In response to indications of worldwide declines in amphibian populations, Interior Department agencies were directed to initiate a national program of amphibian monitoring, research, and conservation. There is an urgent need to determine the scope and severity of the problem and to investigate causes. As a result, the USGS formed the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI). The main goals and objectives of ARMI are to:
- Provide information to natural resource managers on the status and trends of amphibians.
- Relate status and trends to management options at the scale of management units.
- Identify causes of declines.
- Provide essential scientific information to support effective management actions to arrest or reverse declines
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How many amphibian species are there in the United States?
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- FAQ
What causes deformities in frogs, toads, and other amphibians?
Malformed frogs first came to national attention in 1995. Since that time, reports of malformed frogs and other amphibians have increased dramatically. Malformations have been reported in at least 44 states and in more than 50 species of frogs and toads. Multiple limbs, missing limbs, and facial abnormalities are the main malformations seen. Frog malformations are the result of environmental...
Why are amphibian populations declining?
Research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun—and thus no simple solution—to halting or reversing these declines. Though every region in the United States has suffered amphibian declines, threats differ among regions. They include: Human influence from the Mississippi River east, including the metropolitan areas of the Northeast and the...
How many amphibian species are there in the United States?
More than 6,000 amphibian species exist worldwide, with approximately 300 of them found in the United States. The USGS is the lead agency for the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), a program of amphibian monitoring, research, and conservation that was established in response to the worldwide decline of amphibian species.
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Species occurrence data for the Nation—USGS Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON)
USGS Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) is a unique, Web-based Federal mapping resource for species occurrence data in the United States and its Territories. BISON’s size is unprecedented, including records for most living species found in the United States and encompassing the efforts of more than a million professional and citizen scientists. Most of BISON’s species occurrence rAuthorsEarly action to address an emerging wildlife disease
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More than 25 years ago, scientists began to identify unexplained declines in amphibian populations around the world. Much has been learned since then, but amphibian declines have not abated and the interactions among the various threats to amphibians are not clear. Amphibian decline is a problem of local, national, and international scope that can affect ecosystem function, biodiversity, and commeAuthorsE. Muths, M.J. Adams, E.H.C. Grant, D. Miller, P. S. Corn, L.C. BallDisease emergence and resurgence—the wildlife-human connection
In 2000, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) was organized as a global disease watchdog group to coordinate disease outbreak information and health crisis response. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the headquarters for this network. Understandably, the primary focus for WHO is human health. However, diseases such as the H5N1 avian influenza epizootic in Asian bird populatiAuthorsMilton Friend, James W. Hurley, Pauline Nol, Katherine WesenbergAmphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI): A successful start to a national program in the United States
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Parasites and pathogens can influence the survivorship, behavior, and very structure of their host species. For example, experimental studies have shown that trematode parasites can cause high frequencies of severe limb malformations in amphibians. In a broad-scale field survey covering parts of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, we examined relationships between the frequency andAuthorsP.T.J. Johnson, K.B. Lunde, E. M. Thurman, E.G. Ritchie, S.N. Wray, D.R. Sutherland, J.M. Kapfer, T.J. Frest, J. Bowerman, A.R. BlausteinField guide to malformations of frogs and toads: with radiographic interpretations
In 1995, students found numerous malformed frogs on a field trip to a Minnesota pond. Since that time, reports of malformed frogs have increased dramatically. Malformed frogs have now been reported in 44 states in 38 species of frogs, and 19 species of toads. Estimates as high as 60% of the newly metamorphosed frog populations have had malformations at some ponds (NARCAM, ’99). The wide geographicAuthorsCarol U. MeteyerThe North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations
No abstract available.AuthorsD. H. Johnson, S.C. Fowle, J.A. JundtAmphibian malformations
Frog malformations have been reported from 42 states. The broad geographic distribution of these malformations warrants national attention. Scientists at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin are studying this problem in an effort to document its scope and to determine the causes of the observed malformations.Authors - News