CRI Seminar, Plant Ecology group - Dr. Edmund Basham

CRI Seminar, Plant Ecology group - Dr. Edmund Basham, UT Austin

Rainforest Frogs: From Ground to Canopy 

Tropical rainforests offer a variety of niche opportunities across the vertical gradient from ground and canopy. In particular, the shift in climate environment and microhabitat type defines the vertical range of many species. In the Chaillu Massif of Gabon, we conducted vertical transects across dry and wet seasons using arborist methods to survey the abundance, richness, and composition of the frog community. We found a distinct shift across vertical height in all metrics, with abundance and richness peaking in the understory. We also analyzed the relationship between morphological traits and vertical niche, finding the most predictive trait to be the ratio of frog length: toe disc length. Seasonal sampling demonstrated a community shift upwards into the canopy, which agrees with research using the same methods in Panama. Comparing this dataset to other sites in Panama, Costa Rica, Madagascar, and the Philippines, broad patterns emerge of high abundance and richness in the understory, yet with some unique differences derived from the local assemblage composition and local habitat/climate environment. Future research should priorities sampling in South Asia and the Amazon to sample in major biomes as yet lacking intensive vertical surveying for amphibians.

Edmund is a professional Ecologist from Cambridge, England, dedicating his life to exploring and researching the processes and scientific mechanisms underlying the world we live in. Since July 2023 Edmund has been living in Austin, Texas, where he started his Postdoctoral research as a Stengl-Wyer scholar. He will be continuing his work as a canopy frog specialist, searching out the amazing creatures this time in Gabon, central Africa.

 Edmund's personal website:
https://www.edmundbasham.com/