Logging Effects on Amphibian niche-Partitioning

Objective

Tropical rainforests sustain unparalleled biodiversity, but are under increasing threat from anthropogenic change. Their complex three-dimensional structure creates steep vertical gradients in light, humidity, temperature, and wind, resulting in stacked microhabitats that foster unique communities. However, ecological research has largely treated them as flat, two-dimensional landscapes. Amphibians—moisture-sensitive ectotherms and powerful bioindicators—are abundant canopy inhabitants, yet their vertical distributions remain almost entirely unknown. Selective logging collapses canopy cover, rewires microclimates, and fragments movement pathways, but we lack quantitative evidence of how these changes restructure amphibian communities and their interactions. This fellowship will pioneer Vertically Structured Acoustic Monitoring (VSAM), integrating rope-access surveys, GPS-synchronised microphone arrays, 3D triangulation of calls, and convolutional neural networks. Using this novel method we will generate data on species identities, positions, and acoustic behaviours with temporal and spatial accuracy unachievable with current methods. By applying VSAM in primary and logged Bornean forests, we will: (1) map 3D distributions of amphibians; (2) test whether logging drives vertical community collapse and compositional simplification; and (3) reconstruct acoustic interaction networks to quantify how disturbance alters temporal, spatial, and frequency (hz) niche-partitioning. The project will deliver the first ever assessment of logging impacts on vertical stratification of amphibian communities, develop open-source software for wider biodiversity monitoring, and provide exciting opportunities for two-way transfer of knowledge between the fellow and the host. This project supports the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 by delivering essential biodiversity baselines and open monitoring tools—critical for assessing resilience of ecosystems to land-use and climate change.