Can canopy-dwelling frogs be monitored from the ground? A case from western ghats of India

Abstract

Biodiversity in the canopies remains poorly explored in many parts of the world. Particularly, there exists a large knowledge gap in the tropics on the lesser known fauna inhabiting the canopies such as amphibians. Most canopy research programs require numerous human-hours, often in harsh environments which can pose limitations. But technological advancements of canopy access have assuaged this by opening up an entire new frontier in the topmost layer of the forests. In this chapter, we discuss the initial findings of a first-ever study to document the canopy- and grounddwelling anurans by monitoring their vocalizations in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot of India, with a long-term objective to establish a monitoring program.