![]() That can rob an amphibian of the oxygen that's present in water. This waterborne organism-which reproduces by spores-creeps along a frog's skin and interferes with the animal's ability to take in water. Years ago, researchers noticed that many of Monteverde's frogs were infected with a disease caused by the chytrid (KIT-rid) fungus. But for researchers studying Monteverde's frogs, figuring out the exact cause of death has been like trying to solve a murder mystery. It's a sign that the environment is in trouble. That's one reason why scientists are so worried about amphibians becoming extinct in Monteverde and around the world (see map, p. Their health informs researchers about Earth's well-being. That's why scientists call amphibians indicator species. Because amphibians have such sensitive bodies, they are more likely than other animals to be affected by pollution and other environmental hazards. The downside to such permeable skin? Amphibians also absorb environmental pollutants.Īmphibians, whose name means "double life," live a part of their life on land and a part in water "It's a double whammy-they can get exposed to bad things in both places," says Blanstein. ![]() They also "breathe" oxygen through their skin. Moisture from the air or ground passes through the porous skin, and helps the amphibians stay moist. It's riddled with tiny holes that enable substances to pass easily into their bodies. For instance, amphibians have very permeable skin. The features that distinguish amphibians from other creatures are also what make them so vulnerable, says Andrew Blaustein, a zoologist at Oregon State University. "Disease is the bullet killing frogs, but climate change is pulling the trigger," Pounds says.įrogs are one type of amphibian, a group of animals that also includes toads, salamanders, and wormlike caecilians (si-SIL-yuns). But now, Pounds and other scientists think they've found an answer: Warming temperatures around the globe may be making frogs more prone to disease. Researchers have puzzled for decades over why harlequin frogs and other amphibian species have been vanishing (see pie chart, p. Today, approximately two thirds of harlequin frog species are extinct in the wild. But during the 1980s and 1990s, these frogs started dying out in droves. At least 110 species of these bright orange, green, or yellow striped frogs used to live near streams in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and in 10 other Central and South American countries. The area's harlequin frogs have been hit especially hard. Why the silence? Monteverde's frogs are rapidly disappearing. ![]() "Now, the sound is a pale version of what it used to be," says Pounds. Others belted out high-pitched "ping-pingpings" like giant dripping faucets. At night, frogs sat along stream banks, sounding off low, noisy croaks. Alan Pounds first visited the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica 25 years ago, a deafening chorus of frog calls filled the air. APA style: The case of the croaking frogs: a deadly fungus is spreading among frogs.Could warming temperatures be to blame?." Retrieved from The case of the croaking frogs: a deadly fungus is spreading among frogs. Could warming temperatures be to blame?." The Free Library. MLA style: "The case of the croaking frogs: a deadly fungus is spreading among frogs. ![]()
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