Amphibians as models for studying environmental change.
The use of amphibians as models in ecological research has a rich history. From an early foundation in studies of amphibian natural history sprang generations of scientists who used amphibians as models to address fundamental questions in population and community ecology. More recently, in the wake of an environment that human disturbances rapidly altered, ecologists have adopted amphibians as models for studying applied ecological issues such as habitat loss, pollution, disease, and global climate change. Some of the characteristics of amphibians that make them useful models for studying these environmental problems are highlighted, including their trophic importance, environmental sensitivity, research tractability, and impending extinction. The article provides specific examples from the recent literature to illustrate how studies on amphibians have been instrumental in guiding scientific thought on a broad scale. Included are examples of how amphibian research has transformed scientific disciplines, generated new theories about global health, called into question widely accepted scientific paradigms, and raised awareness in the general public that our daily actions may have widespread repercussions. In addition, studies on amphibian declines have provided insight into the complexity in which multiple independent factors may interact with one another to produce catastrophic and sometimes unpredictable effects. Because of the complexity of these problems, amphibian ecologists have been among the strongest advocates for interdisciplinary research. Future studies of amphibians will be important not only for their conservation but also for the conservation of other species, critical habitats, and entire ecosystems.
Hopkins
William A
WA
Wildlife and Ecotoxicology and Physiological Ecology Program, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Services, Virginia Polytchnic Institute and State University, 100 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. hopkinsw@vt.edu
D000663:Amphibians / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods*; D004777:Environment; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D053476:Extinction, Biological; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D023421:Models, Animal
D004785:Environmental Pollutants