Intensified heatwaves and dryness exacerbate challenges for amphibian populations.
Amphibians Face Dire Consequences
The survival of numerous amphibian species is under serious threat, especially in regions like Europe, the Amazon, and Madagascar. Increasing extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and droughts, are making matters worse, according to a study by a team from Frankfurt, reported in the journal "Conservation Biology."
In Central Europe, it's the salamanders that are suffering the most. As co-author Lisa Schulte of Goethe University Frankfurt puts it, "Approximately half of the true salamanders native to Central Europe are currently exposed to prolonged dry spells, and this is likely to worsen in the future." True salamanders encompass species like the fire salamander, Alpine salamander, and common newt.
The research team, led by Evan Twomey of Goethe University, scrutinized global weather data spanning the past 40 years, focusing on heatwaves, cold spells, and droughts in relation to the geographic distribution and threat status of over 7,000 amphibian species on the IUCN Red List.
It turn out, areas that experienced more heatwaves and droughts have observed a significant deterioration in the amphibians' threat status since 2004. "Amphibians are particularly susceptible to droughts and temperature shifts that can dry out their breeding grounds," explains Twomey.
Currently, nearly 40% of known amphibian species are classified as critically endangered on the Red List. Besides climate change, experts also cite habitat loss, diseases, and environmental pollution as contributing factors. Amphibian species typically inhabit freshwater or damp terrestrial environments.
Amphibians worldwide are disproportionately impacted by increasing extreme weather events. As ectothermic creatures, they heavily rely on their environment for temperature regulation. Consequently, they struggle during extreme temperature events, often surpassing their physiological limits and leading to population declines.
Numerous studies have documented measurable amphibian declines due to climate change, with the U.S population dropping at an alarming rate of nearly 4% each year since the 1960s. A study published in Nature found that 2% (104 species) of amphibians are currently experiencing overheating events that surpass their physiological tolerance in their natural habitats. This percentage is expected to drastically increase with rising temperatures.
In tropical regions, amphibians like caecilians are severely affected by extreme rainfall and temperature anomalies. However, habitat loss, pollution, and disease exacerbate the impact of climate change and extreme weather events.
Without substantial mitigation and adaptation measures, it's projected that a substantial proportion of amphibian species could face local or total extinction within this century.
- The impacts of climate change on amphibians extend beyond tropical regions, with science indicating that over half of European true salamanders are currently exposed to prolonged dry spells, which is likely to worsen in the future, as stated by Lisa Schulte from Goethe University Frankfurt.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, mental-health professionals should be aware that climate change can have profound psychological effects on individuals, as the declining populations of amphibians may serve as a bellwether for broader ecological disturbances that could contribute to stress and anxiety.
- By exploring the correlation between environmental factors like climate-change and the health of amphibian populations, researchers in environmental-science can uncover crucial insights to better comprehend the interplay between global ecosystems, biodiversity, and our own well-being.
