Practical measures to save amphibians
Amphibians have become radically more endangered during the past years. Now, the leading amphibian researchers in the world have compiled an article of practical measures to cease the growing rate towards extinction.
Photo: Chris Coomber / Flickr.com (Creative Commons).
One of the researchers behind the article, recently published in Journal of Applied Ecology, is Juhani Terhivuo from the Finnish Museum of Natural History. The practical measures that the article introduces deal with creating beneficial microclimates and habitats for the croakers and such.
“Frogs spawn in water or on moist surface. Due to climate change, evaporation can increase radically and cause drought in frog breeding sites,” Terhivuo explains.
The researchers suggest that the breeding sites would be manipulated in ways that reduce evaporation, for example by covering the ground, building shades and by artificial irrigation, which can be used to create new moist habitats.
The means to protect amphibians have not been studied much, even though many species are acknowledged as endangered.
“We challenge researchers, environment authorities and land use planners around the world to test these measures,” Terhivuo sums up.
Pregnancy test frog caused extinction
One of the worst blights among frog populations has been a kind of mycosis, spread and carried by African clawed frogs. African clawed frogs were used as pregnancy tests in the 1940s and 50s, because of their peculiar feature – if pregnant woman’s urine was injected in it, its own egg production was induced.
The African clawed frogs carry and spread mycosis on other ambhibian populations. Fortunately the northern species of Finland were spared from it.
At the moment, the populations of seven frog species found in Finland are widely distributed.
“Hopefully, the situation does not change as the climate change progresses,” Terhivuo wishes.
Every third in danger
As many as one third of all amphibian species are under the threat of extinction. In addition to mycosis, the reasons for it are pollution and the decrease of suitable habitats.
The Red List of Threatened Species can be used as a reference to study the endangerment status of different animals. At the moment, for example birds and mammals are better off than amphibians. The reasons for this are not known.
The main concern in Finland is the future of Great Crested Newt as its spawning ponds dry out during hot summers. It has been categorized as critically endangered in Finland.
Elisa Lautala works as web editor for University of Helsinki's Faculty of Science. Elisa likes all kinds of cultural events, good books, warm weather, and aqua-jogging.