In the Northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra, agricultural expansion is putting frog populations at risk. A study published in the journal Ecological Applications reveals how farming practices threaten the area’s diverse amphibians.
Led by researcher Vijayan Jithin and his team from the Nature Conservation Foundation and the Bombay Environmental Action Group, the study highlighted the worrying trends.
The research team compared frog populations in three different environments: Natural plateaus, paddy fields and mango or cashew orchards during the rainy season.
To gather their data, they used a method called a belt transect survey, where they laid out a straight line through each habitat and sampled the frogs within a specific width of that line. By surveying 50 locations across four plateaus, they discovered important information about the region's frog species.
The findings showed that paddy fields had the lowest diversity of frogs, while orchards were home to the fewest frogs overall. Some rare species, like the CEPF Burrowing Frog (Minervarya cepfi) and the Goan Fejervarya (Minervarya gomantaki), were scarce in these altered habitats. Common frogs like Minervarya syhadrensis were found in paddy fields, indicating a shift in frog communities due to farming.
This research points to the serious effects of habitat loss. Important microhabitats like rock pools, which protect frog eggs and tadpoles during dry spells, are being threatened by agricultural practices.
The Western Ghats is a biodiversity hotspot, containing around 252 amphibian species, 226 of which are frogs. Unfortunately, about 40.7 per cent (8,011 species) of amphibians worldwide are classified as threatened due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change and diseases like chytridiomycosis.
In the last four decades, numerous amphibian populations have dwindled due to these pressures, resulting in a considerable decline.
The ongoing expansion of agricultural land and urban areas is obliterating crucial habitats, resulting in the disappearance of wetlands vital for frog reproduction. The runoff from farms, which often contains harmful pesticides and fertilisers, further harms water quality, putting sensitive frog populations at even greater risk.
As frogs are extremely sensitive to small changes in their environment, climate change and other human-caused disturbances can decimate their numbers.
Frogs also hold cultural significance in many Indian communities. They are often seen as symbols of rain and fertility and are linked to local traditions. Some communities perform rituals where frogs are married to invoke rain, showing the deep connection between culture and nature.
For example, the Nadukani-Moolmattom-Kulamaav tribes harvest the pig-nose purple frog for food during the monsoon season, highlighting their importance in local customs.
As Rohit Naniwadekar stresses, protecting these ecosystems requires collaboration with local communities to address climate challenges and preserve the delicate biodiversity of the Western Ghats.
Recognising the cultural value of frogs can help conservation efforts. When communities understand the ecological importance of frogs, they are more likely to protect their habitats. Blending traditional knowledge with modern conservation practices can create a balance between farming and biodiversity.
The ongoing threats to frogs in the Western Ghats reflect larger ecological issues. The growth of agriculture is not only harmful to frogs but to the entire ecosystem.
Another study reveals that Amboli bush frog, an endangered species, faces similar challenges posed by land use changes, specially agroforestry practices that have been promoted for sustainability. This is leading to altered microhabitat use and skewed sex ratios within frog populations.
The study, funded by organisations like On the Edge Conservation and The Habitat Trust, reflects a growing recognition of the need to protect biodiversity in agricultural areas.
As amphibians serve as key indicators of our environmental health, research like this pushes for policies that balance farming with conservation.