Why the frogs are dying

Climate change is no longer merely a matter of numbers from a computer model. With startling swiftness, it is reordering the natural world.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15176444/site/newsweek/

[bruce]

Aww I thought this was about the French

[tracy]

A good friend of mine studies frogs in Central America who has logged thousands of hours in the field once pointed out to me the yellow frog (toad?) in Costa Rica disappeared under totally natural circumstances. That species was just that sensitive. You see this species all over the place in posters, books and is somewhat a "poster boy' for rain forest concerns.

Huge swings in nature happen all the time and can happen without any assistance at all from humans. This is a fact and has been happening since single celled organisms first appeared.

It's funny when the anti-hunting wheel gets a little squeaky when, in reality, humans are actually helping to prevent huge, catastrophic, natural swings of various species.

[arno]

It's one of those cases where there's no joy in being able to say "Ha! I told you so" 10-20 years down the line.

[sparky]

One previous theory, blamed the fungus on global climate change.The scientists, however, found climate change doesn’t appear to trigger outbreaks of the fungus, but that it instead spreads in wave-like patterns often seen in exotic species and emerging infectious diseases. They call their theory the “spreading pathogen hypothesis.”

Zoologists Unlock New Secrets About Frog Deaths

[forfismum]

When it comes to missing or "extinct" species it sometimes happens that folks are just not looking properly or looking in the right place.As a Field Ecologist I have seen this happen many times. Heres a recent example.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Extinct' frog comes back to life

With a lot of missing or declining species in these islands I have my own hypothesis which I will now entitle "The Loss of Habitat Hypothesis ".Our frogs will serve as one example.I will gather some of my photies up and do a short post later to share my experience with all you lovely people.But first I have to do a few glamour photos for M.H.

[forfismum]

Hey ,I forgot to follow up on the froggies ,but here is a linkie to an interesting item.

Perturbation of Organogenesis by the Herbicide Atrazine in the Amphibian Xenopus laevis

[Truelyana]

Originally Posted by forfismum

When it comes to missing or "extinct" species it sometimes happens that folks are just not looking properly or looking in the right place.

I agree with you. And even if they were, they may still not find the "right" place.

[hoon]

The disease that is devastating amphibian populations around the world could be tackled using "friendly" bacteria, research suggests.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Bacteria could stop frog killer

Great, so we just need to feed them on Yacult (sp)

[iturnrocks]

The Chytrid fungus epidemic has been traced back African Clawed Frogs, Xenopus laevis. Those ugly white frogs sold in pet stores. People releasing their pets to the wild are to blame. Tis why I believe people should be required to go catch their own aquarium pets from local sources.

Origin of Amphibian Chytrid Fungus | CDC EID