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