7 Frog Species Found In Kyoto Gardens
A research team from Kyoto University has identified seven frog species and one newt species inhabiting the city's temple and shrine gardens, highlighting their importance as urban amphibian habitats
A Kyoto University-led research team has made a significant discovery in the gardens of Kyoto's temples and shrines, identifying seven frog species and one newt species that inhabit these cultural water features. The team conducted visual surveys at 80 water bodies within 31 temples, shrines, and associated facilities in Kyoto's Higashiyama area, and performed environmental DNA analyses at 43 of these water bodies.
The researchers used both visual and DNA analyses to identify the species, with the two methods proving complementary. The species Rana tagoi was identified solely based on environmental DNA. The team's findings include six native frog species and one non-native species, as well as one newt species.
The research team's work highlights the importance of these cultural water features as habitats for urban amphibians. The ponds and streams in the gardens of Kyoto's temples and shrines are maintained as cultural landscapes, but their function as habitats for urban amphibians has not been fully explored until now.
## Why it matters The team's findings could influence the management of school and park ponds, as well as the assessment of sites promoting coexistence with nature. Urbanization is diminishing amphibians' habitats, but small-scale water bodies managed by people can provide oases for these species. The research is published in the journal Urban Ecosystems.
The discovery of these species in Kyoto's gardens underscores the importance of preserving and managing these cultural water features to promote biodiversity. The team's use of both visual and DNA analyses has provided a comprehensive understanding of the species that inhabit these gardens, and their findings will inform the management of similar water bodies in the future.
