Amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts, play a unique role in the ecosystem, linking aquatic and terrestrial habitats through their complex breeding processes. These organisms start their lives in water through a metamorphosis from gilled larvae to air-breathing adults, thus requiring both habitats to survive. The combination of two causes makes them very sensitive to environmental changes. Their thin skin, necessary for respiration and moisture absorption, connects them directly to pollutants and pathogens, acting as a medium for harmful chemicals and diseases that can decimate the population. On the other hand, climate change is a threat that increases the intensity of these risks. It leads to habitat and weather patterns changing more quickly than amphibians can adapt. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and high frequency of extreme weather events interfere with breeding season and spread deadly diseases. Therefore, this study focuses on the problem that amphibians face in a changing environment.
Climate change is critical in habitat loss and deterioration, negatively impacting amphibian populations (Kimbrough, para 1). Some factors destroying amphibian habitats include fragmentation caused by deforestation and urbanization. Agricultural expansion has also resulted in the loss of amphibians’ breeding sites and dispersal areas, which limits their migration. Besides, the pollution from pesticides, fertilizers, and industrial runoff is discharged into water bodies, which makes them unfit for amphibian reproduction and survival (Evans et al., para 2). Habitat destruction leads amphibians to use unfavourable conditions or move to new sites, and such situations increase their exposure to predation, competition, and diseases. For instance, the legendary Golden Toad became extinct because of the habitat (“Climate Change May Erode Frogs’ Ability to Withstand Salt Pollution | NSF – National Science Foundation”)
Climate change perturbs amphibian development by changing temperature and precipitation, inducing phenological changes and mismatches. Amphibians use environmental cues, like temperature and humidity, to regulate their breeding cycles, hibernation, and metamorphosis (UCL, para 3). Nevertheless, increasing temperatures and erratic weather disturb these crucial clues, causing irregular breeding seasons, premature metamorphosis, and reduced reproductive success. On another note, extreme weather events like droughts and floods can destroy or flood the breeding sites, thus resulting in massive losses of life and a decline in the population. The vulnerability of amphibians to climate-related stress factors is shown in the drop in high-altitude frogs such as the Montane (Platt, para 5). Also, this study notes that warming temperatures favour the spread of lethal pathogens that grow well at higher temperatures, disrupting amphibious multiplication.
Climate change serves as the basis for the spread of infectious diseases that can destroy amphibian populations. These microorganisms are well adapted to the warm and moist weather, which are increasingly common due to global climate change. The fungus affecting amphibious has a complex effect in which it destroys the skin of the amphibians vital for respiration and regulation of electrolyte balance. The disruptive period may cause physiological stress that reaches a tipping point, causing death (J. Alex Baecher et al., para 4). Amphibians face double jeopardy with pathogens that flourish due to climate change as they provide favourable conditions for the pathogens and compromise amphibian immune systems. The creatures adapting to modified habitats and extreme weather effects become more susceptible to infections that they otherwise would have been able to resist. Habitat degradation combined with climate-induced stress, disease, and other factors have collapsed populations and species such as the Panamanian golden frog (Virginia Tech, para, 5). Chytridiomycosis, exacerbated by climate change, has wrought untold destruction on amphibian species once icons of biodiversity despite all conservation efforts (Evans et al., para 4). Such situations make evident the intricate connection between climate change and diseases, stressing the importance of comprehensive strategies that target both the protection of the environment and disease management to preserve amphibian populations in the future.
The population of amphibians, including frogs, is significantly decreasing in the North American region. Therefore, the issue highlights an urgent conservation issue. North America boasts about 1900 species of frogs, and there is a wide variety of amphibians, each inhabiting different ecosystems such as tropical forests and deserts. Nevertheless, amphibian populations face exceptional difficulty, as some studies show that a third of amphibian species are in a threatening condition, and it is America that is heavily affected.
According to insights provided by (Virginia Tech, para, 5), the main factors influencing amphibian decline are habitat loss, climate change, pollution, invasive species, and diseases that have caused amphibian deaths in the region. For instance, chytrid fungus in the Americas has negatively affected more than 300 species, particularly in areas with the most abundant biodiversity. The golden toad from Costa Rica is only one example of the countless extinctions attributed to this pathogen. But despite the loss of several frogs and other amphibian species, conservation activities are underway, such as habitat protection, captive breeding programs, and research on diseases. Despite the efforts to combat the problem, it will remain highly challenging because of the complexity of the threats and the need for community involvement to address issues like climate change and habitat destruction. The condition of amphibians in America is an alarming biodiversity loss indication of the urgent need for collective conservation efforts.
Habitat restoration and conservation remain paramount in the battle to protect amphibians. Through replenishing damaged areas, such as wetlands, riparian zones, and forests, there should be implementations that will recreate amphibians’ habitats so that they can breed and shelter. Therefore, the intact habitat turns into a wasteland that performs the ecological functions necessary for the survival of many species. Wildlife corridors and specially protected areas facilitate wildlife movement by linking isolated areas and enabling amphibians to explore new breeding grounds and avoid inbreeding and population crashes. Through the approach, the populations will be resilient enough to environmental changes and threats by making possible the gene flux and dispersion of the species.
On the other hand, community conservation employs the local knowledge and utilization of community resources, which results in community sustainability. Partnering with stakeholders in designing and implementing conservation programs and projects enables these projects to have a basis in local situations and the support of the people who directly profit from these endeavours. These approaches strive to relax the anthropogenic stressors on amphibian habitats by preserving critical ecosystems and reducing disturbance from logging, mining, and pollution. The biodiversity of these spaces is safeguarded, and the entire ecosystem will be healthier and stabilized.
Managing climate change is a collective strategy to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing environment. Introducing renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, and shifting to low-carbon lifestyles can curtail the drivers of climate change and decrease its impact on amphibian habitats. Additionally, adopting climate-resilient conservation strategies, including assisted migration and captive breeding programs, would provide amphibians with the tools to survive in a fast-changing environment (Kimbrough, para 8). The technique of assisted migration involves transferring amphibian populations to appropriate habitats outside the range of their current habitat. At the same time, breeding in a captive environment guarantees the survival of endangered species. Furthermore, by placing climate-resistant design elements into habitat restoration projects and protected area management plans, we can foster the adaptability of amphibians and other susceptible species. Incorporation of climate change considerations into conservation planning, as well as policy-making processes, can ensure resilience and the safe existence of biodiversity.
Adopting practical disease control measures and scientific studies could diminish the risk of infectious diseases in amphibian communities. Biosecurity mechanisms such as quarantine processes and hygiene can prevent the dissemination of pathogens to wild amphibians and captive facilities. Additionally, both epidemiological studies and genetic clues determine the reason for these diseases and what is the best conservation measure for their management. The development of vaccines, probiotics, and antifungal agents that kill pathogens and boost the immune system of amphibians will safeguard amphibian populations from the harmful effects of infections. Moreover, the promotion of public consciousness and knowledge about amphibian preservation and protection policies may bring about the initiation of voluntary and vigilant activities. Volunteering activities, not only in amphibian monitoring projects but also in disease surveillance, are essential instruments that ecologists and conservationists can employ.
To mitigate the habitat loss for amphibians, this study recommends that stakeholders implement legal frameworks and policies addressing the effects of climate change. Also, executing and observing tight wildlife protection legislation can promote the growth of amphibians. Also, policies should address measures like limiting the use of pesticides and herbicides to ensure natural habitats are not tampered with. On another note, international cooperation should strive to address cross-border climate change and biodiversity conservation issues, which can improve the environment. By including amphibian conservation priorities in national biodiversity strategies and action plans, governments can channel resources more appropriately and promote welfare-oriented holistic development efforts for both species and human communities. Also, Public-private partnerships should be at the forefront as they can encourage habitat conservation, sustainable farming, and eco-tourism.
This study reveals that climate change and the environment harm amphibians, endangering the ecosystem and biodiversity. It highlights the importance of identifying the causes of habitat loss, climate change, and disease outbreaks to stakeholders as possible solutions for securing the survival of amphibians. In addition, involving community conservation projects, innovative ways, and public engagement, scientists and stakeholders can keep frogs and other amphibians safe for biodiversity.
“Climate Change May Erode Frogs’ Ability to Withstand Salt Pollution | NSF – National Science Foundation.” New.nsf.gov, 7 Oct. 2021, new.nsf.gov/news/climate-change-may-erode-frogs-ability-withstand. Accessed 9 Apr. 2024.
Evans, Maldwyn J., et al. “Beyond the Pond: Terrestrial Habitat Use by Frogs in a Changing Climate.” Biological Conservation, vol. 249, Sept. 2020, p. 108712, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108712.
J. Alex Baecher et al. “Experimental Evaluation of How Biological Invasions and Climate Change Interact to Alter the Vertical Assembly of an Amphibian Community.” Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 92, no. 4, Wiley-Blackwell, Mar. 2023, pp. 875–88, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13899. Accessed 31 Oct. 2023.
Kimbrough, Liz. “Frogs in the Pot: Two in Five Amphibian Species at Risk amid Climate Crisis.” Mongabay Environmental News, 5 Oct. 2023, news.mongabay.com/2023/10/frogs-in-the-pot-two-in-five-amphibian-species-at-risk-amid-climate-crisis/#:~:text=Amphibians%20are%20highly%20vulnerable%20to. Accessed 9 Apr. 2024.
Platt, John R. “Frogs vs. Climate Change: How Long Can They Stand the Heat? • the Revelator.” The Revelator, 16 Nov. 2022, therevelator.org/frogs-climate-change/.
Steigerwald, Emma. “Climate Change.” Amphibiaweb.org, 2019, amphibiaweb.org/declines/ClimateChange.html.
UCL. “Tropical Frogs Can Adapt to Climate Change, but Rapid Warming Still a Huge Threat.” UCL News, 8 Dec. 2021, www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/dec/tropical-frogs-can-adapt-climate-change-rapid-warming-still-huge-threat.
Virginia Tech. “Certain Frogs More Sensitive to Climate Change, Not Protected.” ScienceDaily, 2023, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230227132623.htm.