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Extreme Weather Is Wiping Out Amphibians—Here's Where It's Worst
Habitat loss, diseases, pollution, and climate change are already massively affecting amphibians - frogs, salamanders, and the caecilians native to tropical regions. The new study from the Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity shows that extreme weather events serve as an additional stress factor, further intensifying this crisis. For this purpose, the scientists analyzed global weather data from the past 40 years. They compared regions with significantly increased heat waves, droughts, and cold spells with the geographical distribution of more than 7,000 amphibian species and their threat status on the "Red List." The Red Lists are being published since 1964 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and are considered an important tool for assessing the threat status of animal, plant, and fungal species worldwide.
Critical Interaction of Various Factors
The results are clear: where heat waves and droughts have increased, the threat status of amphibians on the Red List has also significantly deteriorated since 2004. "Amphibians' dependence on temporary wetlands for breeding makes them particularly vulnerable to droughts and temperature shifts that causes their breeding grounds to dry prematurely," explains Dr. Evan Twomey, lead author of the study. "Our analyses show the direct connection between the increase in extreme weather events and the decline of amphibian populations."
Regional Focus Areas
Three regions are particularly affected: Europe, the Amazon region, and Madagascar. While in South America the majority of amphibians found there - mostly frogs - are exposed to increasing heat waves, in Europe it is primarily droughts that are causing problems for the animals. Here, it is mainly salamanders that suffer under the changed conditions. The situation in Central Europe gives cause for concern. Future climate projections show that drought periods in Central Europe will likely increase in both duration and intensity. Prof. Lisa Schulte, head of the Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics warns: "Already half of the true salamanders native to Central Europe are exposed to increasing droughts today -- and this will likely get worse in the future."
Urgent Need for Action
The study results highlight the urgency of targeted conservation measures. Various approaches from amphibian research could help threatened species. These include, for example, the creation of small protected areas where amphibians can find refuge, as well as the improvement of wetlands to ensure optimal living conditions. Creating moist retreat sites, such as using pipes or boards, also provides these animals with opportunities to withdraw during dry periods.
The study provides important foundations for adapted conservation strategies in the particularly affected regions. Amphibians are considered indicators of ecosystem health - their protection is therefore of paramount importance for preserving biodiversity.
Amphibians Are Vanishing As Climate And Drought Worsen Globally
Amphibians, the class of cold-blooded vertebrates that includes frogs, salamanders, and caecilians, are facing a troubling forecast in many habitats across the planet.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) estimates that more than 40% of amphibian species are in danger of extinction due to climate change.
Amphibians endure pressures from habitat destruction, pollution, and disease. These concerns are combining with thermal shifts and rainfall disruptions that threaten to shrink amphibian populations even further.
At the Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Dr. Evan Twomey and his team have been examining the impact of rising temperatures on these creatures.
Pollution, habitat loss and stressThe global investigation compared weather patterns of the last four decades with the vulnerability of more than 7,000 amphibian species.
Research confirms that environmental changes compromise amphibian habitats and set the stage for reduced breeding success and rising mortality rates, especially in species that rely on short-lived water bodies.
Small wetlands and vernal pools offer sites for egg-laying, but minor shifts in rainfall can leave these patches drained before tadpoles develop. This leaves fewer surviving offspring and upsets local amphibian populations.
Climate hurts amphibians' breeding"Amphibians' dependence on temporary wetlands for breeding makes them particularly vulnerable to droughts and temperature shifts that causes their breeding grounds to dry prematurely," explained Dr. Twomey.
"Our analyses show the direct connection between the increase in extreme weather events and the decline of amphibian populations."
Hotter days can affect the skin of frogs and the respiration patterns of amphibian larvae, potentially reducing survival rates.
Severe cold spells in certain locales may push animals beyond their physiological limits and increase susceptibility to pathogens like chytrid fungus.
Threats vary by region and speciesRising temperatures in tropical forests have coincided with alarming declines in frogs throughout South America. Increased drought in European habitats has made life difficult for true salamanders (the family Salamandridae), which are closely tied to specific wetlands for breeding.
Professor Lisa Schulte is the head of the Department of Wildlife-Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics at Goethe University in Frankfurt.
"Already half of the true salamanders native to Central Europe are exposed to increasing droughts today, and this will likely get worse in the future," she said.
Madagascar, home to many frogs found nowhere else, is also recording stronger heat waves that may leave less moisture in forest ecosystems. Some areas of the Southern Cone are seeing more cold spells that could pose an unexpected threat to local frog communities.
Whether it's droughts, heat waves, or cooler conditions, researchers note that climate change in certain years may enable fungi to invade amphibian tissues, further hastening population drops.
Climate change hits amphibiansClimate change rarely works alone. Amphibians already face threats from pollution, land development, invasive species, and disease. Now, extreme weather is amplifying those risks in places already under stress.
Species exposed to both heat waves and droughts were far more likely to experience a worsening conservation status.
In some South American families like Aromobatidae and Odontophrynidae, over a third of the species face both threats. This double burden makes recovery harder, especially when conservation efforts focus on just one danger at a time.
What can help survivalSmall ponds and protected breeding spots can improve amphibians' chances of producing stable new generations.
Temporary shelters, such as PVC tubes or shady boards, may offer humidity and a barrier against scorching sun or extended drought.
Land managers in some regions have restored wetlands in ways that provide extra weeks of water retention. This small extension of wet conditions is often enough for tadpoles to grow and metamorphose, so these approaches may be one way to protect sensitive species.
Clear steps matter because amphibians help control insect numbers and serve as an indicator of environmental health. Without them, food webs lose a key piece, and ecosystems shift in unpredictable ways.
Helping amphibians face climate changeSalamanders play a quiet but crucial role in many ecosystems. They help control insect populations and serve as prey for larger animals, keeping food webs balanced.
Because they breathe partly through their skin, they're highly sensitive to environmental change.
This means that salamanders are reliable indicators of deeper ecological problems that may affect other species, including humans.
The study is published in the journal Conservation Biology.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Amphibians And Reptiles
What are amphibians and reptiles?Amphibians are frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. Most amphibians have complex life cycles with time on land and in the water. Their skin must stay moist to absorb oxygen and therefore lacks scales. Reptiles are turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators and crocodiles. Unlike amphibians, reptiles breathe only through their lungs and have dry, scaly skin that prevents them from drying out.
Amphibians and reptiles are together called herpetofauna, or "herps" for short. All herps are "cold-blooded," which means they lack an internal thermostat. Instead they must regulate body heat through their interactions with the environment. For example, a turtle warms itself by basking in the sun and a lizard can regulate its body temp with "shuttling" behaviors, moving in and out of cover.
Why care about amphibians and reptiles?Amphibians and reptiles play important roles in the ecosystems where they live. Some serve as predators that keep their prey's numbers in check, like snakes that eat mice and other rodents. Other herps are the prey, like frogs who serve as a food source for many species of birds, fish, mammals and reptiles.
In addition, herps are valuable indicators of environmental health. Amphibians, in particular, are sensitive to pollution because their permeable skins easily absorb toxins. And because many reptile species are long-lived and relatively slow-moving, they suffer from disturbances like habitat loss or pollution for extended periods. A diverse community of amphibians and reptiles indicates that the area is healthy and can support the plant and animal life that herps need for food and cover.
At the Center for Biological Diversity, we also believe that amphibians and reptiles — and all species, great and small — deserve protection for their own sakes and because these amazing creatures help make the world a wonderful place for all of us to live.
Are amphibians and reptiles in trouble?Yes, the world's amphibians and reptiles are facing an unprecedented assault and are experiencing tens of thousands of years' worth of extinctions in just a century. Scientists have observed these disturbing trends in the United States too, where approximately 20 percent of amphibian species and 10 percent of reptile species are at risk of dying out. While habitat loss is the most obvious cause of endangerment, declines are even even occurring in pristine areas from threats such as disease, UV radiation and climate change. Amphibians and reptiles are also suffering from overcollection and unregulated hunting.
What can I do to help amphibians and reptiles?We need your help to protect these valuable species from further devastation. Here's how you can help herps:
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