Deciphering Amphibian Decline: New Approach to Science Needed

DECIPHERING AMPHIBIAN DECLINE: NEW APPROACH TO SCIENCE NEEDED

Ten years after the prospect of global amphibian decline first attracted widespread scientific attention, several major issues continue to challenge researchers. While several important causes have been identified, many declines cannot be attributed to a single factor, and some have yet to be explained at all.  In addition, the full extent of the losses is still unknown, and the consequences of these losses are even less well understood. Part of the difficulty in unraveling the mystery lies in the way in which science itself is organized, according to a new report from the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, DC-based research organization.