![]() ![]() Protecting these creatures will not only benefit our society but also ensure that future generations will enjoy the wonders of amphibians and a healthy planet.Īmphibians, a unique group of vertebrates containing over 8,000 known species, are threatened worldwide. Frogs are found in popular media today, with characters such as Kermit the Frog from The Muppets and Disney’s movie adaptation, The Princess and the Frog. In Peru, archaeologists have found toads portrayed in a mural dating back nearly 4,000 years ago as symbols for rain during a period of scarcity and famine (BBC News 2019).Across the world, frogs are both consumed as a delicacy, like in France and China, and as a central part of a culture’s diet, as with the people of Burkina Faso (e.g., Mohneke et al 2011). For this reason, frogs are often kept as pets and depicted in art. The bright, colorful patterns of the poison dart frog ( family Dendrobatidae) are awe-inspiring and the translucent skin of the glass frog ( family Centrolenidae) is fascinating. Lastly, amphibians are beautiful creatures that have been celebrated in many cultures for thousands of years. It is clear that the rapid extinction of amphibian species will have rippling, negative consequences all throughout an ecosystem and its food chain. Amphibians, especially as tadpoles, consume algae, which helps to clean lake water and prevent eutrophication, and insects, which helps to control the population of mosquitoes and limit the spread of disease in humans (Rubbo et al. ![]() It has been shown that a decrease in amphibian populations can lead to a decline in species diversity and overall health for the amphibian’s predator populations (Zipkin et al. Many other animals, such as lizards, birds, fish, and snakes, to name a few, rely on amphibians for food. Many species migrate between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and thus serve as an important connection through which energy and matter can flow between ecosystems, and thereby, enhancing the resilience of both ecosystems (Best and Welsh 2014). For example, salamanders help to spread out the release of essential minerals found in leaf litter by consuming decomposers, thereby allowing for soils to retain their nutrients for a longer period of time (Davic and Welsh 2004). Amphibians play a crucial role in an ecosystem’s nutrient cycles. Thus, their decline is an important indicator that an entire ecosystem may be in peril. And because of their permeable skin, amphibians are extremely vulnerable to environmental and water quality degradation. Amphibians are central to maintaining a healthy and resilient ecosystem. ![]()
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