Acoustic Monitoring
Ontario is home to 12 frog and toad species, all of which are vital to sustaining a healthy wetland ecosystem. Like other amphibians, frogs serve as ‘indicator’ species due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. Monitoring changes in frog populations can provide important information about the health of wetland ecosystems and changes over time.
Photo: A gray treefrog seen near one of the acoustic monitors.
The Rouge Valley is home to many different frog species, which can often be heard calling in the spring. To better understand frog population trends and species presence in the area, Adopt-A-Pond placed acoustic monitors in various locations to passively capture these spring choruses. The recordings were analyzed to identify the unique calls of each frog species, allowing us to determine species present in the area. This information can be used to inform our understanding of species ranges and identify population trends.
Photo: Acoustic monitor installed near a vernal pond.
Adopt-A-Pond also monitors frog populations across Ontario through FrogWatch Ontario, a Community Science project available through the iNaturalist platform. The sightings and information submitted by our FrogWatch Community Science volunteers improves our understanding of frog distribution and ranges far beyond what we could survey ourselves. Click below to learn more FrogWatch and how you can join to help protect local wildlife!
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