Author: National Park Service

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-08-28

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13: 9781492156338

Concerns about amphibians have escalated since population declines became apparent in diverse areas around the world in the 1980s (Collins and Storfer 2003). Systematic examinations have revealed that in some regions, including North America, rapid declines probably began around the middle of the 20th century, with the rate of decline increasing in the 1990s (Houlahan et al. 2000; Alford et al. 2001). Worldwide, 32% of amphibian species are now threatened with extinction, while 43% exhibit some form of population decrease (Stuart et al. 2004). Amidst the rapid and general decline in global biodiversity, amphibian population extinctions and declines are particularly alarming because they are occurring not only where habitat has been lost, but also in natural, protected areas.