Threats to Frog Populations
Habitat DestructionWith human populations and industrial demands on the rise, habitats of all kinds are in grave danger. These habitats are being destroyed due to logging, the draining of swamps, and the damming of rivers for developmental and agricultural purposes.
Few habitats are as negatively effected as the tropical rainforests, where frog biodiversity is the highest. According to an article published by The Real Truth in February of 2008, it is estimated that nearly 20% of of all rainforests have been chopped down in the last 40 years. Herbicides, Pesticides, and Acid RainAccording to the American Center for Biological Diversity, most herbicides and pesticides typically go on the market with little to no testing of its effects on amphibian populations. These same chemicals, which are often applied in excess amounts, make their way to waterways where they come into direct contact with wildlife.
According to the Ecological Society of America article Understanding the Net Effects of Pesticides on Amphibian Trematode Infections, it was found that these chemicals can be the cause of delayed metamorphosis, immunosuppresion, hermaphroditism, sex reversal, and mortality |