Over the past decade, a remarkable number of
amphibians have come under the threat of extinction.
A study conducted by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature showed that 1 in 2011 the
percentage of amphibian species identified as threatened was
greater than the percentage of all other species combined. If
this trend continues, it would mark the largest extinction
event since the Pleistocene Era extinctions 10,000 years
ago. Several factors contribute to the alarming decline
in amphibian 2 species; the destruction of habitat,
introduction of invasive species, 3 contaminating the
environment, and rise of infectious diseases.
One amphibian species, though, remains curiously
robust. Named for its distinctive breeding call, 4 other
species have been negatively impacted by factors that do not
seem to affect the boreal chorus frog. For example, one of
the most serious threats to amphibians is chytridiomycosis,
a disease caused by the chytrid fungus. 5 Although this
fungus is widespread in the United States, boreal chorus
frog populations in Colorado have high survival rates and
appear to not be seriously affected by the disease.
6 Subsequently, classifying a particular species as robust
can be somewhat difficult.
[1] Without this longitudinal data, the natural
variability in amphibian reproduction and life histories
can mask declines. [2] In addition, for many species, only
particular age classes or life stages are amenable 7 with
census, making it difficult to know the true extent of a
species’ population. [3] The biggest challenge to classifying
amphibians such as the boreal chorus frog lies in a lack of
longitudinal data—data collected over an extended period
of time. [4] Thus, the boreal chorus frog may simply be in a
short robust period and may prove to be just as susceptible
to the threats facing other amphibians. 8
What has been made clear from 9 researcher’s data,
and what comprises the key issue in studying amphibians,
is the aforementioned number of threatened species.
Amphibians play important roles in ecosystems, human
health, and commerce. They have 10 stuck around for the
past 350 million years, surviving many changes that caused
other organisms to become extinct. 11 The deterioration
of this historically resilient group highlights the importance
of the recent studies on threatened amphibians. Ultimately,
the boreal chorus frog may prove to be a red herring
in a sea of data that points to the need to examine the
environmental factors that have caused the current decline
in the overall amphibian population.
amphibians have come under the threat of extinction.
A study conducted by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature showed that 1 in 2011 the
percentage of amphibian species identified as threatened was
greater than the percentage of all other species combined. If
this trend continues, it would mark the largest extinction
event since the Pleistocene Era extinctions 10,000 years
ago. Several factors contribute to the alarming decline
in amphibian 2 species; the destruction of habitat,
introduction of invasive species, 3 contaminating the
environment, and rise of infectious diseases.
One amphibian species, though, remains curiously
robust. Named for its distinctive breeding call, 4 other
species have been negatively impacted by factors that do not
seem to affect the boreal chorus frog. For example, one of
the most serious threats to amphibians is chytridiomycosis,
a disease caused by the chytrid fungus. 5 Although this
fungus is widespread in the United States, boreal chorus
frog populations in Colorado have high survival rates and
appear to not be seriously affected by the disease.
6 Subsequently, classifying a particular species as robust
can be somewhat difficult.
[1] Without this longitudinal data, the natural
variability in amphibian reproduction and life histories
can mask declines. [2] In addition, for many species, only
particular age classes or life stages are amenable 7 with
census, making it difficult to know the true extent of a
species’ population. [3] The biggest challenge to classifying
amphibians such as the boreal chorus frog lies in a lack of
longitudinal data—data collected over an extended period
of time. [4] Thus, the boreal chorus frog may simply be in a
short robust period and may prove to be just as susceptible
to the threats facing other amphibians. 8
What has been made clear from 9 researcher’s data,
and what comprises the key issue in studying amphibians,
is the aforementioned number of threatened species.
Amphibians play important roles in ecosystems, human
health, and commerce. They have 10 stuck around for the
past 350 million years, surviving many changes that caused
other organisms to become extinct. 11 The deterioration
of this historically resilient group highlights the importance
of the recent studies on threatened amphibians. Ultimately,
the boreal chorus frog may prove to be a red herring
in a sea of data that points to the need to examine the
environmental factors that have caused the current decline
in the overall amphibian population.