Lowand Leopard Frog and Colorado River Toad Monitoring, Habitat Use and Ecology Study

The summary for the Lowand Leopard Frog and Colorado River Toad Monitoring, Habitat Use and Ecology Study grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Lowand Leopard Frog and Colorado River Toad Monitoring, Habitat Use and Ecology Study: Project TasksTo conduct surveys for lowland leopard frog and Colorado River toad within the LCR-MSCP planning area to determine each species distribution within that area. To identify habitat requirements for both species across multiple populations, focusing on breeding habitat in order to determine what their ecological needs are in order to determine if it is feasible to introduce either species into unoccupied or created habitat. Task 1.0Develop and implement a repeatable monitoring plan for the Lowland Leopard frog and Colorado River toad:This repeatable monitoring plan should include a cost effective way of surveying both species. Any method (or combination of methods) may be proposed to accomplish this including, but not restricted to: visual encounter surveys, tape playback surveys, larval funnel trapping and eDNA sampling. It is anticipated that the first 1-2 years of the project will be used to test and evaluate the methods proposed. It is anticipated that once the methods have been tested and evaluated and a protocol has been established, that each year’s sampling during this project will be at a much reduced effort (annually) from what was done in the first three years of monitoring (2011-2013). The applicant will explain in detail how they will develop this monitoring plan and the reasoning behind the proposed sampling effort. The objectives of this plan will include the following: 1) find how many populations/occurrences there are, 2) use pilot data and what is learned about the habitat of each species to develop monitoring objectives, and 3) develop and test monitoring methods , which include how frequently and intensively to monitor to detect a biologically significant trend (if possible). Once work has started the applicant will work closely with Reclamation personnel to finalize the final monitoring plan. The applicant will plainly state how this monitoring plan will be implemented in the field (logistics, number of surveyors, etc.)Task 1.0Determine the ecology and habitat requirements of Lowland Leopard frog and Colorado River toad: To achieve an ecologically and statistically robust description of habitat, a minimum of at least three different populations of each species needs to be sampled on at least two different river systems for each species (as selected by the applicant and finalized with Reclamation personnel). The applicant will propose a detailed study plan that includes any potential habitat variables that could affect the use/occupancy of either species, one or more statistical methods for describing or modeling habitat, and a demonstrated understanding of how to estimate the required sample size for obtaining a statistically defensible description or model. Habitat data should focus on confirmed breeding habitat (specifically egg mass laying locations when possible) for each species. If the applicant proposes more than the aforementioned minimum sampling effort, please explain in detail the reasoning. If specific locations of breeding habitat are known and will assist in accomplishing this task, please specify where they are located. Locations should be used that are similar to either historic conditions on the mainstem LCR or to the Bill Williams River where either species has already been found. The area studied during the previous project (just east of Planet Ranch) should be one of the locations for the present study. All locations will be confirmed with Reclamation personnel prior to the start of field work. A detailed study design that includes input from Reclamation personnel will be submitted as a draft 30-days after agreement is awarded and a final study design will be submitted 15-days prior to the start of field work. Study AreasStudy areas will be located from Reach 3 south to Reach 7 of the LCR-MSCP HCP, including the Bill Williams River from its confluence with the LCR, east to approximately Planet Ranch and other river systems in AZ where either species is know to occur.