Cascades frog conservation assessment

Abstract

The Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) is a montane, lentic-breeding amphibian that has become rare in the southern Cascade Range and remains relatively widespread in the Klamath Mountains of northern California. In the southern Cascades, remaining populations occur primarily in meadow habitats where the fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, and habitat desiccation pose threats to persistance. Major risk factors in the Klamath Mountains include introduced fish and chytridiomycosis. Conservation actions are needed for the Cascades frog in California and especially in the southern Cascades. Conservation options include restoration of breeding pools in the southern Cascades, fish removals in the Klamath Mountains, and adaptive methods to help alleviate the effects of chytridiomycosis rangewide.

Citation

Pope, Karen; Brown, Catherine; Hayes, Marc; Green, Gregory; Macfarlane, Diane, tech. coords. 2014. Cascades frog conservation assessment. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-244. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 116 p.