Course: Animal diversity

Topic Name：Amphibians in peril

University of Central Punjab Campus Phalia

Roll no: BZ0017

Semester: 4th
Submitted to: Sir Akhtar

Submitted by: Sawera Bibi

AMPHIBIANS IN PERIL

Amphibians are among the oldest lifeforms on Earth. Amphibians have been on the
Earth for over 300 million years. There are 6,300 species of amphibians in the world
which include Frogs, Salamanders, and Caecilians.There are 4,800 recorded species
for frogs and toads in the world. Of the 4.800 species of frogs recorded, the lower 48
States of the USA is home to 90 species of frogs, and North Carolina is home to 30
species of frogs. Amphibians are in peril, frogs and other amphibian’s numbers are
decreasing at an alarming rate. It is estimated that 1/3 of the worlds amphibians are
threatened with extinction. That is about 1,900 hundred species of frogs that arethat
are currently threatened. Just in the last 10 years 170 species of frogs have become
extinct. Amphibian species such as the Golden Toad ,which used to live in the
Rainforest of Costa Rica have gone totally extinct.
The massive decline of frogs and
other amphibians is due to several
reasons which include habitat
loss, climate change, and a fungus
that causes a deadly disease in
frogs and other amphibians.
Central and South America have
been hit especially hard by this
disease caused by the Chytrid
Fungus. In South and Central
America amphibian populations
have been decimated by the disease called Chytridiomycosis , which is caused by the
Chytrid fungus. The Chytrid fungus has been found all over the world on every
inhabited continent. The Chytrid fungus is not spreading in Europe and Eastern
America as much as it is in Western North America and Central and South America.
The Chytrid fungus flourishes in the humid and high elevation rainforest of Central
and South America. It has become such a serious problem that 2/3 of South and
Central America amphibians have become extinct ,which includes the Golden
Toad.This fungus gets onto a frog and it makes their skin non permeable by blocking
their pores through which air and water move through. A frog can breathe through
both its lungs and its skin. Also frogs do not drink water like us, instead they absorb
water through their skin. This disease basically causes the frog to dehydrate and
die.Scientist believe that the fungus came to this part of the world in the 1940’s
when African Clawed Frogs were brought to America, and elsewhere in the world for
medical research. The African Clawed Frog is immune to the Chytrid fungus.
The American Bullfrog also is immune to the effects of Chytrid fungus. The African
Clawed frogs were used for research in pregnancy testing. Some escaped and some
were turned loose by medical workers, and some came over via the pet trade from
Africa.
Here in North Carolina biologist have noticed a decline in amphibian populations
also. Scientist have noticed that the Southern Cricket frog populations have been
declining. Scientist have discovered that the Southern Cricket frog has disappeared
in the upper coastal plane from the Chowan to the Cape Fear river. The scientist
speculate that the Northern Cricket frog maybe running out the Southern Cricket
frog .They also speculate that climate change and human development maybe killing
these frogs off because they cannot adapt well to wild fluctuations in winter
temperatures, as well as human encroachment into their habitat .Another factor
that is causing the amphibians population to decline in alarming rates is the Ozone
layer depletion. A frogs skin is not a very good UV filter, because intensified UV light
causes a frogs immune system to not work as well and causes them to be more
susceptible to the disease . Increased UV light also causes frog eggs to not develop
properly and creates a much higher mortality rate in developing frogs. Increased
droughts have also hurt frogs because they cannot hide in the water to get away
from the increased UV radiation, because some of the water sources have dried up.
A 500 million dollar project called Amphibian Ark has been launched to help preserve
amphibian species all over the world. Project Arks main members are the
International Association of Zoos and Aquarium,Conservation Breeding Specialist
Groups,and the Amphibian Specialist Group.

These Organizations are all staffed by Amphibian Experts and volunteers that have
made it their mission to protect the Earths Amphibians from extinction. The program
encourages zoos to take in at 500 species of one Amphibian make sure they are free
of Chytrid and captivity breed these amphibians until a way to prevent frogs from
succumbing to the Chytrid disease is found.
Frogs and salandam are disappearing rapidly. We do not know the exact reasons of
their disappearance. Some reasons are:

1. Local factors:
Some local factors influence the amphibian populations. These factors are cutting of
forests. It allows sunlight to reach at the forest floors. It dries the moist habitats that
amphibians require. Mining, drilling, industrial and agriculture and urbanization also
destroy habitat. However, amphibian populations are also disappearing in the
regions where local damage has not occurred.

2. Acid deposition:
Another factor partly responsible for the decline of amphibian populations is acid
deposition. Amphibian embryos are sensitive to changes in the pH of their watery
environment. A pH I of 5 or less will kill most embryos. In the northern hemisphere
the environments has become 100 times more acidic than they were before the
industrial Revolution.

3. Ultraviolet radiations:
Ultraviolet radiation, especially in the 280 to 320 nm range (UV-B) also kills
amphibian eggs and embryos.

4. Pollutants:
Some pollutants are increasing acid deposition. It depletes the ozone shield of the
earth. Therefore, these pollutants are also responsible for the reductions in
amphibian populations.

These explanations do not completely explain the problems with amphibian

populations. None, of these problems exist in remote tropical regions, where,
amphibian populations are experiencing similar declines. The causes are unknown. It
is necessary that the governments and funding agencies give funds to help scientists.
So that they can discover the causes of extinction of amphibians and stop their
extinction.