Frogs, toads and salamanders disappearing fast: study By Baltimore Sun, adapted by Newsela staff May. 30, 2013 4:00 AM A spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). BALTIMORE Frogs, toads and salamanders are disappearing at a surprisingly fast pace across the United States, a new study shows. The study tracked amphibians. The animals spend part of the time on land and part of the time in water. Scientists say that some amphibians are dying out in more places and faster than previously thought. Even the most common critters appear to be affected. They also seem to be vanishing from ponds, streams and other areas in national parks and wildlife refuges. These places are supposed to be protected. What we found was a little surprising, said Evan Grant, a government biologist. If this keeps up, some of the rarer amphibians could be gone from half their homes in as few as six years. More common ones could see similar declines in 26 years. Researchers knew that some frogs and salamanders were in trouble. But this is the first time they have a broad look at how fast they were disappearing across the country. 1
Mosquito Eaters Frogs and their relatives are not just interesting and fun to watch. They help control mosquitoes and other insects. Amphibians are important for another reason, too. They are cold-blooded. That means they depend on the sun s warmth to stay active. They breathe through their skin. This makes them sensitive to changes in water quality. Amphibians are a good indicator of what s going on in the environment, said Joel Snodgrass, a biology professor. It is hard to observe the animals behavior because they tend to lurk in the water or under rocks, Snodgrass said. The new study is valuable because scientists made repeated checks in many locations for a long period. Researchers looked and listened for amphibians at nearly three dozen sites over nine years. They did not expect to see so many of the more common types of amphibians disappearing. But the study showed the animals were found less often. If things keep going like the study showed, amphibians will be in half as many places in about 20 years. The study did not try to give a reason for the decline. Disease, chemicals, climate change and even a new species being added to a habitat have been blamed in the past. The researchers monitored nature sites controlled by the government. So new buildings going up was not a big factor. Parts of the nation had very little snow or rain while the study was going on. That might have reduced the amount of water in the wetlands and ponds where amphibians live. Frogs, Hold The Salt Scott Stranko, a Maryland biologist, said there are fewer of some of the salamanders that are more sensitive to changes in the land or the quality of the water. When cities and suburbs get bigger, you lose some salamanders, said Mark Southerland, an ecologist. You probably also lose some frogs, he said. Back to the weather. Drought is not the only reason the weather could matter. Frogs and their friends in and around cities might be hurt by winter. Or at least how cities and suburbs deal with the weather. That is because the salt that is spread on roads to melt ice and snow finds its way to streams and ponds, Snodgrass said. 2
Salamanders and frogs eat insects that live in fresh water. The salt can kill those insects. The salt also poses a direct threat to amphibians. Because they breathe through their skin, if there is more salt in the water, the animals lose fluid in their bodies. Basically, they die of thirst even in the water, Snodgrass said. 3
Quiz 1. What information can someone learn from reading this article? (a) the procedure used to track amphibians (b) how to survive a severe drought (c) the importance of amphibians (d) unique facts about amphibians 2. Which paragraph from the article provides a possible effect of amphibians disappearing in the future? 3. What is the connection between mosquitoes and amphibians? (a) Amphibians feed on mosquitoes. (b) Amphibians get diseases from mosquitoes. (c) Mosquitoes eat the amphibians eggs out of the water. (d) Mosquitoes contaminate the ponds amphibians live in. 4. Read the sentence from the article. Amphibians are a good indicator of what s going on in the environment, said Joel Snodgrass, a biology professor. Which sentence from the article provides the MOST evidence of the biology professor s statement? (a) Frogs and their relatives are not just interesting and fun to watch. They help control mosquitoes and other insects. (b) Amphibians are important for another reason, too. They are cold-blooded. (c) That means they depend on the sun s warmth to stay active. They breathe through their skin. (d) This makes them sensitive to changes in water quality. 4
Answer Key 1. What information can someone learn from reading this article? (a) the procedure used to track amphibians (b) how to survive a severe drought (c) the importance of amphibians (d) unique facts about amphibians 2. Which paragraph from the article provides a possible effect of amphibians disappearing in the future? 7 Researchers knew that some frogs and salamanders were in trouble. But this is the first time they have a broad look at how fast they were disappearing across the country. 3. What is the connection between mosquitoes and amphibians? (a) Amphibians feed on mosquitoes. (b) Amphibians get diseases from mosquitoes. (c) Mosquitoes eat the amphibians eggs out of the water. (d) Mosquitoes contaminate the ponds amphibians live in. 4. Read the sentence from the article. Amphibians are a good indicator of what s going on in the environment, said Joel Snodgrass, a biology professor. Which sentence from the article provides the MOST evidence of the biology professor s statement? (a) Frogs and their relatives are not just interesting and fun to watch. They help control mosquitoes and other insects. (b) Amphibians are important for another reason, too. They are cold-blooded. (c) That means they depend on the sun s warmth to stay active. They breathe through their skin. (d) This makes them sensitive to changes in water quality. 5