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Quantitative evidence for global amphibian population declines

Author

Listed:
  • Jeff. E. Houlahan

    (University of Ottawa)

  • C. Scott Findlay

    (University of Ottawa
    University of Ottawa)

  • Benedikt R. Schmidt

    (University of Zürich)

  • Andrea H. Meyer

    (Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Sektion Hochschulen und Wissenschaft)

  • Sergius L. Kuzmin

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Although there is growing concern that amphibian populations are declining globally1,2,3, much of the supporting evidence is either anecdotal4,5 or derived from short-term studies at small geographical scales6,7,8. This raises questions not only about the difficulty of detecting temporal trends in populations which are notoriously variable9,10, but also about the validity of inferring global trends from local or regional studies11,12. Here we use data from 936 populations to assess large-scale temporal and spatial variations in amphibian population trends. On a global scale, our results indicate relatively rapid declines from the late 1950s/early 1960s to the late 1960s, followed by a reduced rate of decline to the present. Amphibian population trends during the 1960s were negative in western Europe (including the United Kingdom) and North America, but only the latter populations showed declines from the 1970s to the late 1990s. These results suggest that while large-scale trends show considerable geographical and temporal variability, amphibian populations are in fact declining—and that this decline has been happening for several decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeff. E. Houlahan & C. Scott Findlay & Benedikt R. Schmidt & Andrea H. Meyer & Sergius L. Kuzmin, 2000. "Quantitative evidence for global amphibian population declines," Nature, Nature, vol. 404(6779), pages 752-755, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:404:y:2000:i:6779:d:10.1038_35008052
    DOI: 10.1038/35008052
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    Cited by:

    1. Vimercati, Giovanni & Hui, Cang & Davies, Sarah J. & Measey, G. John, 2017. "Integrating age structured and landscape resistance models to disentangle invasion dynamics of a pond-breeding anuran," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 356(C), pages 104-116.
    2. Colomer, M. Àngels & Montori, Albert & García, Eder & Fondevilla, Cristian, 2014. "Using a bioinspired model to determine the extinction risk of Calotriton asper populations as a result of an increase in extreme rainfall in a scenario of climatic change," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 281(C), pages 1-14.
    3. Allen, Corrie & Gonzales, Rodolphe & Parrott, Lael, 2020. "Modelling the contribution of ephemeral wetlands to landscape connectivity," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 419(C).
    4. Gregor Devine & Michael Furlong, 2007. "Insecticide use: Contexts and ecological consequences," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 24(3), pages 281-306, September.
    5. Milligan, William R. & Jones, Marjorie T. & Kats, Lee B. & Lucas, Timothy A. & Davis, Courtney L., 2017. "Predicting the effects of manual crayfish removal on California newt persistence in Santa Monica Mountain streams," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 352(C), pages 139-151.
    6. Elodie A Courtois & Jennifer Devillechabrolle & Maël Dewynter & Kévin Pineau & Philippe Gaucher & Jérôme Chave, 2013. "Monitoring Strategy for Eight Amphibian Species in French Guiana, South America," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(6), pages 1-10, June.
    7. Regina Gabriela Medina & Andrés Lira-Noriega & Ezequiel Aráoz & María Laura Ponssa, 2020. "Potential effects of climate change on a Neotropical frog genus: changes in the spatial diversity patterns of Leptodactylus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) and implications for their conservation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 161(4), pages 535-553, August.
    8. C. A. Morrison & A. Auniņš & Z. Benkő & L. Brotons & T. Chodkiewicz & P. Chylarecki & V. Escandell & D. P. Eskildsen & A. Gamero & S. Herrando & F. Jiguet & J. A. Kålås & J. Kamp & A. Klvaňová & P. Km, 2021. "Bird population declines and species turnover are changing the acoustic properties of spring soundscapes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Preetpal Kour & N.K.Tripathi & Poonam, 2014. "Evaluation of Acute Toxicity of Copper Sulphate in Different Tissues of Euphlyctis Cyanophlyctis," Journal of Asian Scientific Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 4(2), pages 59-69, February.

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