Early waking from hibernation in some amphibian and reptile species from Gümüşhane Province of Turkey

Abstract

It is a fact that the amphibians and reptiles respond to unfavourable weather conditions by searching a refuge for living underground during winter. The current literature has shown that some species of reptilian and amphibian may have been active before their known hibernate periods, especially in the lowland areas. In the present study, we reported that the changing weather conditions can cause similar effects on some species of amphibian and reptile that share the same habitats, in a highland area. The early activity of Lacerta media, Bufo bufo and Rana macrocnemis in Gümüşhane Province of Turkey were reported in this study. One of the reasons of the early activity before their known hibernate periods in some amphibian and reptile species may be highly sensitive to the altered temperatures. Effects of global warming on amphibians and reptiles are clearly seen, and they can be active during winter. Our findings bring to mind that L. media, B. bufo and R. macrocnemis can be active as long as air temperatures allow them at the highland areas.

Keywords

• highland,East Black Sea Region,hibernation

Türkiye’nin Gümüşhane İlindeki Bazı Amfibi ve Sürüngen Türlerinin Kış Uykusundan Erken Uyanması

Abstract

Amfibi ve sürüngenlerin kış mevsimi boyunca yaşayabilmek için olumsuz hava koşullarına toprak altında bir sığınak arayarak yanıt verdiği bir gerçektir. Mevcut literatür, bazı sürüngen ve amfibi türlerinin bilinen hibernasyon dönemlerinden önce özellikle de düşük rakımlarda aktif olabildiğini göstermiştir. Bu çalışmada, yüksek rakımda değişen hava koşullarının aynı habitatları paylaşan bazı amfibi ve sürüngen türleri üzerinde benzer etkilere neden olabileceğini rapor ettik. Bu çalışmada Lacerta media, Bufo bufo ve Rana macrocnemis'in erken aktivitesi Türkiye’nin Gümüşhane ilinde rapor edilmiştir. Bazı amfibi ve sürüngen türlerinde bilinen kış uykusu dönemlerinden önceki aktivitelerinin nedenlerinden birisi söz konusu türlerin değişen sıcaklıklara karşı çok hassas olmaları olabilir. Küresel ısınmanın amfibiler ve sürüngenler üzerindeki etkileri açıkça görülmektedir ve kış aylarında aktif olabilirler. Bu durum akla, L. media, B. bufo ve R. macrocnemis'in hava sıcaklıkları izin verdiği sürece aktif olabileceklerini getirmektedir.

Keywords

• yüksek rakım,Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi,kış uykusu

References

1. [1] Jablonski D, 2013. Unusual observation of the winter activity of Lissotriton vulgaris from South–Western Slovakia Folia Faunistica Slovaca, 18(1): 301-302.
2. [2] Sas I, Roşioru CL, Covaciu-Marcov SD, 2012. Note on eight new thermal habitats with winter-active amphibians in Western Romania North-Western Journal of Zoology, 8: 382-385.
3. [3] Covaciu-Marcov SD, Roşioru CL, Sas I, 2011. Hot winters: new thermal habitats with frogs active in winter in northwestern Romania North-Western Journal of Zoology, 7(1): 81-86.
4. [4] Bogdan HV, Covaciu-Marcov SD, Antal C, Cicort-Lucaciu AŞ, Sas I, 2011. New cases of winter active amphibians in the thermal waters of Banat, Romania Archives of Biological Sciences, 63(4): 1219-1124.
5. [5] Degani G, Mendelssohn H, 1982. Seasonal activity of Salamandra salamandra (L.) (Amphibia, Urodela) in headwaters of the Jordan River Israel Journal of Zoology, 31(3):77-85.
6. [6] Ball JC, 2000. A winter/spring study of Salamanders in a disturbed, fragmented habitat surrounded by farm land The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 107(3):175-181.
7. [7] Buresh I, Tsonkov Y, 1933. Untersuchungen über die Verbreitung der Reptilien und Amphibien in Bulgarien und auf der Balkanhalbinsel. I Teil: Schildkrötten (Testudinata) und Eidechsen (Sauria) Mitteilungen aus den Königlichen naturwissenschaftlichen Instituten in Sofia-Bulgarien, 6: 150-207 (In German).
8. [8] Beshkov V, 1977. Zimnite kvartiri na zaemnovodnite i vlechugite (The winter lodgings of the amphibians and the reptiles) Priroda i znanie, 28: 9-11. (In Bulgarian).

9. [9] Tinkle DV, Hadley NF, 1973. Reproductive effort and winter activity in the viviparous Montane Lizard Sceloporus jarrovi Copeia, 1973: 272-277.
10. [10] Beshkov V, Nanev K, 2002. Zemnovodni i vlechugi v Bulgaria (Amphibians and Reptiles in Bulgaria). Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft (In Bulgarian).
11. [11] Westerstrom A, 2005. Some notes on the herpetofauna in Western Bulgaria. In: Ananjeva N, Tsinenko O, editors. Herpetologia Petropolitana, Proceedings of the 12th Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica. St. Petersburg, p. 241-244.
12. [12] Tzankov N, Popgeorgiev G, Naumov B, Stojanov A, Kornilev Y, Petrov B, Dyugmedzhiev A, Vergilov V, Dragomirova R, Lukanov S, Westerström A, 2014. Opredelitel na zemnovodnite i vlechugite v Priroden Park "Vitosha" (Identification guide of the amphibians and reptiles in Vitosha Nature Park), Directorate of Vitosha Nature Park, ISBN: 978-954-92829-7-9 (In Bulgarian).
13. [13] Vongrej V, Smolinsky R, Bulankova E, Jandzig D, 2008. Extraordinary winter activity of the Green Lizard Lacerta viridis (Laurenti, 1768) in southwestern Slovakia Herpetozoa, 20 (3/4): 173.
14. [14] Grenot CJ, Garcin L, Dao J, Herold JP, Fahys B, Tsere-Pages H, 2000. How does the European common lizard, Lacerta vivipara, survive the cold of winter? Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A, 127: 71-80.
15. [15] Mollov I, Georgiev D, Basheva S, 2015. Is the Kotschy’s Gecko Mediodactylus kotschyi (Steindachner, 1870) (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) active during the winter? ZooNotes, 84: 1-3.
16. [16] Kurnaz M., B. Kutrup, U. Bülbül, 2016. An exceptional activity for Darevskia derjugini (Nikolsky, 1898) from Turkey Ecologica Balkanica, 8(2): 91-93.
17. [17] Koç H, Bülbül U, Kutrup B, 2018. Is the Spiny-tailed Lizard Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) Active All Year? Ecologia Balkanica, 10(1): 47-51.
18. [18] Agasyan A, Tuniyev B, Cogalniceanu D, Wilkinson J, Ananjeva N, Orlov N, Lymberakis P, Crochet PA, Disi AMM, Hraoui-Bloquet S, Sadek R, Werner Y, Tok V, Ugurtas I, Sevinç M, 2009. Lacerta media. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2009 e. T164749A5922769.http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T164749A5922769.en. Downloaded on 17 January 2019.
19. [19] Roth S, Dolmen D, 2016. Large populations of the common toad Bufo bufo in Norway Herpetology Notes, 9: 325-330.
20. [20] Dolmen D, 2015. Amfibier og reptiler (Amphibia og Reptilia). Norskrødliste for arter 2015. (The 2015 Norwegian red list for species). Artsdatabanken. Accessed 10/ January/2016>.
21. [21] Salvidio S, Cresta P, Dolmen D, 1993. The common toad Bufo bufo population of Hitra island, Central Norway Fauna Norvegica A, 14: 51-55.
22. [22] Semb-Johansson A, 1992. Declining populations of the common toad (Bufo bufo L.) on two islands in Oslofjord, Norway Amphibia-Reptilia, 13: 409-412.
23. [23] Semb-Johansson A, Østbye E, Østbye K, 2012. Nordpaddens Bufo bufo habitatvalg på ei øy i Østfold-skjærgården, Søndre Sandøy Fauna, 65: 140-152.
24. [24] Carrier JA, Bebee TJC, 2003. Recent, substantial, and unexplained declines of the common toad Bufo bufo in lowland England Biological Conservation, 111(3): 395-399.
25. [25] Bebee TJC, 2012. Decline and flounder of a Sussex common toad (Bufo bufo) population Herpetological Bulletin, 121.
26. [26] AmphibiaWeb, 2012. Bufo bufo: Common Toad University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Jan 16, 2019.
27. [27] Kevork OK, 1972. Rana camerani Boulenger from Iraq Bulletin Iraq Natural History Museum, 5(3): 9-15.
28. [28] Kuzmin S, Tarkhnishvili D, Ishchenko V, Ananjeva N, Orlov N, Tuniyev B, Sparreboom M, Ugurtas İ, Rastegar-Pouyani N, Papenfuss T, Anderson S, Eken G, Kılıç T, Gem E, Kaya U, 2009. Rana macrocnemis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009: e. T58651A11820145. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T58651A11820145.en. Downloaded on 17 January 2019.
29. [29] Tarkhnishvili, DN, Gokhelashvili RK, 1999. The amphibians of the Caucasus. Advances in amphibian research in the Former Soviet Union. Sofia: Pensoft.
30. [30] AmphibiaWeb, 2001 Rana macrocnemis: Iranian Long-Legged Frog University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Jan 16, 2019.
31. [31] Zug GR, Vitt LJ, Caldwell JP, 2001. Herpetology. USA: San Diego Academic Press.
32. [32] Gregory PT, 1982. Reptilian hibernation. Biology of the reptilia. In: Gans C, Pough FH editors. Physiology D, Physiological Ecology, New York: Academic Press, p. 53-154.
33. [33] Adolph SC, Porter WP, 1993. Temperature, activity, and lizard life histories The American Naturalist, 142: 273-295.
34. [34] Rismiller PD, Heldmaier G, 1982. The effect of photoperiod on temperature selection in the European green lizard, Lacerta viridis Oecologia, 53(2): 222-226. [35] Rismiller PD, Heldmaier G, 1988. How photoperiod influences body temperature selection in Lacerta viridis Oecologia, 75(1):125-131.
35. [35] Rismiller PD, Heldmaier G, 1988. How photoperiod influences body temperature selection in Lacerta viridis Oecologia, 75(1):125-131.