1. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Content:  Overview about project  Genetic survey  Why?  Results  Conclusions for management  Project activities in Denmark Fire bellied toad, Klokkefrø, Rotbauchunke (Bombina bombina) Management von Rotbauchunken- Populationen im Ostseeraum

2. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Project structure Beneficiary: Stiftung Naturschutz:10 sites Partner: AMPHI Consult: expertise for habitat and population management, assistant management for Denmark and Sweden Denmark: DFNS (for former partner Fyns Amt, Storstrøms Amt, Vestsjællands Amt: 11 sites Sweden: Nature: 4 sites (for genetic survey) Lettland: Latgales Ekologiska Biedriba: 1 site, Amphi Consult 1 site LANU SH genetic survey Zoo Copenhagen: capativity population of Hjordø Cofinancer: Klara-Samariter-Stiftung Nature protection board - Latvia WWF Denmark Vordingborg Commune Duration: April 2005 to December 2010 LIFE-Bombina overview

3. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Project sites LIFE-Bombina overview

4. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Situation of B. bombina  Similar threats at the northern edge of the distribution range of this south-european specie:  often small, isolated populations  Several populations at the edge of extinction in the beginning of the project  Similar problems caused by intensification of land use or abandonce of traditional grazing regimes at the breeding ponds  Fish release to breeding ponds LIFE-Bombina overview

5. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de  Improvement of state of conservation of fire bellied toad populations: increase of calling males in the projetc sites by:  Experience exchange  Habitat management  Population management  Genetic analysis for securing the population management actions  Rising of public awareness Project objective and actions LIFE-Bombina overview

6. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Conservation strategie  Increase of suitable breeding habitats for B. bombina (Amphi Consult experience)  Stabilize small populations by supportive breeding (Amphi Consult experience)  Organising suitable land management around the ponds (Schleswig-Holstein experience)  Establish new mirror and mixed populations, the sucessfull concept of the former Danish Bombina LIFE-project LIFE-Bombina overview

7. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Increase of pond habitat LIFE-Bombina overview over 130 ponds dug or restored by the LIFE Bombina project Spin off effect in SH: 350 ponds additional dug by ELER funding from ministry

8. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Population management LIFE-Bombina overview

9. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Aufzuchtstation in Kiel Population management LIFE-Bombina overview Over 15.000 eggs reared and over 12.000 young Bombina released (until 2007) Increasing numbers of calling males at nearly all sites

10. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Grazing LIFE-Bombina overview  per ha: approx. 0,5 to 0,6 animal units  Pond bank length per animal unit:70 m

11. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de  Conservation strategy of mirror populations successfull?  Which populations are autochton in Schleswig-Holstein?  Inbreeding?  Identify management units  Mixed Danish populations in Sweden more successfull? Why Genetic survey? Genetics Captivity population of island Fehmarn, Michael Løgstrup, Amphi Consult breeding and rearing cage for outdoor use

12. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Mito-DNA-Data Genetic: results

13. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Distribution of Haplotyps-1 Genetic: results

14. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Distribution of Haplotyps-2 Genetic: results

15. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Distribution of Haplotyps-3

16. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Mikro-sattelites Genetic: results 0,1 DK-NS DK-ROE DK-AG DK-AS DK-EN DK-KO DK-KS S-MF UA D-LAK PL-BI LV-BA LI LV-DP LV-RZ D-SA D-RA D-HS D-PU D-FE D-SB D-DW D-KUE D-SC D-GL D-ER DK-HJ DK-BI DK-KH DK-AV DK-SK DK-AE S-BD S-FB DK-TS DK-KL * Bootstrap Value < 25% Nei’s genetic distance 10.000 Bootstraps 91 54 43 61 74 43 80 * 85 25 47 94 76 61 95 39 37 34 41 * * 28 * * 100 65 63 54 39 47 75 56 Genetic Structure (microsatellite DNA) S-SH

17. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Results  Illegal releases identified in Sweden and Schleswig-Holstein  Origin of released animals from the pannonian region, lake Neusiedel proofed  Clear seperation of populations between Fyn and Sealand  Genetic drift stronger then expected, proofed by data from Avernakø and Korshavn Genetic: results

18. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de General conclusions  Mirror population concept successfull  Management units defined  New: Creation of mixed populations at new sites  Genetic drift strong process in small populations  Minimum effective population size of 1000 (N e ) is needed. Ne always smaller the real populations size, therefore 2000 to 4000 adult animals are needed per population.  20 m² pond habitat per individual: 40.000 bis 80.000 m² pond surface per population are necessary  Establish meta-populations by connecting sites Genetics

19. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Management units in SH general conclusions

20. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Meta-Populationskonzept general conclusions

21. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Meta-Populationskonzept general conclusions

22. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de pond clusters for core populations general conclusions

23. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de PR work LIFE-Bombina

24. 22.09.2008www.life-bombina.de Bombina calling 2007 Latvia choir was forced back by late snow winner: Sweden Many articles Good coverage by TV and Radio DK Radio commenting the „Eurovision Songcontest“ two weeks later: „Much nicer was the 1. European Bombina Song Contest two weeks ago: Fun was the main aspect of the event.“ Thank you for attention! www.life-bombina.de LIFE-Bombina - PR