Factors affecting the distribution of cryptic anurans in Malaysian montane forests

两栖动物在地球历史上的最后四次大灭绝事件中幸存下来，现在在人类世，它们面临着前所未有的全球灭绝速度。东南亚拥有至少700种两栖动物[1]，其中约50%的马来西亚物种目前处于濒危状态[1]。我们目前缺乏关于森林砍伐和气候变化对其种群动态影响的重要信息，以评估灭绝风险和规划保护管理。山地森林为濒危物种和特有物种提供了重要的避难所，尽管它们受到人为开发和气候变化的极大影响。以前的研究已经调查了环境变化对常见山地动物的影响。关于罕见或隐伏的anurans分布的知识差距仍然存在，它们具有低检出率和零星的位置占用。这些物种中的许多可能依赖于短暂的微栖息地，特别是陆生植物的水腔。本项目旨在研究山地隐林无尾猴的生态学，并探讨影响其分布的因素。传统的调查方法将与现代环境DNA分析方法相结合，以建立一个框架，使未来对这些物种的监测成为可能。

Amphibians have survived the last four major extinction events in Earth's history, and now in the Anthropocene they face an unprecedented global rate of extinction [1]. Southeast Asia hosts at least 700 species of Amphibian [1], and ~50% of Malaysian species currently have threatened status [2]. We currently lack vital information on the impacts of deforestation and climate change on their population dynamics with which to assess extinction risks and plan conservation management.Montane forests provide important refuges for threatened and endemic species, although they are greatly affected by both anthropogenic development and climate change [2]. Previous studies have investigated the effect of environmental change on commonly encountered montane anurans. A knowledge gap remains on the distribution of rare or cryptic anurans with low detection rates and sporadic site occupancy. Many of these species may depend on the availability of ephemeral microhabitats, particularly phytotelmata: water-filled cavities in terrestrial plants.This project aims to develop methods to study the ecology of cryptic montane forest anurans, and to investigate factors affecting their distribution across a disturbance gradient. Traditional survey methods will be combined with modern methods of Environmental DNA analysis [3] to develop a framework enabling the future monitoring of these species.