Student Tribune

Tim Tatakis and Richard Stevens Publish About Frog Populations in Mendon Ponds Park

Rich Stevens and Tim Tatkis, MCC Biology Professors, have recently published "Frog Populations in Mendon Ponds Park: A 15-Year Study of the Abundance and Phrenology of Frog Calls" in "The Proceedings of the Rochester Academy of Sciences, Volume 21, Number 3", available at https://www.rasny.org/ .  Their long-term monitoring of the frog populations at Mendon Ponds Park was part of the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, supported by Environment Canada and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  Each spring, they have visited 3 specific locations in the park in the evening to count frogs of several species based on their calls.  This type of data, collected over long time spans, may be used to monitor population growth or decline as well as establish whether climate change is affecting the the calling seasons. 

As spring approaches, you might consider following Rich's and Tim's footsteps in Mendon Ponds Park to hear the calling of the frogs and toads.  Maybe you'll encounter "Code 3" which is recorded when the abundance of calls is so great that individuals cannot be counted.

Kaminsky, Margaret
STEM and Health
03/08/2021