INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON WETLANDS AND SUSTAINABILITY 2007

Beyond the Advertisement Call: Understanding the Frogs Mating or Breeding

Call Characteristics and Exploring the Future Approach in Conservation of
Wetlands
by
*Hasnizam Abdul Wahid1 and Ramlah Zainuddin2
1
Department of Performing Arts and Production Technology, Faculty of Creative Arts, Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak, 93400 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
2
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak,
93400 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak

Borneo, one of the hotspots for biodiversity is currently supports approximately 150
species of frogs. Advertisement call, formerly known as mating or breeding call is
emitted by male. It can become one of characters to identify species of frogs
inhabiting the area. The call has two functions namely attraction of con-specific
females and announcement of occupied territory to other males of the same or
different species. In this study, different wetland habitats in Borneo were surveyed at
night. Advertisement calls of the Bornean Rana encountered were recorded using
digital recordings and documented. Acoustic characteristics namely note, note
duration, note gap, note repetition rate, dominant frequency (Hz) of each call were
examined. This project emphasis on understanding and exploring the use of these
acoustic data, consequently develop a new approach to aid conservation of wetlands
in the near future.
A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TIDAL CURRENT AND MOVEMENT OF ZOEAL
LARVAE OF CRABS JUST AFTER RELEASING IN AMPARU TIDAL LAGOON,
ISHIGAKI ISLAND, OKINAWA, JAPAN
KAWACHI Atsushi1, IRIE Mitsuteru2, and ISHIKAWA Tadaharu3

Abstract

AMPARU Tidal lagoon located on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, has the rich ecosystem,
being famous for abundance of small crabs, especially. There is, however,
concerned that the sedimentary process caused by human activity in the catchment
area may change not only landform and bottom substance of the lagoon but
characteristics of tidal current, so that it will have great impacts on lots of benthon
inhabiting there. In this paper, therefore, a relationship between breeding activity of
the benthon, especially crabs, and tidal current was examined by field investigations
and numerical simulation.
1 2 3
Student, Research Associate, Professor
1, 2, 3
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and
Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
 INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON WETLANDS AND SUSTAINABILITY 2007

The two species of predominance of crabs of the lagoon, Mictyris brevidactylus and
Scopimera globosa, were selected as the indicator species. Quadrate investigation
and sampling larvae were carried out under their breeding season from winter to
spring. The former was to survey population of crabs and incubational condition at
15 fixed points in order to reveal their spatial distribution and accurate breeding time.
The latter was to sample zoeal larvae of crabs by a planktonic net located at a fixed
station of the channel connecting to the sea in the northern part of the lagoon, and
the fluxes at the station and movement characteristics of the larvae from the
releasing until entering the sea were examined in the spring tide. As a result, the
habitats of the two species showed the statistically significant difference. In addition,
disagreement was found between the flux peaks of the two species. It may be
caused by the difference of the habitats of the two species.
Based on the results of field investigations, the movement of the zoeal larvae was
analyzed by numerical tracer experiment using the ELCOM, 3-D hydraulic model,
and the Lagrangean Method. The simulation results show the good
correspondences to the field investigations. It suggests there is a relationship
between the movement of zoeal larvae and tidal current. Especially, the rate of the
zoeae entering the sea become lower and lower in the southern area where lots of
both inhabit according to the simulation results. This suggests the southern area
may be in severe condition in the respect of maintenance of population.

Keywords:

1 2 3
Student, Research Associate, Professor
1, 2, 3
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and
Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan