOON CcMc in OCMN CM C 3 o m OiNn OCNM "i"nt oCoM C o 3 o ON »n in CM ""t CM 00 C3 O m m CM CM -T CM CM to O CmM o cc CM CM <D Om or- O O § 00 CM CM CM CM *—numbersofnewt tn — •>-H -* weathertemperature O O rc CM cc 40 CM CM T3 § 35 > O O ON £ ON CCMM 30 a- CO B £ TT o t- 25 mm C2D <hQ-. iOnN NCOM NO O»On :o &. CM c3 D Oh <Q. NO oo 5-= 15 ai—-i O CM CM <D C4? CM 10 C3 <Q. ON <N VO in rn s£> CN CO § 0 4) <Q. in in in rn 't -o CO b SCo to ON oo Os © CO so so CO Figure la, b. The graphs ofweathertemperature (red) andnumber ofnewts (blue) inthe Kavat s (a) and Dorisan (b) habitats. CJ CO o o oo CM so oo CO CM o to «T) rn m oo CS -O to oo .a rn iri oo o S4-)H — O C o — o a 0 re 0 H§4> r(>e0 P32mQ.Oo~003_ 'a<Oc/E> 320 !+25- 1a2> E -Q aE. =re 2a* 0Eria_ Saoc=32> J+sr2jo SSr0e -«r>e S0oc=32 J-sr2Ke +0Cr0*e -cr<o/ce> £ ra re 5 re re s a a. v- amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 033 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | | Ecology of Neurergus microspilotus June 2008]. ecological systems: Linking terrestrial ecological, IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Spe- physical, and socioeconomic components of metro- cies. [Online]. Available: http://www.iucnredlist.org politan areas. Annual Review ofEcology and Svstem- [Accessed: November 2008]. atics 32:127-157. Kinzig AP, Grove JM. 2001. Urban-suburban ecology. Rastegar-Pouyani N, Sharifi M, Assadian S. 2005. Anal- In: Encyclopedia ofBiodiversity. Editor, Levin SA. ysis of Geographic Variation within Populations of Academic Press, San Diego, USA. 733-745. Neurergus microspilotus and between N. kaiseri and McDonnel MJ, Picket STA. (Editors). 1993. Humans as N. microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae). Russian Components of Ecosystems: Subtle Human Effects Journal ofHerpetology 12(2): 127-134. and the Ecology ofPopulatedAreas. Springer-Verlag, Rastegar-Pouyani N. 2006. Conservation and distribu- New York, USA. tion of Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salaman- McKinney ML. 2006. Urbanization as a major cause dridae) in the Zagros Mountains, Kennanshah Prov- of biotic homogenization. Biological Consewation ince, Western Iran. In: Editors, Vences M, Kohler J, 127(3):247-260. Ziegler T, Bohme W. Herpetologia Bonnensis II. Pro- Miller JR, Hobbs RJ. 2002. Conservation where people ceedings ofthe 13th General Meeting ofthe Societas live and work. Conservation Biology 16(2):330-337. Europeae Herpetologica. 115-117 p. Miltner RJ, White D, Yoder C. 2004. The biotic integ- Schmidtler JJ, Schmidtler JF. 1975. Untersuchujngen an rity ofstreams in urban and suburbanizing landscapes. westpersischen Bergbachmolchen der Gattung Neu- Landscape and Urban Planning 69(1):87-100. rergus caudata, Salamandridae). Salamandra 11:84- A Najafimajd E, Kaya U. 2010. newly found locality for 98. the critically endangered Yellow Spotted Newt, Neu- Stuart SN, Chanson JS. 2004. Status and trends of am- rergus microspilotus (Nesterov, 1917) nourishes hope phibian declines and extinctions worldwide. Science for its conservation (Salamandridae:Caudata). Zool- 306(5702): 1783-1786. ogy in the Middle East 51:51-56. Young BE, Lips KR, Reaser JK, Ibanez R, Salas AW, Nesterov PV. 1916. Trois formes nouvelles d’amphibiens Cedeno JR, Coloma LA, Ron S, Lamarca E, Meyer (Urodela) du Kurdistan. Annuaire du Musee Zo- JR, Munoz A, Bolanos F, Chaves G, Romo D. 2001. ologique de l’Academie d. Sciences de St. Peters- Population declines and priorities for amphibian con- bourg 21:1-30; figures. 1-6, plates. 1-3. [In Russian]. servation in Latin America. Conservation Biology Paul MJ, Meyer JL. 2001. Streams in the urban land- 15(5): 1213-1223. scape. Annual Review of Ecology and Svstematics 32:333-365. Received: 22 October 2012 Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML, Grove JM, Nilton CH, Accepted: 29 December 2012 Pouyat RV, Zipperer WC, Codtanza R. 2001. Urban Published: 14 March 2013 Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani earned his B.S. in zoology from Razi University Kermanshah, Iran, in 1986 and his M.S. in zoology from Tehran University, Tehran, Iran, in 1991, where he studied herpetology with the aga- mids as the central object. He started his Ph.D. in Gothenburg University, Sweden, in 1994 underthe advisement I ofProfessor Goran Nilson and graduated in 1999, working on taxonomy and biogeography ofIranian Plateau agamids, with Trapelus as the main objective. He is a professor and head of the biology department at Razi University. His research interests include taxonomy and biogeography ofthe Iranian Plateau, the Middle East, ar|d centralAsian herpetofauna. Mohsen Takesh earned his B.S. in animal biology from Urmia University, Urmia, Iran, in 2009 and his M.S. in animal biosystematic from Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, in 2012 under Professors Mozafar Sharifi and Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani. His M.S. thesis was on ecology and distribution of Kurdistan newt, Neurergus microspilotus in its Iranian distribution range. His research interests include ecological, phylogeographical, and , phylogenetic investigations ofamphibians and reptiles. Akbar Fattahi earned his B.S. from Urmia University, Urmia, Iran, in 1993 and his M.S. in animal biosyste- matic from Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, in 2012 under the supervision ofProfessor Nasrullah Rastegar- Pouyani. His M.S. thesis was on ecology and systematics ofthe Kurdistan newt, Neurergus microspilotus in its , Iranian distribution range and the tree-frog, Hyla savignyi, in Kermanshah Province, western Iran. His research interests include ecological and taxonomic investigations on amphibians and reptiles. amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 034 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | | Rastegar-Pouyani et al. Marzieh Sadeghi earned her B.S. in applied chemistry from Razi University Kermanshah, Iran, in 2003 and her M.S. in analytical chemistry from Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, in 2005, where she studied construction of optical sensor forpH and metal ions under the advisement ofProfessorAfsaneh Safavi. She started her Ph.D. in Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, in 2005 under the advisement ofProfessor Mojtaba Shamsipur and gradu- ated in 2010, working on optical and electrochemical sensor for metal ions and pharmaceutical compounds as the main object. Her research interests include optical sensor and liquid phase microextraction, solid phase extraction, and removal oftoxic compound from aqueous environment using nanomaterial compound. Fatemeh Khorshidi earnedherB.S. in applied chemistry from Razi UniversityKermanshah, Iran, 2006 andher M.S. in analytical chemistry from Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran, in 2012, where she studiedthe removal of arsenic from aqueous environmentusing metallic nanocomposite underthe advisement ofDr. Marzieh Sadeghi. Her research interests include removal oftoxic elements from aqueous environments, nano-drug and medical nano technology. Robert Browne is co-editor ofthe journal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. He has a wide range of aca- demic andpractical experience inmanyresearchfields supporting herpetological conservation and environmen- tal sustainability. Currently he works for “SustainabilityAmerica” www.SustainabilityAmerica.org (Belize). amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 035 March 2013 Volume 6 Number 4 e58 | | |

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