Weather data
A large number of automatic weather stations has been implemented in the frame of the BIOTA AFRICA project by the Namibian National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and the Group "Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology" (BEE) of the University of Hamburg. The website offers hourly updates of data and graphs of a large number of weather parameters.


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Subproject E08

PD Dr. Michael Veith, Dr. Stefan Lötters & Dr. Joachim Kosuch, Global Amphibian Declines Analysis Group (GADAG), Institute of Zoology, Department of Ecology, University of Mainz, Saarstrasse 21, 55099 Mainz, Germany

Measuring and monitoring amphibian diversity in East Africa: separating global from regional and local causes

Since the 1980s reports by scientists accumulate that world-wide amphibian populations (mainly frogs and toads) are declining. Even species in pristine areas seem to suffer from this phenomenon, otherwise placed in the framework of a "biodiversity crisis".
Numerous undertakings to analyse amphibian population declines have been carried out and several workshops were held. Moreover, under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a "Declining Amphibian Population task Force" has been established to harbouring the different engagements. Different possible causes have been suggested, e.g. climatic change, increasing sun radiation or fungi.
Nevertheless, one of the major questions remains to be resolved: Do the world-wide amphiian population declines in (more or less) pristine areas go back to actually one global phenomenon ¾ or are they the result of "just" regional or local causes? One way towards an answer to this question may include standardised global monitorings of comparable species in similar habitats ("ecotypes").
The goals of the BIOTA project E08 are:
(1)  to measure and
(2)  to monitor the diversity of amphibian communities in different forest habitats at five localities in SW Kenya.

Main study area is Kakamega Forest, others include Mount Kenya, Aberdare Forest, Southern Nandi Hills and South Western Mau.



BIOTA project E08 is implemented in the goals of the "Global Amphibian Diversity Analysis Group" (GADAG) which focuses on long-term standardised measuring and monitoring of the diversity of equatorial tropical amphibian communities (both on the demography and on genetics) in W and E Africa, SE Asia, S America and Madagascar. Only this circum-equatorial long-term monitoring scheme based on similar species shall allow for the separation of global, regional, and local effects on diversity change.
The goals of the BIOTA project E08 are:
(1)  inventory of local amphibian communities (alpha and beta diversity levels) by collections at random and along defined transects;
(2)  measuring of climatic parameters using data logger;
(3)  detection of cryptic variation by the use of molecular techniques after the collection of tissue samples;
(4)  ecological characterisation of species by observations and field notes;
(5)  selection of suitable species and populations for a long-term monitoring;
(6)  measuring and monitoring amphibian diversity along transects of changes in climate and land use (geographical transects; analysis of the interference of local and anthropogenic factors).

BIOTA project E08 is not only part of GADAG. It is also incorporated with numerous other projects run under BIOTA and dealing with the wide array of diversity. This results in an optimal selection of methodological standards. Synergies will emerge through the establish-ment and use of common biodiversity observatories and through comparative data analysis, allowing insight in functional aspects of communities.
All aspects of our work will meet the national regulations. All data obtained will be made available for conservation purpose (e.g. planning conservation acts and managing national parks).
For further information see http://www.gadag.org