Dr Carmen Amos graduated in December with a doctorate in philosophy in science and environmental science.

Her research looked into the state of frog populations in the Lachlan River catchment areas and the factors influencing them, in the hope it would help halt the decline of the species there and in other semi-arid areas.

She said the research would have applications in our region's wetlands as well.

“Frogs are a really interesting animal, they’re important to the ecosystem because they are in the middle of the food web,” she said.

“They eat smaller things and are eaten by bigger things.

“Some species are a really good indicator of the health of wetlands, if you don’t have any frogs, you probably have issues with those areas.” 

Dr Amos’ research looked at 49 different site across 400 kilometres of the Lachlan catchment, examining the micro-habitats and breeding habits of 10 different species of frogs.

The detailed study will help conservationists maintain and manage wetlands to try and arrest the decline in the frog population in many areas of Australia.

“My research highlighted the factors, particularly involving water, that could help improve the management of wetlands and rivers upon which our native frogs depend,” she said.

“Frogs interact with the environment at all different physical scales and each species has a different relationship with what is around them.

“This study increases our understanding of these complex relationships, and ultimately can assist with frog conservation in the semi-arid regions of Australia.”

There is even a chance the research could help save Sloane’s Froglet, a threatened species not commonly found but which has a healthy population in the Thurgoona area.

“We’re really lucky to have it here because the population of that species in NSW has declined,” Dr Amos said.

“Hopefully we can halt that decline and, in the best case scenario, reverse it.”