학술논문
Ongoing harlequin toad declines suggest the amphibian extinction crisis is still an emergency
Document Type
Original Paper
Author
Lötters, Stefan; Plewnia, Amadeus; Catenazzi, Alessandro; Neam, Kelsey; Acosta-Galvis, Andrés R.; Alarcon Vela, Yesenia; Allen, Joshua P.; Alfaro Segundo, Juan O.; de Lourdes Almendáriz Cabezas, Ana; Alvarado Barboza, Gilbert; Alves-Silva, Kleiton R.; Anganoy-Criollo, Marvin; Arbeláez Ortiz, Ernesto; Arpi Lojano, Jackeline D.; Arteaga, Alejandro; Ballestas, Onil; Barrera Moscoso, Diego; Barros-Castañeda, José D.; Batista, Abel; Bernal, Manuel H.; Betancourt, Esteban; da Cunha Bitar, Youszef Oliveira; Böning, Philipp; Bravo-Valencia, Laura; Cáceres Andrade, José F.; Cadenas, Diego; Chaparro Auza, Juan Carlos; Chaves-Portilla, Giovanni A.; Chávez, Germán; Coloma, Luis A.; Cortez-Fernandez, Claudia F.; Courtois, Elodie A.; Culebras, Jaime; De la Riva, Ignacio; Diaz, Vladimir; Elizondo Lara, Luis C.; Ernst, Raffael; Flechas, Sandra V.; Foch, Thibaut; Fouquet, Antoine; García Méndez, Carmen Z.; García-Pérez, Juan Elias; Gómez-Hoyos, Diego A.; Gomides, Samuel C.; Guerrel, Jorge; Gratwicke, Brian; Guayasamin, Juan M.; Griffith, Edgardo; Herrera-Alva, Valia; Ibáñez, Roberto; Idrovo, Carlos Iván; Jiménez Monge, Andrés; Jorge, Rafael F.; Jung, Alisha; Klocke, Blake; Lampo, Margarita; Lehr, Edgar; Lewis, Carrie H. R.; Lindquist, Erik D.; López-Perilla, Yeny R.; Mazepa, Glib; Medina-Rangel, Guido F.; Merino Viteri, Andrés; Mulder, Kevin; Pacheco-Suarez, Mauricio; Pereira-Muñoz, Andry; Pérez-González, José Luis; Pinto Erazo, Maria Alejandra; Pisso Florez, Adolfo Gustavo; Ponce, Marcos; Poole, Vicky; Quezada Riera, Amanda B.; Quiroz, Aarón J.; Quiroz-Espinoza, Michelle; Ramírez Guerra, Alejandro; Ramírez, Juan P.; Reichle, Steffen; Reizine, Hugo; Rivera-Correa, Mauricio; Roca-Rey Ross, Bernardo; Rocha-Usuga, Andrés; Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut; Rojas Montaño, Sintana; Rößler, Daniela C.; Rueda Solano, Luis Alberto; Señaris, Celsa; Shepack, Alexander; Siavichay Pesántez, Fausto R.; Sorokin, Anton; Terán-Valdez, Andrea; Torres-Ccasani, Grecia; Tovar-Siso, Pablo C.; Valencia, Lina M.; Velásquez-Trujillo, David A.; Veith, Michael; Venegas, Pablo J.; Villalba-Fuentes, Jeferson; von May, Rudolf; Webster Bernal, Juan F.; La Marca, Enrique
Source
Communications Earth & Environment. 4(1)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2662-4435
Abstract
Biodiversity loss is extreme in amphibians. Despite ongoing conservation action, it is difficult to determine where we stand in overcoming their extinction crisis. Among the most threatened amphibians are the 131 Neotropical harlequin toads. Many of them declined since the 1980s with several considered possibly extinct. Recently, more than 30 species have been rediscovered, raising hope for a reversing trend in the amphibian extinction crisis. We use past and present data available for harlequin toads (Atelopus), to examine whether the amphibian extinction crisis is still in an emergency state. Since 2004 no species has improved its population status, suggesting that recovery efforts have not been successful. Threats include habitat change, pathogen spread and climate change. More mitigation strategies need implementation, especially habitat protection and disease management, combined with captive conservation breeding. With harlequin toads serving as a model, it is clear that the amphibian extinction crisis is still underway.
The status of the harlequin toads has not improved since 2004 despite species rediscoveries accompanied by increasing conservation efforts, and habitat destruction and degradation continue to threaten them today, according to an analysis of population status records over the period 2004–2022.
The status of the harlequin toads has not improved since 2004 despite species rediscoveries accompanied by increasing conservation efforts, and habitat destruction and degradation continue to threaten them today, according to an analysis of population status records over the period 2004–2022.