#KUFieldWorks: Protecting frog species through science communication

Editor’s note: Fieldwork provides invaluable insights about real-world environments and processes, expanding and reinforcing what researchers learn in classrooms, labs and collections. KU faculty, staff and students across a spectrum of disciplines take their inquiry directly to rivers, prairies, dig sites, glaciers, islands, archives and more. Through the #KUFieldWorks series, we'll join them on their adventures.

Q&A with Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, doctoral candidate in herpetology

How new species form may seem straightforward, but it is often more complex and unpredictable that popular understanding of evolution makes it appear. Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, a doctoral candidate in ecology & evolutionary biology specializing in herpetology, studies frog evolution in the Busa Mountain Range in southern Mindanao, Philippines. His work and efforts to communicate his findings to local governments and stakeholders supports efforts to conserve the region’s remaining forests.

What methods, approaches, experiments, etc. are you using?

In my research, I study how frog populations diverge and eventually form new species in mountain environments by combining fieldwork and museum-based work. In the field, I collect information on where organisms live across elevation gradients, observe their natural history, record their mating calls and collect specimens for further study. At the museum, I measure morphological traits from these specimens and extract genetic data from their ethanol-preserved liver tissues. Bringing these different sources of information together allows me to compare how genetics, morphology and behavior change as populations become more distinct. Because these traits do not always evolve at the same rate or in the same direction, I use analytical approaches to identify which historical, ecological and geographic factors are associated with divergence and to understand how these patterns arise in real biological systems.

Why does your study matter to your field or for society?

How populations diverge and eventually form new species may seem straightforward, but in reality, it is a complex and often unpredictable process. Although evolutionary theory provides possible explanations, testing whether these ideas actually occur in nature requires both data and observations from natural systems. Specifically, my research examines how frog populations diverge across complex environments, such as mountain landscapes, to improve our understanding of how new species arise. By studying populations that are diverging today, we can gain insights into the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity.

This matters beyond basic science because biodiversity is not distributed or generated equally across landscapes. Understanding where and why populations diversify helps identify the environmental and geographic conditions that create and sustain biological diversity over time. That knowledge can improve conservation planning by helping prioritize places that not only contain many species, but also preserve the genetic diversity and evolutionary processes that allow populations to adapt to environmental change and remain resilient into the future. Protecting these areas benefits society as well, because healthy and resilient ecosystems support services that people depend on, including climate and disease regulation, water security and natural resources that contribute to human well-being.

What do you enjoy most about being in the field?

There is always something new to learn in the field, and it is not always directly related to the science I do. Every expedition teaches me something—about my study organisms, the habitats they live in, or the people I work with and their ways of life. That constant opportunity to discover and learn satisfies my curiosity. Fieldwork reminds me that there is still so much we do not know about the world and the life it supports.

What are some memorable (funny, scary, surprising, etc.) moments from the field?

While doing fieldwork in a tropical rainforest, a forest leech somehow made its way into my nose. There was not much I could do except wait for it to come out, which it did the next day. It is one of those experiences that sounds unbelievable until you realize it is exactly the kind of thing that can happen when working in tropical rainforests.

When is fieldwork frustrating, challenging, or overwhelming?

The biggest challenge is unpredictability. Whenever I plan and lead field expeditions, I always think in terms of risk management and contingency planning because things rarely go exactly as expected. In tropical rainforests especially, the weather is often your biggest challenge. It can rain almost every day, and for safety reasons I usually do not allow my team to go into the field during rainy conditions. That means losing time, extending schedules, and stretching limited resources. Fieldwork has taught me that being adaptable is just as important as being prepared.

How does fieldwork complement the work you do elsewhere?

For almost a decade, I have worked with local stakeholders and government agencies to support efforts to establish and strengthen protected areas in the Busa Mountain Range in southern Mindanao, Philippines; it’s the region where I grew up. My role is to generate scientific evidence that informs conservation planning and evidence-based policy, while also communicating science in ways that support the protection of the region’s remaining forests.

That experience is what drives my fieldwork. I want my science to extend beyond academia and contribute directly to biodiversity protection and conservation decisions on the ground. In that sense, my work in the Busa Mountain Range is both scientific research and a personal commitment to conserving the landscapes that first inspired me to become a biologist.

First photo: University of Kansas researchers conduct fieldwork in prairies, rivers, streams and mountains. The #KUFieldWorks series follows researchers on their fieldwork adventures.

Second photo: Kier Pitogo doing the usual moss check, as one of my study organisms is tiny and loves calling from beneath moss mats.

Third photo: One of the undescribed ground-dwelling frogs in the genus Platymantis, the focal group of Pitogo’s research.

Fourth photo: Fieldwork on pause, as rain makes the trails slippery, reduces visibility, and increases the risk of falling branches.