A number of recent news articles have been reporting on a fungus that is killing frog species around the globe. The chytrid fungus kills frogs by growing on their skin, making it hard for them to use their pores and regulate water intake. The fungus is lethally to approximately 90% of frogs. Conservation groups are urging zoos to isolate their frogs to prevent the spread of the fungus. These articles got me thinking about:
a. What biological characteristics of frogs make them susceptible to minor changes in their environment?
b. How can frogs be used as indicators of environmental problems?
c. What is the role of zoos in helping to conserve threatened or endangered species?
d. What legislation could prevent the spread of this fungus?
Resources
Fungus Identified in Frog Population Decline, NPR January 12th, 2006 -http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5151096
Frog Disease Chytrid Fungus - http://ap.lancasteronline.com/4/japan_frog_fungus
Amphibian Conservation Alliance - http://www.frogs.org/
AMNH: Frogs, A Chorus of Colors - http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/frogs/
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A new fungus (chytrid) has been discovered that is killing frogs by growing on their skin and clogging pores making it difficult to regulate water intake. Frogs have certain biological characteristics that make them susceptible to minor changes in their environment. They must be around moisture because tiny blood vessels in their skin absorb oxygen which is called cutaneous respiration. Therefore without a moist environment they cannot breath. Frogs are cold blooded; therefore they need to bask in the sun in order to warm their blood in cold temperatures, therefore being able to move. Their preferable temperature is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Frogs can be used as indicators of environmental problems. Indicator species are species that are especially sensitive to environmental conditions and therefore serve as warning signals to a changing environment. These frogs can tell us about habitat fragmentation, over hunting, pollution, parasitism, disease, and problems with non-native predators. Their biological characteristics as I mentioned before, like their breathing method and temperature requirements can let us know if there is something wrong with an environment. If the frog population begins to decline, we will know there is some type of change occurring in the environment that needs to be changed if possible.
Zoos play a relatively big role in protecting threatened and endangered species. In zoos, animals can be supervised in captive breeding programs which maintain the genetic diversity of the endangered or threatened species. The staff work on and research the biological as well as habitual requirements of these species so that the zoo can create the best habitat possible. The zoos have an ultimate goal of releasing the species back into its natural habitat. Zoos also have education programs that educate the public on threatened and endangered species around the world and how the public can help protect these animals. Some conservationists are urging zoos to isolate their frogs to prevent the chytrid fungus from spreading. Legislation could be implemented to prevent the spread of they chytrid fungus. This fungus attacks parts of the frog’s skin and makes it hard for the frog to breathe (because they breathe by cutaneous respiration). The fungus also attacks the frog’s nervous system. A sick frog can be characterized as having discolored skin, peeling skin, and being sluggish. The chytrid fungus is said to be transferred through infected water or the contact between tadpoles and frogs. If these frogs move ponds they can continue to spread the fungus. Therefore, a fine could be implemented for humans who take frogs out of their environment and move them to a different pond. Human activities such as camping, fishing, and gardening could spread this disease or fungus. Another fine could be implemented for those who camp, fish, or garden in the areas in which the fungus has been detected. Therefore, the spread will hopefully be stopped. In Australia, the Threat Abatement Plan for Infection of Amphibians with Chytrid Fungus Resulting in Chtridiomycosis was created under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999 (EPBC Act). This plan was created to diminish the effect of the chytrid fungus and the Chytridiomycosis disease on frogs.
Frogs are being killed off by the chytrid fungus which is sinking into their skin and clogging their pores. The only way for frogs to get water is by lying in a puddle of water and letting it soak into their pores. Some frogs have a special drink patch on the underside of their body in order to hydrate themselves. If there is a drought or any lack of water, the frogs will die off because of dehydration. In order to keep their skin working well, frogs must stay clean and moist. Any pollution or damage to the outside of the frog will most likely kill it. Many causes of decline in the frog population are habitat destruction, introduced species, chemical pollution, climate changes, over-collection, and epidemic diseases. Some groups of Amazonian Indians use monkey frogs in tribal rituals. Secretions from the frog's skin are mixed with human saliva and rubbed into open wounds. The Indians use this method to feel refreshed and energized. These feelings are due to the monkey frog's skin toxins which include hallucinogens and chemicals that affect blood pressure. The special skin makes the frog a critical part of Indian cultures and therefore many frogs are being killed. Also, bright colored frogs are popular pets. Over-collection has been a large problem especially for frogs that live on islands or in small populations. Frogs are cold blooded which means they need warm temperatures in order to survive. They usually live in savannas or deserts. They survive these climates by limiting water loss and hiding underground from the heat.
Frogs are indicator species, which means they are able to indicate different changes in the environment. Scientists are concerned about what's happening to the frogs, because the health of frogs is closely linked to the health of the environment. Frogs are sensitive to pollution, because they live at the meeting of two environments, land and water, and they can easily absorb pollutants through their skin. Amphibians are good indicators of significant environmental changes that may go unnoticed by humans. We breathe through our lungs, which are inside our bodies and protected from direct contact with the outside environment. Frogs breathe through their skin, which is constantly exposed to the environment. Their bodies are much more vulnerable and sensitive to disease, pollution, toxic chemicals, radiation, and habitat destruction. The increasing decline in frog populations could be an early warning of serious environmental problems.
Many people believe that zoo bred animals have successfully been introduced into their natural environment, but that is not exactly the truth. Few animals bred in captivity have actually been successfully reintroduced to their environment. Many statistics have come out proving that zoos don’t do much to help endangered or threatened species. 2% of the worlds 6,000 plus endangered or threatened species are registered in zoo breeding programs. Also, 5% of species in the zoos in the UK are listed at endangered or threatened. And less than 1% of the species in zoos in the UK have been reintroduced into the wild. Zoos breed animals from small populations which means that inbreeding takes place causing offspring with physical disabilities. Also, after years of captivity many animals have lost their skills and instincts that are necessary in order for them to survive.
Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease affecting amphibians worldwide that is caused by the spreading of chytrid fungus. The Threat Abatement Plan for infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus is working to prevent amphibian populations or regions that are currently chytridiomycosis-free from becoming infected by preventing further spread of the amphibian chytrid within Australia. It is also working to decrease the impact of infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus on populations that are currently infected. Any legislation that helps to prevent frogs from being put in places that have chytrid fungus would help the frogs.
The chytrid fungus is highly injurious to frog species around the world; this fungus grows on the frogs’ skin and disables them from accumulating moisture through their pores; this fungus is toxic to almost 90% of frogs. Frogs perform coetaneous respiration; if their pores are clogged, they cannot soak in water or breathe, causing them to die. Frogs are also extremely susceptible to changes in their environment, because they are cold blooded; they should be in environments ranging between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit to live comfortably. When that temperature fluctuates, the frogs act as an indicator species, as their population will fluctuate simultaneously. Changes in the environment, such as pollution or human interference will result in an oscillation in the frog population. Causes for these alterations in population density include habitat devastation, disease, pollution, new species (introduced), or climate changes. Zoos play a major role in helping to conserve threatened and endangered species. Zoos enable species of animals to be supervised and bred in captivity, ensuring a safe (if well taken care of) incline in population. The zoo’s staff may study the animals’ habits and biological make-up to extract the best possible living community for the animals. Zoos are also educational to/for its visitors. In fight against the chytrid fungus, zoologists and environmentalists are urging zoos to bring more frogs into captivity. However, many studies and statistics prove that since zoos take such a small percent of the species into captivity for protection, the number that they release back into the wild is not sufficient enough to have a thorough effect on the population. The Threat Abatement for Infection of Amphibians with Chytrid Fungus resulting in Chytridiomycosis Plan has been created to urge the isolation of areas in which the frogs are not infected, and to fight the fungus in areas which have already been contaminated with this disgracefully damaging malady.
Frogs have many characteristics that make them susceptible to change in their environment. One of these characteristics is that Frogs do not make their own body heat, they're ectothermic. Their body temperature depends on that of their environment. Also during the change from tadpole to adult, frogs are extremely sensitive to chemical changes. The frogs need for water also puts the species at a disadvatage. With a lot of the water supply being routed to residential areas, there is little water left for the frogs, especially if a drought occurs. Frogs are used as indicators of larger environmental problems by lab trials, where the frogs are exposed to controlled doses of agents, field trials, where changes in population and behaviour are noted, or by recording any abnormalities found. Zoos help consesrve threatened species by gaining public apreciation. The zoo lets the general public see the animals and the people become aware that this animal may not be here in so many years and they help by donating money or demonstrating and pushing for laws. Zoos also allow members of the species to live and reproduce in a controlled environment. The Threat Abatement Plan has the goals of preventing further spread of the chytrid fungus and to drecrease the impact of the infection. They plan to do this by implementing disease control standards, isolation of populations, where possible, and more research is o be funded so a better knowledge on how to control the fungus is gained.
Biological characteristics of frogs include the skin needing to be moist at all times. The ability of the frogs skin to allow oxygen to pass through their skin which allows them to "breathe." The oxygen is dissolved into the slime on the frogs skin and from there into their blood. Because of this, the skin must remain moist making frogs susceptible to many toxins within the environment because many can be found in water and can there be passed into their bloodstream. The new fungus, the Chytrid fungus kills frogs by growing on their skin and make it hard for them to use their pores and to take in their natural water. 90% of amphibians that contract the fungus will die, but is harmless to other species including human beings.
Frogs can be used as indicators of environmental problems because they are delicate creatures. When pollution of other environmental changes affect a habitat, frogs are most often the firs casualties, so frogs provide an essential early warning sign for endangered ecosystems.
To conserve threatened or endangered species zoos provide a captive breeding program. They study the biological effects of things on frogs and eventually the zoo would like to reintroduce the animals back into the wild and their natural habitat. But the zoo provides a habitat away from the natural elements that animals might encounter in the wild such as the chytrid fungus.
One legislation created to decrease the spread of this fungus is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999 which states that a threatening process can be a key threatening process if it could cause a native species to become anything more than conservation dependent, if it could cause a threatened species to be at a higher degree of endangerment, or if it adversely affects 2 or more threatened species or ecological communities. Since the Chytrid fungus directly affects many amphibians then this law would apply to this fungus.
Frogs have many characteristics that make them susceptible to minor environmental changes. The frogs skin must be moist at all times in order for them to breathe. Oxygen is dissolved on the frog’s skin and afterwards passes into the blood stream. This means that during a time of drought it becomes increasingly hard for frogs to get the oxygen they need. Also, since frogs are cold blooded, or ectothermic, they depend on the temperature of the environment around them for their body heat.
Frogs can be used as indicators to determine environmental problems. This is mainly because they rely so much on the environment. When the environmental changes occur, altering the habitats and lifestyles of frogs, the population decreases indicating possible environmental problems.
Zoos can help conserve threatened or endangered species by collecting healthy species and performing captive breeding. At the zoos, these species are away from harmful natural elements giving them a better chance for survival.
One legislation that could help prevent the further spread of the chytrid fungus is the threat abatement plan. This plan attempts to keep infected frogs isolated so healthy species are not harmed. Also, the plan strives to treat areas that have already been infected in hopes of a population recovery.
The biological characteristics for frogs include their skin needing to be moist all the time so they can breathe. Oxygen is dissolved on the frog’s skin and afterwards passes into the blood stream. Because of this, the skin must remain moist making frogs susceptible to many toxins within the environment because many can be found in water and can be passed into their bloodstream. The chytrid fungus kills frogs by growing on their skin and make it hard for them to use their pores and to take in their natural water. Most of the amphibians that get the fungus in their system will die. The fungus has no effect on other species.
Frogs can be used as indicators to determine environmental problems. This is because frogs heavely rely on the enviroment. When changes occur in the habitat of frogs, the population decreases indicating a possible problem. Zoos can help conserve the frog population by keeping them in a safer habitat that is away from the harmful natural elements giving them a way better chance of survival.
The Threat Abatement Plan for infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus is working to prevent amphibian populations or regions that are currently chytridiomycosis-free from becoming infected by preventing further spread of the amphibian chytrid within Australia. It is also working to decrease the impact of infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus on populations that are currently infected
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