Herpethology

The Herpetology Team at the Department of Zoology is engaged in a wide range of activities focused on amphibians and reptiles—from basic research to the implementation of good practices and conservation actions. Our work targets not only prestigious scientific journals but also national audiences, and we strive to address real-world problems. Amphibians and reptiles are undoubtedly niche groups—especially when compared to more "feathery" or "furry" vertebrates—and could be called "second-class animals." At the same time, they are among the fastest-declining animal groups worldwide. For this reason, one of our most important target groups includes local communities, practitioners, and public administration officials.

Much of our current effort is dedicated to the protection of local biodiversity. One notable achievement is the establishment of the “Rataje Newt Ecological Site” in Poznań, initiated by our team. For many years, our staff have coordinated the “Fence Action”, aimed at protecting migrating amphibians en route to their breeding ponds within the city. We devote significant energy to monitoring amphibian breeding sites in urban areas. Unfortunately, we are often forced to take intervention actions in response to blatant destruction of habitats for protected species.

Through social media, we participate in creating spaces where we can bring the biology of amphibians and reptiles closer to a wide audience. We regularly popularize our research through online portals (e.g. cenyrolnicze.pl), nature bulletins (BOCIEK. Bulletin of the Nature Club), and national and local media (radio, television, press). Additionally, we provide reviews of key books and publications on herpetology in popular Polish naturalist journals.

We also support private individuals and institutions (such as zoos and botanical gardens) interested in keeping these fascinating animals.

Our basic research covers diverse topics—from limb anatomy (e.g., digit ratios), through the behavior of amphibians and reptiles, to their ecology. One of our priorities is better understanding predator–prey relationships. Since the survival of amphibian larvae (tadpoles) in the presence of fish or predatory invertebrates directly affects the persistence of local populations, we aim to thoroughly study the interactions between amphibians and their natural enemies.

Media Coverage (in Polish)

• Spring migration rescue action for amphibians

• Amphibians in Polish cities

• New species discovered in Poland – what about their protection?

• Toads among plums – how fallen fruits benefit amphibians

• Frogs have pastures too

• Why studying road-killed amphibians matters

• Newts on tracks and the case for messy lawns

Review and Conceptual Papers

Kaczmarski M., Benedetti Y., Morelli F. 2020. Amphibian diversity in Polish cities: Taxonomic diversity, functional diversity and evolutionary distinctiveness. Basic and Applied Ecology 44(5): 55–64.

Kaczmarski M., Żurawlew P. 2020. Mass extermination of green toad metamorphs (Bufotes viridis) in Greece. Herpetological Bulletin 150:33–34. https://doi.org/10.33256/hb150.33-34

Skawiński T., Kolenda K., Zając B., Kaczmarski M. 2019. Przegląd doniesień o występowaniu jaszczurki zielonej Lacerta viridis w Polsce. Przegląd Przyrodniczy XXX (2):89–97.

Kolenda K., Skawiński T., Kaczmarski M. 2019. Przegląd „nowych” gatunków płazów i gadów występujących w Polsce. Kosmos Seria A, Biologia 68:209-221.

Kaczmarski M., Mizera T. 2018. Nowe dane o gniewoszu plamistym Coronella austriaca w Polsce Środkowo-Zachodniej (Wielkopolska). Chrońmy Przyrodę Ojczystą 74: 365-373.

Kaczmarski M. 2017. Kolekcja płazów w polskich ogrodach zoologicznych. Przegląd Przyrodniczy XXVIII (3):73-86.

Conservation Actions and Best Practice Implementation

Kaczmarski M., Michlewicz M., Tryjanowski P. 2019. Ants biting amphibians: a review and new observations. European Journal of Ecology 5(2): 118–125.

Kaczmarski M., Tryjanowski P., Kubicka AM. 2019. Urban plums and toads: do fleshy fruits affect the post-metamorphic growth of amphibians? PeerJ 7:e6337.

Kolenda K., Kaczmarski M., Najbar A., Rozenblut-Kościsty B., Chmielewska M., Najbar B. 2019. Road-killed toads as a non-invasive source to study age structure of spring migrating population. European Journal of Wildlife Research 65: 5.

Kaczmarski M., Kaczmarek JM. 2016. Heavy traffic, low mortality – tram tracks as terrestrial habitat of newts. Acta Herpetologica 11:227-231.

Kaczmarek JM., Kaczmarski M., Pędziwiatr K., 2015. Atlas of amphibian distribution in Poznan – a tool for effective conservation. In: Nowak M. (ed) Scientific, Technological and Legal Background of Creating Integrated Biotic Databases. Poznan. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. Seria Biologia nr 80. ISBN 978-83-232-2859-2 ISSN 0554-81x. p. 67-74.

Basic Research

Kaczmarek JM., Kaczmarski M., Mazurkiewicz J., Kloskowski J. 2020. Numbers, neighbours and hungry predators: what makes chemically defended aposematic prey susceptible to predation? Ecology and Evolution

Kaczmarski M., Ziemblińska K., Tryjanowski P. 2020. Sand lizards Lacerta agilis with higher digit ratios are more likely to autotomy. Journal of Anatomy 237(6): 1103 – 1113.

Kloskowski J. 2020. Better desiccated than eaten by fish: Distribution of anurans among habitats with different risks to offspring. Freshwater Biology, 65(12), 2124-2134.

Kloskowski J., Nieoczym M., & Stryjecki R. 2020. Between-habitat distributions of pond tadpoles and their insect predators in response to fish presence. Hydrobiologia, 847(5), 1343-1356.

Mikula P., Nelson E., Tryjanowski P., Albrecht T. 2019. Antipredator behaviour of old-world tropical lizard, common agama Agama agama, in an urban environment. Amphibia-Reptilia, 40(3), 389-393.

Kaczmarski M., Szala K., Kloskowski J. 2019. Early onset of breeding season in the green toad Bufotes viridis. Herpetozoa 32:109-112. DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e35825

Antczak M., Ekner-Grzyb A., Majláth I., Majláthová V., Bona M., Hromada M., Tryjanowski P. 2019. Do males pay more? A male-biased predation of common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) by great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor). Acta ethologica, 22(3), 155-162.

Tryjanowski P., Grzywaczewski G., Zbyryt A. 2018. Foraging of white stork Ciconia ciconia in forests–the heritage of an ancient behaviour?. Polish Journal of Ecology, 66(3), 250-256.

Kloskowski, J. 2018. Total non-consumptive effects of fish on Pelobates fuscus and Hyla orientalis Tadpoles in pond enclosure experiments. Zoological science, 35(6), 528-534.

Kaczmarek JM., Piasecka M., Kaczmarski M. 2018. Winter activity of the smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758) in Central Europe. Herpetological Bulletin 144: 21–22

Kaczmarek JM., Kaczmarski M., Mazurkiewicz J., Kloskowski J. 2018. A matter of proportion? Associational effects in larval anuran communities under fish predation. Oecologia 187: 745–753. DOI:10.1007/s00442-018-4141-3

Zduniak, P., Erciyas-Yavuz, K., Tryjanowski, P. 2017. A possible mutualistic interaction between vertebrates: frogs use water buffaloes as a foraging place. Acta Herpetologica, 12(1), 113-116.

Kaczmarski M., Kubicka AM., Hromada M., Tryjanowski P. 2017. Robustness of newt heads in condition of co-existence: a case of the Carpathian newt and the Alpine newt. Zoomorphology 136: 511–521, DOI:10.1007/s00435-017-0366-7

Kaczmarski M., Kolenda K., Rozenblut-Kościsty  B., Sośnicka W. 2016. Phalangeal bone anomalies in the European common toad Bufo bufo from polluted environments. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23:21940–21946, DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7297-6

Kaczmarski M., Kubicka AM., Tryjanowski P., Hromada M. 2015. Females have larger ratio of second-to-fourth digits than males in four species of Salamandridae, Caudata. Anatomical Record 298:1424-1430, DOI: 10.1002/ar.23123.