Amphibian Biology, Volume 11, Part 4: Southern Europe and Turkey Volume 11, Part 4

Amphibian species around the world are unusually vulnerable to a variety of threats, by no means all of which are properly understood. Volume 11 in this major series is published in parts devoted to the causes of amphibian decline and to conservation measures in regions of the world. This volume, Part 4 in the series, is concerned with Southern Europe (Italy, Malta, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Cyprus). Each chapter has been written by experts from each country, describing the ecological background and the conservation status of affected species, with an emphasis on native species. As well as infectious diseases and parasites, threats take the form of introduced and invasive species, pollution, destruction and alteration of habitat, and climatic change. These are discussed as they affect each species. All these countries have monitoring schemes and conservation programs, whose origins and activities are described. Recommendations for action are also made. Edited by leading scholars in the field, Volume 11, when complete, will provide a definitive survey of the amphibian predicament and a stimulus to further research with the objective of arresting the global decline of an entire class of animal. Table of contents 5 Contents of previous parts 6 Contributors 9 Editors’ preface 11 39 The amphibians of the Italian region: A review of conservation status 13 I. Introduction 13 II. The status of the Italian amphibian fauna 16 III. Threats affecting the Italian batrachofauna 17 A. Habitat alteration and urbanization 17 B. The chytrid fungus in Italy and its significance for amphibian conservation 18 C. The introduced species 19 IV. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 21 V. Conclusions 22 VI. Acknowledgements 23 VII. Addendum 23 VIII. References 24 40 Amphibian conservation and declines in Malta 29 I. Introduction 29 II. Maltese amphibians 30 III. Conservation status and threats 31 IV. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 32 V. Conclusions 33 VI. Acknowledgements 34 VII. References 35 41 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Croatia 37 I. Introduction 37 II. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 40 III. Red List 42 IV. Summary 42 V. Acknowledgements 42 VI. References 43 42 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Slovenia 44 I. Introduction 44 II. Declining species 45 A. General pressures on amphibian populations in Slovenia 45 B. Declining amphibian species and species of special conservation concern 46 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 48 A. Historical background of conservation measures and legislation for protecting amphibian species in Slovenia 48 B. Conservation measures 48 C. Monitoring activities 50 IV. Red List of Slovenian amphibians 50 V. Conclusion 51 VI. Acknowledgements 52 VII. References 53 43 Conservation and decline of European amphibians: The Republic of Serbia 57 I. Introduction 57 A. General pressures on amphibian populations 59 II. Declining species and species of special concern for conservation 61 A. Declining amphibian species 61 B. Species of special concern for conservation 62 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 63 IV. Species’ status 64 V. Summary 64 VI. Acknowledgements 64 VII. References 65 44 Amphibian declines and conservation in Montenegro 68 I. Introduction 68 II. General pressures on amphibian populations worldwide 69 A. Habitat destruction 69 B. Introduced and invasive species 69 C. Climatic change 69 D. Over-harvesting 70 III. Species of special conservation concern in Montenegro 70 IV. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 71 V. References 73 45 Status of amphibians in Bosnia and Herzegovina 74 I. Introduction 74 II. Freshwater habitats 74 A. The Black Sea Basin 74 B. The Adriatic Basin 75 C. Lakes 75 D. Wetlands 75 E. Pressures on wetland ecosystems 75 III. The amphibians of Bosnia and Herzegovina 77 A. Pressures on the amphibian fauna 77 IV. References 78 46 Conservation and protection status of amphibians in Macedonia 79 I. Introduction 79 A. Geographic features 79 B. Amphibian species in the FYR of Macedonia 81 C. Assessment 81 II. Threats to amphibians 81 III. Species of special concern for conservation 83 IV. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 83 V. Conclusions 83 VI. References 84 47 Amphibians of Albania 86 I. Introduction 86 II. Amphibian population declines in Albania 87 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 88 IV. Summary of the species present in Albania and their status 88 V. Conclusions 89 VI. Acknowledgements 89 VII. References 90 48 Declines and conservation of amphibians in Greece 92 I. Introduction 92 II. Species of special conservation concern 94 A. Pelophylax cerigensis (Beerli et al. 1994) 94 B. Bombina bombina (Linnaeus 1761) 94 C. Pelophylax cretensis (Beerli et al. 1994) 94 D. Lyciasalamandra luschani (Steindachner 1891) 94 E. Ichthyosaura alpestris (Laurenti 1768) 95 F. Rana temporaria (Linnaeus 1758) 95 G. Lyciasalamandra helverseni (Pieper 1963) 95 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 96 IV. Conclusions 96 V. References 97 49 Amphibian conservation anddecline in Romania 99 I. Introduction 99 A. Human footprint 100 B. Phylogeography 100 II. Species of special conservation concern 101 A. Taxonomic issues 101 B. Hybridization 102 C. Major threats 103 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 104 A. Legislation and conservation policy 104 B. Red Lists 104 C. Conservation and taxonomy 105 D. Conservation strategies 105 IV. Conclusions 106 V. Acknowledgements 106 VI. References 107 50 Conservation and decline of amphibians in Hungary 111 I. Introduction 112 A. The history of habitat destruction in Hungary 112 B. Legal protection of amphibian species in Hungary 114 II. Declining species of amphibians and species of special conservation concern 114 A. Salamandra salamandra 115 B. Triturus dobrogicus 116 C. Triturus carnifex 117 D. Ichthyosaura alpestris 118 E. Bombina variegata 120 F. Rana arvalis 121 G. Rana temporaria 122 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 122 A. Role of NGOs in protection of amphibians 122 B. Mapping the Hungarian herpetofauna 124 C. Amphibian rescue actions 125 D. Frog tunnels 126 E. Monitoring programmes 126 IV. Conclusions 130 V. Acknowledgements 131 VI. References 131 51 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Bulgaria 143 I. Introduction 143 A. Species list and recent changes 143 B. Species’ distribution and richness 145 II. Amphibian declines and species of special conservation concern 147 III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes 147 IV. Conclusions 149 V. Acknowledgements 149 VI. References 150 52 Amphibian conservation and decline in Turkey 152 I. Introduction 152 A. Causes of species richness in Turkey 152 B. The amphibian species of Turkey 152 II. Declining Turkish amphibians and species of special conservation concern 154 A. Declining amphibian species in Turkey 154 B. The reasons for amphibian decline in Turkey 154 C. Amphibian species of special conservation concern in Turkey 155 III. Conservation measures required 157 IV. Summary 157 V. References 158 53 Conservation of amphibians in Cyprus 160 I. Introduction 160 II. Cypriot amphibians 161 A. Hyla savignyi 161 B. Bufotes viridis 161 C. Pelophylax bedriagae 161 III. Monitoring 162 IV. References 163 Index 164

Amphibian species around the world are unusually vulnerable to a variety of threats, by no means all of which are properly understood. Volume 11 in this major series is published in parts devoted to the causes of amphibian decline and to conservation measures in regions of the world. This volume, Part 4 in the series, is concerned with Southern Europe (Italy, Malta, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Cyprus).

Each chapter has been written by experts from each country, describing the ecological background and the conservation status of affected species, with an emphasis on native species. As well as infectious diseases and parasites, threats take the form of introduced and invasive species, pollution, destruction and alteration of habitat, and climatic change. These are discussed as they affect each species. All these countries have monitoring schemes and conservation programs, whose origins and activities are described. Recommendations for action are also made.

Edited by leading scholars in the field, Volume 11, when complete, will provide a definitive survey of the amphibian predicament and a stimulus to further research with the objective of arresting the global decline of an entire class of animal.

This volume is devoted to the causes of amphibian decline and to conservation measures in Southern Europe. Experts from each country describe the ecological background and the conservation status of affected species, with an emphasis on native species.