Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Exclude domestic animals or wild hogs by fencing Three replicated, site comparison studies in the USA found that excluding livestock from streams or ponds did not increase numbers of amphibian species or overall abundance, but did increase larval abundance and abundance of green frog metamorphs. Two studies found that the abundance of green frogs and/or American toads was higher with grazing. One randomized, replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in the USA found that excluding cattle from ponds did not increase numbers of eggs or larval survival of Columbia spotted frogs. One before-and-after study in the UK found that pond restoration that included livestock exclusion increased pond use by breeding natterjack toads. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F746https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F746Wed, 17 Jul 2013 10:35:16 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Retain riparian buffer strips during timber harvest Twelve studies investigated the effectiveness of retaining buffer strips during timber harvest for amphibians. Six replicated and/or controlled studies in Canada and the USA compared amphibian numbers following clearcutting with or without riparian buffer strips. Five found mixed effects on abundance depending on species and buffer width. One found that amphibian abundance was significantly higher with buffers. Eleven studies, including 10 replicated and/or controlled studies in Canada and the USA and one meta-analysis, compared amphibian numbers in forest with riparian buffers retained during harvest to unharvested forest. Six found mixed effects depending on species or volume of existing downed wood. Four found that abundance and species composition were similar to unharvested forest. Two found that numbers of species and abundance were lower than in unharvested forest. Two of four replicated studies (including one randomized, controlled, before-and-after study) in Canada and the USA found that numbers of amphibian species and abundance were greater in wider riparian buffer strips. Two found that there was no difference in abundance in buffers of different widths.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F747https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F747Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:42:46 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add lime to water bodies to reduce acidification One before-and-after study in the UK found that adding limestone to ponds resulted in establishment of one of three translocated populations of natterjack toads. One replicated, site comparison study in the UK found that species-specific habitat management that included adding limestone to ponds increased natterjack toad populations. One before-and-after study in the UK found that adding limestone to ponds temporarily increased breeding by natterjack toads. Three before-and-after studies (including one controlled, replicated study) in the Netherlands and UK found that adding limestone increased larval and/or egg survival of moor frogs and common frogs and resulted in metamorphosis of natterjack toads at two of three sites. Two before-and-after studies (including one controlled study) in the UK found that adding limestone to ponds resulted in high tadpole mortality and pond abandonment by natterjack toads and higher numbers of abnormal common frog eggs.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F748https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F748Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:41:50 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manage ditches One controlled, before-and-after study in the UK found that managing ditches increased common toad numbers. One replicated, site comparison study in the Netherlands found that numbers of amphibian species and abundance was significantly higher in ditches managed under agri-environment schemes compared to those managed conventionally.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F749https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F749Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:10:56 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Artificially mist habitat to keep it damp One before-and-after study in Tanzania found that installing a sprinkler system to mitigate against a 90% reduction of river flow did not maintain a population of Kihansi spray toads.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F755https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F755Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:05:17 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Install barrier fencing along roads Seven of eight studies (including one replicated and two controlled studies) in Germany, Canada and the USA found that barrier fencing with culverts decreased amphibian road deaths, or decreased deaths provided that the fence length and material were effective. One found that low numbers of amphibians were diverted by barriers during breeding migrations. One replicated study in the USA found that barriers at least 0.6 m high were required to prevent green frogs and leopard frogs climbing over. Two studies in the Netherlands and USA found that treefrogs and 10% of common toads climbed over barrier fencing during breeding migrations. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F756https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F756Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:23:38 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Remove tree canopy to reduce pond shading One before-and-after study in Denmark found that translocated garlic toads established breeding populations following pond restoration that included canopy removal. One before-and-after study in the USA found that canopy removal did not increase hatching success of spotted salamanders.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F758https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F758Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:36:22 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Create artificial hibernacula or aestivation sites One replicated, before-and-after study in the UK found that providing artificial hibernacula, along with other terrestrial habitat management, maintained populations of great crested newts. One replicated study in the UK found that created hibernacula were used by common frog and smooth newts, but not great crested newts. One replicated study in the UK found four amphibian species close to hibernacula at two of three sites.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F759https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F759Wed, 14 Aug 2013 15:19:25 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Engage volunteers to collect amphibian data (citizen science) Five studies in Canada, the UK and USA found that amphibian data collection projects engaged 100–10,506 volunteers and were active in 16–17 states in the USA. Five studies in the UK and USA found that volunteers undertook 412 surveys, surveyed 121–7,872 sites, swabbed almost 6,000 amphibians and submitted thousands of amphibian records. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F760https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F760Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:11:34 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Clear vegetation Six studies (including four replicated studies) in Australia, Estonia and the UK found that vegetation clearance, along with other habitat management and in some cases release of animals, increased numbers of frog species, or increased, stabilized or maintained populations of natterjack toads. One before-and-after study in the UK found that vegetation clearance, along with other habitat management, maintained a population of great crested newts for the first six years, but not in the longer term. One before-and-after study in England found that vegetation clearance, resulted in increased occupancy by natterjack toads.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F761https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F761Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:06:14 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add salt to ponds to reduce chytridiomycosis One study in Australia found that following addition of salt to a pond containing the chytrid fungus, a population of green and golden bell frogs remained free of chytridiomycosis for at least six months.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F762https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F762Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:13:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use antibacterial treatment to reduce chytridiomycosis infection Two studies (including one randomized, replicated, controlled study) in New Zealand and Australia found that treatment with chloramphenicol antibiotic ointment (Bishop et al. 2009) or solution, with other interventions in some cases, cured green tree frogs and one Archey’s frog of chytridiomycosis. One replicated, controlled study found that treatment with trimethoprim-sulfadiazine increased survival time but did not cure blue-and-yellow poison dart frogs of chytridiomycosis.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F763https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F763Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:30:56 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use antifungal skin bacteria or peptides to reduce chytridiomycosis infection Three of four randomized, replicated, controlled studies in the USA found that adding antifungal bacteria to the skin of salamanders or frogs exposed to the chytrid fungus did not reduce chytridiomycosis infection rate or death. One found that adding antifungal bacteria to frogs prevented infection and death. One randomized, replicated, controlled study in the USA found that adding antifungal skin bacteria to soil significantly reduced chytridiomycosis infection rate of red-backed salamanders. One randomized, replicated, controlled study in Switzerland found that treatment with antimicrobial skin peptides before or after infection with chytridiomycosis did not significantly increase survival of common toads. Three randomized, replicated, controlled studies in the USA found that adding antifungal skin bacteria to chytrid infected amphibians reduced weight loss.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F764https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F764Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:10:05 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Immunize amphibians against chytridiomycosis infection One randomized, replicated, controlled study in the USA found that vaccinating mountain yellow-legged frogs with formalin-killed chytrid fungus did not significantly reduce chytridiomycosis infection rate or mortality.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F765https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F765Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:05:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Remove the chytrid fungus from ponds One before-and-after study in Mallorca found that pond drying and fungicidal treatment of resident midwife toads reduced levels of infection but did not eradicate chytridiomycosis.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F766https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F766Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:11:48 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Treat amphibians with chytridiomycosis in the wild or pre-release One before-and-after study in Mallorca found that treating wild midwife toads with fungicide, along with pond drying, reduced infection levels but did not eradicate chytridiomycosis.    Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F767https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F767Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:18:57 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Sterilize equipment when moving between amphibian sites We found no evidence for the effects of sterilizing equipment when moving between amphibian sites on the spread of disease between amphibian populations or individuals. Two randomized, replicated, controlled study in Switzerland and Sweden found that Virkon S disinfectant did not affect survival, mass or behaviour of common frog or common toad tadpoles or moor frog embryos or hatchlings. One of the studies found that bleach significantly reduced survival of common frog and common toad tadpoles.    Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F768https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F768Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:21:14 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use gloves to handle amphibians We found no evidence for the effects of using gloves on the spread of disease between amphibian populations or individuals. A review for Canada and the USA found that there were no adverse effects of handling 22 amphibian species using disposable gloves. However, three replicated studies (including one controlled study) in Australia and Austria found that deaths of tadpoles were caused by latex gloves for all four species tested, by vinyl gloves for three of five species and by nitrile gloves for the one species tested.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F769https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F769Mon, 19 Aug 2013 15:45:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use temperature treatment to reduce chytridiomycosis infection Four of five studies (including four replicated, controlled studies) in Australia, Switzerland and the USA found that increasing enclosure or water temperature to 30–37°C for over 16 hours cured frogs and toads of chytridiomycosis. One found that heat treatment at 30–35°C for 36 hours did not cure northern leopard frogs.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F770https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F770Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:15:16 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Eco friendly biofouling prevention A replicated, controlled study in Australia found silicon coated nets accumulated less biofouling organisms which could be more easily removed than untreated nets. Two replicated, controlled trials found that a temperature of 50oC prevented the settlement of actinulae and hydroids on nets  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F937https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F937Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:24:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Domestication: sterility/triploidy A controlled, replicated study in Ireland found reduced return of stock but similar weight, length and condition of triploid salmon compared with diploid salmon.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F939https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F939Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:26:15 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Dry sludge in beds Two replicated trials in Canada found sludge drying beds removed phosphorus from freshwater fish farm sludge. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F943https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F943Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:43:08 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use exclusion nets A replicated, controlled trial in Australia found higher levels of sediment carbon at stocked cages with exclusion nets compared to cages without exclusion nets. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F945https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F945Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:45:50 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Establish fallowing to reduce parasites/diseaseA study in Scotland recorded lower lice numbers on Atlantic salmon in cages using a fallowing system. Another study in Australia found no difference in mortality from Amoebic Gill Disease in cages where a fallowing system had been used.Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1026https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1026Wed, 18 Jun 2014 14:41:41 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Establish fallowing to reduce pollutionA trial in Tasmania found sediment community structure under Atlantic salmon cages became more similar to non- impacted sites over two fallowing cycles.Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1027https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1027Wed, 18 Jun 2014 14:45:25 +0100
What Works 2021 cover

What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

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