In the past 10 years, amphibians worldwide have been suffering. An ancient fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been launching an unending assault, seemingly bent on ridding the world of frogs and toads. Bd is associated with population declines on each and every amphibian-inhabited continent in the world. Currently, there is no effective measure for control of the disease in the wild, and with over 30% of amphibian species threatened or higher on the IUCN’s Red List (that’s 1,896 of them), the situation couldn’t be more dire.

Sometimes I think we, as a whole, underestimate the importance of frogs and other amphibians. In some parts of the tropics, frogs are the most abundant land vertebrates. They serve as significant predators of small invertebrates and as prey for larger predators. A recent study by University of Georgia researchers found that tadpoles play a key role in stream environments – without them, sediments increased by nearly 150%, making the algae which form the base of the food chain less productive. On top of that, they serve as canaries in the world’s coal mines because their porous skin makes them highly susceptible to environmental contaminants, and are thus often the first species to show unsafe environmental conditions. Amphibians also provide vital biomedicines and treatments for diseases from depression to HIV and cancer.

<img src=“http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/USNEWS/070215/AP_AMPHIBEANS.gif” Style=“Float:right; margin:10px 10px 10px 10px” width=275 height=200 alt="" />Amphibians worldwide are already in trouble. As a group, they are more threatened and are declining more rapidly than birds or mammals. A summary from the 2004 Global Amphibian Assessment reveals that at least 43% of all amphibian species are declining in population -less than 1% show population increases – so the number of threatened species will only rise. Over 30% are threatened, with another 23% ‘data deficient’ and possibly threatened. Up to 165 species may be gone already, 34 known to be extinct, 1 extinct in the wild, and 130 that haven’t been seen in years (for more info, see the IUCN’s study on amphibian populations).

Where Bd thrives, 50% of amphibian species and 80% of individuals can be expected to disappear within 1 year (Lips et al. 2006). Only a minority of species seem to have resistance to the fungus, and these animals likely serve as a reservoir for future outbreaks, and inconveniently, many are invasive pest species including marine toads, American bullfrogs and African clawed frogs. Bd has been calculated to spread as fast as 100km per year through water, amphibian-to-amphibian contact, and possibly by other, unknown mechanisms.

<img src=“http://www.amphibianark.org/images/Litoria%20spenceri,%20Spotted%20Tree%20Frog,%20Being%20chytrid%20swabbed,%20Michael%20McFadden.JPG” Style=“Float:left; margin:10px 10px 10px 10px” width=200 height=150 alt="" />The situation is severe. But there is room for hope. Recently, scientists at the University of Idaho sequenced Bd’s entire genome and compared the expression of genes in two phases of the fungus’ life. The study, published in PNAS, sought to compare genes from before and after the fungus is actively destroying the skin of its host, hoping to find candidates for genes responsible for the fungus’ spread and deadliness. Other research is targeting species or individuals that are immune, seeking to find the ways by which resistance occurs.

There are ways to help. Organizaions like Amphibian Ark are leading the way towards global awareness of understanding of the extinction crisis that is facing the world’s amphibians. With campaigns like Five for Frogs and The Year of the Frog, these groups are hoping that we all can do our part to help save the world’s salamanders and frogs. I believe knowing about a problem is the first step in solving it, so with any luck this post has allowed the word to get out to a few more people. I know I won’t look at a tree frog on the side of my house the same way again.

Is it too late to save Kermit and his froggy friends? Let’s hope not. I guess only time will tell.