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The ecology and evolution of the northern pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae) and the importance of its conservation in England / THOMAS LYONS
Swansea University Author: THOMAS LYONS
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Copyright: The Author, Thom Lyons, 2024 Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY 4.0).
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Abstract
Pool frogs (Pelophylax lessonae) in northern Europe provide an intriguing opportunity to study a species complex in a conservation context. They form part of a species complex with the marsh frog (P. ridibundus) and the edible frog (P. kl. esculenta), with hybrid populations common across mainland E...
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Swansea University, Wales, UK
2025
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| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Research |
| Degree name: | MRes |
| Supervisor: | Nichols, H., and Arbuckle, K. |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69052 |
| Abstract: |
Pool frogs (Pelophylax lessonae) in northern Europe provide an intriguing opportunity to study a species complex in a conservation context. They form part of a species complex with the marsh frog (P. ridibundus) and the edible frog (P. kl. esculenta), with hybrid populations common across mainland Europe. However, small, isolated, single-species populations of a distinct northern clade exist along the coasts of the North and Baltic seas, including an extinct, and since reintroduced, population in England. These northern populations are of high conservation priority due to their declining numbers and ecological distinctness. This study employed maximum likelihood phylogenetic methods on 50 cytochrome B sequences to infer a phylogeny for the species, supporting previous theories that suggest pool frogs originated in the Italian Peninsula before migrating into Central Europe, where they rapidly spread and diversified. Sequences from Denmark and Italy appear ancestral, though limited genetic structure complicates further colonization inferences. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) assessed the climatic niche of pool frogs across Europe, revealing that northern populations occupy a narrower climatic niche, confined to low-lying coastal areas with low precipitation, compared to their hybrid counterparts. SDMs predict suitable climates for northern pool frogs in eastern and southeastern England, aligning with historical records. Conservation efforts should focus on restoring the species to East Anglia, southern Lincolnshire, and the Thames estuary, while mitigating the risks of hybridization with non-native Pelophylax species. |
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| Item Description: |
A selection of content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis to protect sensitive and personal information. |
| Keywords: |
Reintroduction, Species Distribution Models, Phylogeny, Herpetology, Pool Frog |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |