Shifting status and distribution of range margin chorus frog (Pseudacris) populations in eastern Great Lakes watersheds

Contiguous with their range across major rivers into Canada, two different species of chorus frogs are now thought to inhabit the Great Lakes watersheds of New York. Pseudacris triseriata is found along the western Lake Ontario and Lake Erie plains while P. maculata (tentatively a new frog species in NY) inhabits the lowlands of eastern Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Both species are on their extreme range margins in NY. In 2010 we detected distributional declines of both putative chorus frog species based on a broad survey following standardized occupancy detection protocols. Causes are unclear but could relate to reforestation and urbanization of formerly more extensive agricultural lands, climate change, pathogenic fungal outbreaks and/or the contaminant effects of intensive agriculture. On the other hand, the prior overestimation of ranges because of misidentification may have inflated earlier perceived distributions (positive survey bias) because false positives are problematical for this cryptic frog. At broad geographical scales, chorus frog (meta)populations are highly dynamic and are likely shifting their ranges in response to rapidly changing overall environmental conditions in the northeastern U.S. and Canada.

► Two species of chorus frogs are now thought to inhabit Great Lakes watersheds in NY.
► Both are on their range margins and have undergone recent range retractions.
► The causes are most likely multi-factorial.
► At broad geographical scales ranges are shifting, rather than simply retracting.
► Effective conservation strategies must transcend political boundaries.