Why Is The Amphibian Population In Rapid Decline?

[Zhukov]

“What we’re seeing here is completely unprecedented declines and extinctions,” said Simon N. Stuart of the World Conservation Union, lead researcher on the study.

Unprecedented? An interesting, if overly exaggerated, exclamation considering our historical presence's time frame is dwarfed by the time frame associated with the existence of amphibians.

These declines are “outside our normal experience,” Stuart said in a telephone interview.

Indeed.

Amphibians have porous skins and narrow environmental requirements, and their decline may be an indication that something sinister is under way in the environment, Simon said.

Well considering percentage-wise, the ascendancy of humanity represents the greatest extinction level event the globe has ever known it does not surprise me that narrow niche species and species incapable of rapid adaptation will die out first.

 

[deaddude]

Well considering percentage-wise, the ascendancy of humanity represents the greatest extinction level event the globe has ever known it does not surprise me that narrow niche species and species incapable of rapid adaptation will die out first.

Zhukov, a species going extinct prematurely can have disasterous effects on the environment. An endangered (or at least protected) animal that I know a little more about is the Great White Shark. If these go extinct you can expect to see a rapid growth in the population of seals, a decline in the numbers of the seals prey ect. Most animals fill at least one vital niche in their environment. Sharks are apex predators that reproduce very slowly, you dont want many apex predators to compete with do you? Their slow reproduction keeps them from repopulating their lost numbers effectively.

Frogs reproduce very rapidly but face more natural predation than sharks. They cannot cope with the additional threat that man has introduced.

 

[Mainframe]

How about the increased sport of gigging?

haha bullseye why didnt i think of that? it was right there!

hahaha

 

[Zhukov]

Zhukov, a species going extinct prematurely can have disasterous effects on the environment. An endangered (or at least protected) animal that I know a little more about is the Great White Shark. If these go extinct you can expect to see a rapid growth in the population of seals, a decline in the numbers of the seals prey ect. Most animals fill at least one vital niche in their environment. Sharks are apex predators that reproduce very slowly, you dont want many apex predators to compete with do you? Their slow reproduction keeps them from repopulating their lost numbers effectively.

Frogs reproduce very rapidly but face more natural predation than sharks. They cannot cope with the additional threat that man has introduced.

I know all this. What is your point?

 

[deaddude]

That these narrow niche species that are unable to adapt quickly dieing out first could cause vast environmental changes.

Perhaps I misinterpreted your position, (i may very well have) but it seemed detached and some what unconcerned.

If I did indeed misinterpret your post you have my apologies.

 

[Zhukov]

Unconcerned? No. Perhaps what you're detecting is my resignation to the inevitable.

We are destroying this planet at an accelerating rate and there is nothing to suggest that trend will reverse in the near future. What with the rapid industrialization of India and China we may make this planet nigh on uninhabitable before too long.

My post was a dry statement of reality: Don't be surprised frogs are dying. Don't be surprised when the card house collapses and everything starts dying.

 

[deaddude]

Then what would you purpose we do about it? Sit around waiting for the excrement to hit the rotating oscillation unit?

 

[Zhukov]

Global population control to try and get the Earth's population back down to around 5 billion. Not going to happen.

Rapid exploration followed by mass migration to other planets. Not going to happen fast enough, if at all.

Restrictions on developing countries like China and India that would end up crippling their economies. Not going to happen.

Short of some plague, or other major disaster, that seriously reduces the human population I think an environmental catastrophe of enormous proportions is inevitable.

Of course, that catastrophe will seriously reduce the human population.

Nature has a way of working things out.

 

[waltky]

10,000 Titicaca water frogs die mysteriously in Peru...

Peru investigates death of 10,000 Titicaca water frogs
Tue, 18 Oct 2016 - Peru's environmental agency is investigating the deaths of some 10,000 frogs whose bodies have been found in a tributary of the Titicaca lake.

A campaign group says pollution in the River Coata is to blame for the deaths. It says the government has ignored pleas for the construction of a sewage treatment plant in the area. The Titicaca water frog is an endangered species that is found only in the huge freshwater lake shared by Peru and Bolivia and its tributaries. The Committee Against the Pollution of the Coata River told the AFP news agency that the Peruvian authorities had failed to address a serious pollution problem.

Activists took about 100 dead frogs to the central square in the regional capital, Puno. "I've had to bring them the dead frogs. The authorities don't realize how we're living, protest leader Maruja Inquilla told AFP. "They have no idea how major the pollution is. The situation is maddening."

Giant Titicaca Lake frog, Telmatobius culeus​

Peru's National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Sefor) said it was investigating what happened. "Based on local residents' statements and samples taken in the days after the incident, it is believed that more than 10,000 frogs were affected over about 50km (30 miles)," it said in a statement.

The Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus) has enormous folds of skin, which increase its surface area and help the amphibian absorb more oxygen from the surrounding air. As a result of their baggy skin, they are sometimes called Titicaca scrotum frogs. The frogs are critically endangered because humans have collected too many to eat, their habitat is being lost and invasive species are taking over what remains of it.

Peru investigates death of 10,000 Titicaca water frogs - BBC News