Read the full story in the Metropolis Planet.
Citizen science volunteers are needed to assist with the calling frog and toad surveys in the Cache River watershed.
“Most people probably do not give amphibians much thought, but they play an important role in controlling insect populations, providing a valuable food source to other animals and contributing background sounds on warm spring and summer evenings,” said Mollie Oliver with Cache River State Natural Area.
In 1991 in response to an increased concern about worldwide population declines of frog and toad species, the Declining Amphibian Population Task Forces was formed. One of the first research priorities identified by the task force was to investigate whether the reported declines might actually be normal population fluctuations experienced by healthy amphibian populations. To do this required a baseline population data for as many species as possible over several years. Protocols were established to be carried out by volunteers using limited outside resources. Southern Illinois citizens have been participating in this long-term monitoring project for the Illinois Natural History Survey since 1995.
