I’m leading the Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation at Nanjing Forestry University, where we focus on a broad range of species. Projects were so far focused on the behavioural ecology and conservation of amphibian species in East Asia, but this is changing and you are welcome to inquire, maintaining a focus on North East Asia.
Participants of the awareness program on the 18th of March 2022
Vishal and his team organised on the 18th of March 2022 an awareness program on amphibians conservation for the children of Simayal village in the Nainital district in India. It was a two hours long event that included a short talk, a poster competition, and refreshments for about 20 children. Due to exams period, it’s difficult to conduct such event in a school and initially they didn’t expect much from the village children in terms of involvement and enthusiasm for toads and frogs, but surprisingly children were really excited about the amphibian stories.
Short talk on amphibian conservation
They tried to ignite their young minds with frog picture and videos and they all enjoyed the session and learned about amphibians that are found in their vicinity. Vishal hopes that this will bring some interest in the local anuran species. The children made some really cool posters and Mansi Raikwal (ninths grade) made the best poster with frog eggs, tadpole and adult frogs with a message about saving amphibians of Nainital district.
Best poster of the competition on amphibian conservation!
Широкое распространение настоящих жаб (род Bufo) в Восточной Палеарктике скрывало за собой большое скрытое разнообразие, неопределенность происхождения видовых комплексов и нечеткость таксономических границ. Для того чтобы реконструировать историческую биогеографию азиатских представителей этого рода и решить таксономические проблемы в таком сложном комплексе видов, как B. gargarizans, мы использовали филогеографические методы и филогенетические подходы с использованием анализа многолокусных генетических фрагментов. Было установлено, что комбинированные эффекты, связанные с особенностями расселения и выживанием в разных ледниковых рефугиумах привели к глубокому расхождению некоторых популяций внутри этого комплекса. Моделирование ареалов видов подтвердило наши выводы о том, что самая северная группа популяций в этом комплексе имеет независимую эволюционную историю. Модели расселения видов и анализ путей их постледниковых миграций показали сильную разницу в экологических требованиях между популяциями, расположенными к востоку и западу от Желтого моря, что также подтверждает расхождение между этими кладами.
Resolution of the diversifications of bufonids in the Holarctic and the Eastern Palearctic.
Определив таксономические границы комплекса B. gargarizans, мы восстановили для северо-восточных популяций видовое название Bufo sachalinensis. Таким образом, мы показали, что в Китае проживает не один, а два вида. Кроме того, мы обращаем внимание на то, что на Корейском полуострове и Российском Дальнем Востоке встречается только B. sachalinensis, который может быть разделён на два подвида: B. sachalinensis sachalinensis в России и B. sachalinensis cf. sachalinensis на юге Кореи (этот подвид еще нуждается в описании). Это важно учитывать при планировании природоохранной деятельности для того, чтобы правильно охранять эти подвиды.
동부 구북구에 있는 두꺼비과(Bufo 속)는 지리적으로 광범위하게 분포하고 있기 때문에, 그 다양성을 알기 어렵고 종의 기원 또한 불확실하며, 분류학적인 경계도 불분명하다. 우리는 아시아 두꺼비과의 역사적 생물 지리를 재구성하고, 동아시아의 B. gargarizans의 사례 등에서 찾아볼 수 있는 종 복합체 분류 문제를 해결하기 위해 B. gargarizans 복합체의 전 지리적 범위에서 433 개체를 샘플링했다.
Resolution of the diversifications of bufonids in the Holarctic and the Eastern Palearctic.
예측 계통지리학 툴과 다중 유전자좌 단편을 사용한 고급 분류법을 통합하여 분석한 결과, 긴 분산 거리와 빙하기 레퓨지아의 효과가 결합되어 B. gargarizans 복합체에 있는 깊은 분기(divergence)를 초래했다는 것을 밝혀냈다. 종 구분 모델링 결과, 종 복합체의 최북단 개체군이 독립적으로 진화적 계통을 이루고 있음을 보여준다. 종 분포 모델과 이주 패턴은 황해의 동쪽과 서쪽 개체군의 생태학적 필요 조건에서 차이가 있으며, 광범위하게 분포되어 있는 B. gargarizans복합체로부터 황해의 동쪽 Bufo 계통군이 분리되어 있다는 사실을 뒷받침해준다.
Bufo sachalinensis
B. gargarizans 복합체의 분류학적 경계를 재정비하기 위해 우리는 Bufo sachalinensis이라는 종명을 다시 부활시켰고, 중국에 있는 두 두꺼비 종이 헷갈리지 않도록 동북 두꺼비 (东北蟾蜍; Dōng Běi Chán Chú; 동베찬추) 라는 중국 이름을 부여했다. 또, 우리는 B. sachalinensis만이 한반도와 러시아에서 발생한다는 점을 강조하며, 이 종을 러시아의 B. sachalinensis sachalinensis와 한반도의 남부B. sachalinensis cf. sachalinensis (아직 아종에 대한 기술이 필요하다) 두 개의 보전 단위로 나누었다. 우리는 이러한 아종을 보전하기 위해 별도의 보전 관리 체계를 만들 것을 권장한다.
The broad geographic range of true toads (genus Bufo) in the Eastern Palearctic has resulted in hidden diversity, uncertain origins of species complexes and unclear taxonomic boundaries. To reconstruct the historical biogeography of Asian Bufo, and resolve the taxonomy of problematic species complex such as B. gargarizans in East Asia, we sampled 433 individuals across the totality of the B. gargarizans complex range.
Resolution of the diversifications of bufonids in the Holarctic and the Eastern Palearctic.
We integrated predictive phylogeographic tools and advanced taxonomy using multi-locus genetic fragments and we determined that the combined effects of long dispersal and glacial refugia resulted in deep divergence within the B. gargarizans complex. The species delimitation modelling supported the independent evolutionary lineage of the northern-most population in the species complex. The species distribution model and migration patterns suggested a difference in ecological requirements between the populations east and west of the Yellow Sea, supporting the segregation of the Bufo clade east of the Yellow Seafrom the widespread B. gargarizans.
Bufo sachalinensis
Resolving the taxonomic boundaries of the B. gargarizans complex, we resurrected Bufo sachalinensis, also giving it a Chinese common name as two species from the clade are now in the nation: Dōng Běi Chán Chú. Additionally, we highlight that only B.sachalinensis occurs on the Korean peninsula and Russia, divided into two conservation units: B. sachalinensis sachalinensis in Russiaand B. sachalinensis cf. sachalinensis, in southern Korea (where the subspecies still needs to be described). We recommend a separate conservation management system to preserve these subspecies.
