User:Harbickk/sandbox

My Major:

 * My major is Communications. I was originally a Merchandising Management major and decided I didn't want to work with clothes the rest of my life. I noticed that any comm. class I took I really enjoyed and decided that would be a good fit for me. I have been taking many comm. electives and writing courses the past two terms and have loved it.

My Hobbies:

 * I really enjoy writing. It is something I do everyday: whether to make up stories, write in my dream journal, or random poetry of my feelings. It's a hobby I've done since I was little and something I want to be apart of my future career. I also love cats: I have two and they are my life. Lastly, I like to snowboard and hike. Being outdoors is one of my favorite things and one of the many reasons I love Oregon.

My Favorite Places:

 * The first place is Mexico. I have been all around Mexico, from touristy areas to very remote ones and really enjoy the culture there. Next, my favorite place in Oregon is Punchbowl Falls. The hike is amazing and there's always something beautiful to look at. New York is also pretty awesome and there's a lot of places to see/places to eat.

What I Like In A Group:

 * I like group members who like to split up the responsibilities equally
 * We are able to communicate through email or text
 * We make sure we make a plan in order to get things done on time

What I Don't Like In a Group:

 * When someone expects the other people to do all the work
 * When someone takes full control and doesn't let anyone else help with the project
 * Also, it's really frustrating when someone doesn't communicate well or respond to the group/come to things.

Deciding on a Stub Article:

 * Stub: Green-eyed tree frog
 * Paraphrase: A fungus infection in green-eyed tree frogs is causing a decline in defense peptides.

Belonging to the animalia kingdom, the Green-Eyed Tree Frog belongs to the chordata phylum, the amphibia class, the anura order, the ranidae family, and the lithobates genus[1]. Their diet is carnivorous[1].

History
Australia is home to almost 230 species of frogs who mainly live in Queensland, a tropical part of Australia. Thousands of years ago, Green-Eyed Tree Frogs separated in the northern and southern part of Queensland and recently started breeding again (1). However, due to the separation, it is considered cross-breeding, since the species are so different now (1). Male Green-Eyed Tree Frogs from the Northern region in Australia, are rejected by female Green-Eyed Tree Frogs from the south. Their geographic separation has caused a change in mating calls, that continues to drive the two types of green-eyed tree frogs apart (2). If and when the females from the southern region decide to mate with the males from the north, they are reproductively disadvantaged (2). Their crossbreed offspring don’t survive as long as the frogs whose parents breed with other frogs from the same region (2). Scientists now use the Green-Eyed Tree Frog in their studies of speciation and evolution due to the mating habits of the frogs in Australia (2).

When it comes to monitoring the current population, the best method to use is a photographic identification model, since dorsal patterns of the green-eyed frog is not shown to change overtime. To help conserve the green-eyed tree frog population, monitoring and awareness efforts have been increased and an exhibit was created at the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom. It will be important to keep monitoring the wild population as the species population declines further[2].

Frogs are born with legs that are good for hopping and special pads on their toes to help them climb. In comparison, toads have shorter legs, drier skin, and are less likely to live near water. Most frogs and toads are responsible for controlling the Earth’s insect population, since their diet consists mostly of insects and spiders. However, the green eyed-tree frog is also a carnivore. As a tadpole, the frogs mostly consume algae and plants. Frogs have a moist and permeable skin layer covered with mucous glands, which enables them to breathe through their skin, not just their lungs[3]. The layer of mucus that covers them also acts as a shield, protecting them from scratches. The reason frogs have large and protruding eyes is to make up for their lack of a neck. This eye feature allows them to see everything around them. The color scheme of the green-eyed tree frog is to camouflage them from predators. Frogs with bright colors are alerting predators of their poisonous nature[3].

Description
The green-eyed tree frog is known by many names including Lithobates vicarius, or the Rancho Redondo Frog[4]. Though this tree frogs scientific name is Litoria Genimaculata, it used to be Serrata. This name was given to the frog due to the serrated skin flaps that are located along the edges of its legs[1]. Some other names for the green-eyed tree frog may include: Levirana vibicaria, Rana godmani, and Rana vibicaria. Being relatively large in size compared to other species, males can be as big as 6-7.3 cm, while women can range from 6.6-9.2 cm[4]. Their tadpoles can be relatively large as well, sizing up to as long as 7 centimeters (2.8 inches)[4]. The green-eyed tree frog, in relation to an object, is about the size of a tea cup. A group of Green-Eyed Tree Frogs is called an army.

Coloration for the green-eyed tree frog seems to vary. While dark spotting appears to be found on the bottom of all adult green-eyed frogs, colors range from bright green to brassy on their upper bodies[4]. While the coloration on the top may differ, a distinct yellow stripe can be found running from each eye and to the back of the body[4].

Habitat
The green-eyed tree frog’s natural habitats are mainly subtropical, but can also include tropical lowland forests, as well as rivers and freshwater marshes[4]. They are mainly located in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, as well as Papua New Guinea and West Papua (Indonesia)[5], and is very capable of blending in with its surroundings: including the moss that covers the rainforests of Queensland[1]. Though their markings correspond with their habitat, their bodies are mostly brownish-green with blotches that are a rust color. Living near creeks and streams, their rust colored blotches tend to match the lichen covered rocks that line the bodies of water[1].

This particular tree frog is semi-aquatic. Though it mainly prefers dense wood, it also tends to like bodies of water located in clearings or pastures. Adults are also found to be quite active during the day, as well as at night[4].

Mating and Breeding
Due to the males lack of vocal sacs, they have soft mating calls that can only be heard from short distances[4]. Often times the male’s mating call can sound like a quiet tapping noise. Being semi-aquatic, green-eyed frogs call from vegetation in water and have two types of calls: harsh trill and untrilled. Some males choose to call in groups of a hundred or more and can be found harmonizing at night[4]. During these mating calls, the males are typically located in vegetation in water.

Breeding season occurs during May and July, corresponding with the early rain season[4], though it’s been reported that breeding might occur year round. Breeding season in Australia starts in August[6]. Most frogs can be found breeding in shallow puddles or ponds, as well as slow-moving waters. The green-eyed tree frog lays its eggs in globular, jelly masses which are measured at around ten centimeters across. In between November and May is when eggs are typically found[4]. These masses, being as large as 843 eggs[5], are found on vegetation or rocks[7]. Development periods for the tadpoles are often long. On hatching, tadpoles have gills and can be found in the water. As they develop, their legs and arms become prominent features. Once their lungs are developed, they lose their gills.

Chytridiomycosis
This is what Chytridiomycosis looks like. Created in 1999. The artists are as follows: Peter Daszak, Lee Berger, Andrew A. Cunningham.

Populations of the green eyed tree frog are largely found in the region's lower elevations between 1,500 to 2,700 meters[4]. It is currently unknown why they have disappeared from high altitude areas[4]. Though the frogs have suffered some decline in past years, which can be blamed on a fungal disease, their numbers have come back stronger. The fungal disease that is believed to be the cause of a decline in the 1990's is called Chytridiomycosis.

An infectious disease that has affected amphibians worldwide, Chytridiomycosis is caused by a fungus that causes sporadic deaths in some amphibian populations, as well as 100% mortality rates in others. This fungus is known as the chytrid fungus. Scientists and researchers believe that this disease has been the main reason for many species extinctions and population decreases among frogs since the 1990s. The main origin of the disease, as well as its true impact are uncertain, but is being continually investigated[4]. Although Chytridiomycosis can be very deadly, the disease is believed to be avoided when under natural and unstressed conditions. Declining species have been found to coexist with non-declining species, possibly due to their differences in behavior. There are other causes of population decline though, including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Not to mention, deformities in tadpoles have been linked to agricultural chemicals[4].

Chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that is a threat to frogs, is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).Not much is known biologically about Bd, but this fungus can be transported without contact, just by the disease traveling downstream. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is the first identified fungus parasite of vertebrates[8]. A tadpole that becomes infected may not grow to full size and may not develop all parts of their mouths. This downstream contraction of the disease is very harmful and the leading cause of what is behind the decline of amphibians worldwide[9]. Besides fungal disease, habitat loss, pollution, and drought have also called amphibian populations to decline. In fact, these factors are causing such a drastic decline that amphibians are more threatened than birds and mammals[10].

Endangerment
Currently these tree frogs are not endangered or threatened, but are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List[6]. This can be justified due to the fact that extensive surveys have surfaced only 3 subpopulations that show an amplitude of all life stages[6]. However, they’re declining faster due to fungal diseases.

The frog used to populate areas such as Costa Rica until the 1990's when they nearly went extinct[4]. According to some reports, this particular frog had larvae that was found near Monteverde in 2003. Luckily for this population, the eggs seemed to be healthy and thriving. The Chester Zoo in the UK currently holds a conservation area to monitor the population for the green-eyed frog, but the species has completely disappeared from Panama[4].

Peptides
Peptides found within the skin of frogs, including the green-eyed species, are now being looked to for HIV virus prevention. The chemicals found within their skin aren’t pleasant for their predators, but can be very useful when fighting against bacteria, viruses, and fungus. When in dendritic cells, it’s been found that the virus can still be killed by these peptides, showing a promise for mucosal preventatives. What is needed now, is the identification of which peptides can exactly prevent HIV in order to put this to work[11].

References[edit]

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 * 7) Jump up ^ "Green-eyed Frog Photos and Facts." ARKive. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2016.  http://www.arkive.org/green-eyed-frog/lithobates-vibicarius/
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