Have
you ever noticed frogs and toads in your garden? Has their population on your
property increased or decreased over the years? Frogs and toads play an
important role in many ecosystems. Gardeners can take steps to build habitat
for frogs which will not only benefit their garden but other species as well.
Frogs
control pest populations that carry disease and damage crops. As tadpoles,
frogs feed on mosquito larvae. When they develop into frogs, they eat mosquitos
and other flying pests. Frogs are
considered a keystone species which means they consume many other things, are consumed by other things
in the food web, or are linked to other species in various ways. Mammals, birds,
insects, and invertebrates are linked to each other within the ecosystem food web by frogs.
Declining
numbers of frogs can adversely affect the food web but home gardeners can take
steps to protect their habitats by making simple modifications to their
property and garden areas. For example, planting low-lying shrubs or plants will allow frogs to feed while being protected. Leaving native plants on stream banks and protecting wetland areas will improve and, in some cases, increase their available habitat. Also consider making brush piles for amphibians to hide in and installing fishless ponds where amphibians can mate, lay eggs, and develop.
Limiting animal and human access to flowing or contained bodies of water and the surrounding wet habitat, called riparian zones, can also support frog populations. Livestock can contribute to the loss of stream or pondside habitat, so keeping them away can be of great benefit. Cats or other pets who prey on frogs can be kept indoors, especially at night when frogs are feeding. Human-caused pollution on a large scale also affects the ability of frogs to thrive. Environmental temperature changes affect their ability to absorb oxygen and maintain mortality rates in reproduction.
Frogs,
toads and other amphibians often indicate the overall health of an
ecosystem. If frogs are present, it's
likely many factors including pollution, interspecies predation, oxygen levels,
etc., are in balance. When amphibians
disappear, it's time to figure out what's wrong. Protecting frog and toad habitat will benefit your garden and make a difference to many species in the ecosystem.
