Exploration of amphibian diversity in trang an landscape complex ninh binh province

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY STUDENT THESIS EXPLORATION OF AMPHIBIAN DIVERSITY IN TRANG AN LANDSCAPE COMPLEX, NINH BINH PROVINCE Major: Natural Resources Management Code: D850101 Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management Student: Nguyen Tuan Nam Student ID: 1453090203 Class: K59A-Natural Resources Management Course: 2014-2018 Advance Education Program Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA Supervisor: Dr Luu Quang Vinh Ha Noi, Nov 20th 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am really pleasure to have a chance to send my acknowledgments to people who helped me a lot in the study, without whom this research would have never completed First and foremost, I would like to express my great appreciation to my respected supervisor Dr Luu Quang Vinh from Forest Resources and Environment Management Faculty, Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF), who was patient to me and gave me useful guidance and enthusiastic encouragement throughout my research work His great experience and knowledge is heavily embedded in this study I would like to extend my thanks to Mr Pham Sinh Khanh – manager of Trang An Landscape Complex (TA LC) for his supporting during my survey time Besides, I would love to thank Mr Lo Van Oanh, Mr Nguyen Huy Quang, Mr Nguyen Thanh Tung, Mr Dang Quoc Tuan for their assistance in the field Therefore, I would like to thank Mr Thanh and his wife - who management Tran temple for supporting available transportation and shelters on the survey team Finally, I own my gratefully to my parents for their love, support and encouragements to me throughout all my life Even though difficulties, ado, they always help me as more as possible for my dream This research is supported by the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFORSTED, Grant No.106.06-2017.18) i ABSTRACT This research was conducted to provide the checklist of amphibian‟s species in Trang An Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam Total 11 species were recorded within survey from 8th May - 28th June 2017 and 28th May - 12 June 2018 in Trang An Landscape Complex The number of amphibian species in TA LC has increased to 19 Remarkably, one new provincial species was recorded and described (Theloderma annae) for the first time from Trang An and from Ninh Binh Province This study described 11 amphibian species in Trang An Landscape Complex The main threats to the amphibian fauna is ecotourism Therefore, the research has recommended three solutions for reducing the threats consisting of managing, keeping and protecting amphibians in Trang An Landscape Complex ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iii ABBREVIATIONS v LIST OF FIGURES vi LIST OF TABLES vii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEWS CHAPTER III: GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND STUDY SITE 3.1 Goal 3.2 Objectives 3.3 Geographic location 3.4 Climate and hydrology 3.5 Topography 3.6 Flora and Fauna 11 3.6.1 Flora 11 3.6.2 Fauna 11 3.7 Economy – Society 11 CHAPTER IV: METHODOLOGY 12 4.1 Identify amphibian species composition in TA LC 12 4.1.1 Preparation and equipment 12 4.1.2 Line transect survey 12 4.1.3 Collecting method 14 4.1.4 Preservation of specimens 14 4.1.5 Permission and management 14 4.2 Determine distribution characteristics of the species followed by habitat types and biogeographic relationships 15 4.2.1 Distribution characteristics by habitat types in TA LC 15 4.2.2 Comparisons of the relative amphibian composition among biogeographic relationships of kart formations 15 Statistical analysis 15 iii 4.3 Determine morphological character of these species 16 CHAPTER V: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 20 5.1 Amphibian diversity of TA LC 20 5.1.1 Scientific collection 20 5.1.2 The diversity of amphibian species in TA LC 20 5.1.3 New record of amphibian species in TA LC 23 5.1.4 Correlation index between regions in TA LC 24 5.2 Habitat diversity of amphibian species 25 5.2.1 Distribution of amphibian species in habitats 25 5.2.2 Comparing the amphibian list to these among karst protected areas 27 5.3 Descriptions of recorded amphibian species in TA LC 28 5.4 Conservation issues 53 5.4.1 Threats to the amphibian fauna 53 5.4.2 List of threatened species of amphibians recorded from TA LC 54 5.5 Discussions 54 CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 56 6.1 Conclusions 56 6.2 Recommendations for protection and sustainable development of amphibian species in TA LC 56 6.2.1.Recommendations to minimize threats to amphibian species 56 6.2.2 Recommendations for Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex 57 6.2.3 Recommendations for socio-economic 57 6.3 Limitations and suggestions for further study 57 REFERENCES 58 ANNEX 63 iv ABBREVIATIONS IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature IEBR Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources a.s.l Above sea level PN - KB NP Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Protected Area CP NP Cuc Phuong National Park VNUF Viet Nam National University of Forestry TA LC Trang An Landscape Complex v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Number of amphibian species in different periods Figure 3.1: Map of the study site: Trang An Landscape Complex .8 Figure 3.2: Land cover in Trang An Landscape Complex .10 Figure 4.1: Map of survey locations (white dots) in TA LC 13 Figure 4.2: Morphological measures 19 Figure 5.1: Number of specimens collected in of TA LC 20 Figure 5.2: The species richness of amphibian families in TA LC 23 Figure 5.3: New recorded for amphibian species for TA LC 24 Figure 5.4: Similarity cluster analysis of the amphibian among survey sites 25 Figure 5.5: Diversity of species according to habitat .26 Figure 5.6: Comparing dice index of amphibian diversity to other region .28 Figure 5.7: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male 30 Figure 5.8: Micro habitat of Fejervarya limnocharis on the ground in TA LC 30 Figure 5.9: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the one adult male Occidozyga lima (VNUF A.2017.06) 32 Figure 5.10: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the one adult male Occidozyga martensii (VNUF A.2017.55) 34 Figure 5.11: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the one adult male Sylvirana guentheri 36 Figure 5.12: Microhabitat of Sylvirana guentheri in the limestone karst forest of TA LC 36 Figure 5.13 (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the one adult female Kaloula pulchra 38 Figure 5.14 Microhabitat of Kaloula pulchra in the limestone karst forest of TA LC .38 Figure 5.15 (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Microhyla pulchra (VNUF A.2018.49) 40 Figure 5.16 (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Rana johnsi (VNUF A.2017.21) 41 Figure 5.17: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Polypedates megacephalus (VNUF A.2017.45) in life .43 Figure 5.18: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Polypedates mutus (VNUF A.2018.22) in life 45 47 Figure 5.19: (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Rhacophorus orlovi (VNUF A.2017.39) in life .47 Figure 5.20: Microhabitat of Rhacophorus orlovi in the limestone karst forest of TA LC 48 Figure 5.21 (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of the adult male Theloderma annae (VNUF A.2018.45) in life 51 52 Figure 5.22 Microhabitat of Theloderma annae in the limestone karst forest of TA LC 52 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1: Field survey sheet 14 Table 4.2: Distribution of amphibian species in each habitats 15 Table 4.3: Abbreviations of morphological characters 17 Table 5.1: List of amphibians of Trang An Landscape Complex 21 Table 5.2: Similarity index (dice index) of amphibian species among survey sites 24 Table 5.3: Distribution of amphibian species in habitats 25 Table 5.4: Comparing diversity indices of amphibian diversity to other region 27 Table 5.5: Comparing dice index of amphibian diversity to other region 27 Table 5.6: Threatened amphibians species recorded from TA LC 54 vii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Globally, the biodiversity plays vital roles in our planet ecosystems Deforestation, overexploitation, environmental pollutions, causes, toxicants, and climate change are the main causes of biodiversity loss (Barry et al., 2016) These factors are challenges related to extinctions of fauna over the coming century if present trends of tropical deforestation continue (Sodhi et al., 2014) Among the 1.4 million recorded (10 million estimated) extant species of organisms on the planet, amphibians comprise 7919 of these (Frost D, 2018) The lowlands of Indochina are rich in biodiversity, but many areas are being drastically altered through rapid urbanization and ecotourism, only a few some ecosystems to provide lowlands for amphibian species Holzer et al., 2017) Human activities were the main causes directly impact to amphibians are experiencing drastic global declines, and urbanization has been identified as one of the leading stressors (Stuart et al., 2004; Cushman, 2006) Over 95% of the primary conditions of land cover have already changed (Sloan, 2014) by human activities Vietnam is considered as a country with high biodiversity of the world Beginning in the 1990s, because the growth in the tourism and culture heritage policy related to economic, the government saw heritage tourism as a powerful economic and diplomatic tool (Logan, 2009) Consequently, conservation activities received strong attention as the most important economic activities in Vietnam (Lask and Herold, 2004) Up to now, there were 250 amphibian‟s species were recorded (Nguyen et al., 2009; Frost, 2018) In 1996, 82 species were recorded and the number of species is increased up to 162 species (Nguyen et al., 2005), then kept increasing to 177 species (Nguyen et al., 2009) Many researches showed their records of new species in Vietnam such as 45 amphibian‟s species in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park by Ziegler & Vu (2009) Luu et al (2013) updated a list of 151 species including 50 amphibian‟s species in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and Quang Binh Province According to Luu and Hoang (2015), 18 amphibian‟s species belonged to families and order were found in TA LC TA LC is located Ninh Binh Province of Northern Vietnam near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, TA LC are mixed natural property mostly within three protected area including the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, the Trang An-Tam Coc-Bich Dong Scenic Landscape, and the Hoa Lu Special-Use Forest The property covers 6,226 hectares and surrounded by a buffer zone with 6,026 hectares, mostly rural land with paddy field (UNESCO, 2006) This area exemplifies an outstanding humid tropical tower-karst landscape in the final stages of geomorphic evolution, comprising karst cones and towers, enclosed depressions and an intricate system of freshwater-filled foot-caves (Rabet et al., 2016) TA LC contains rich flora and fauna, some of them are endemic species Reviews of current knowledge about the biodiversity of Trang An show a lack of data for biodiversity purposes In 2015, Hoang and Luu published a list of amphibians in this area Therefore, based on that species list, a first assessment of the species richness and characteristics of the species composition of TA LC should be conducted, and new records will be described, more information about the ecology of the observed species should be collected to identify their distributional pattern Besides, threats to the biodiversity of the protected area will be pointed out and some solutions will be proposed to deal with the current situation For those reasons, the study named “Exploration of amphibian diversity in Trang An Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh Province” was carried out in order to not only update a comprehensive list of amphibians in TA LC but also provide baseline data for conservation management in TA LC IPT 1.7 OPT dermal fringe along outer finger relative length of fingers no I