Metapopulation Dynamics of Gopher Frogs (Rana capito) in Georgia

Anthropogenic threats like habitat loss and degradation lead to the breakdown of spatial population dynamics and population extirpation. The Gopher Frog (Rana capito) is a species of greatest conservation need in Georgia and pending evaluation for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Managers in Georgia are actively restoring landscapes that currently support or could potentially support Gopher Frog populations, and one objective is to increase the occupancy and abundance of Gopher Frog populations on those landscapes to improve the species resilience. However, we know little about how Gopher Frog population dynamics function in large landscapes. There are now only two sites in Georgia that are logistically feasible to study Gopher Frog metapopulation dynamics: Ceylon Wildlife Management Area and the Jones Center at Ichauway. We integrated occupancy and genetic data along with an individual-based model to understand Gopher Frog population processes in these landscapes and inform management priorities.