Transcript Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Human Pollution

...Cold and Clammy, But You Gotta Love Us !
[common frogs mating]
Animals as Environmental
Sentinels of Human Pollution
Feature Creatures = Amphibians
By Leslie A. Dierauf, VMD
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Sentinels
(O’Brien, 1993)
“...organisms whose known characteristics
can be measured to assess the extent of
environmental…implications…and to
provide early warning of those
implications.”
Pollution
Contamination of the earth’s environment
with materials that interfere
with health, quality of life,
or the natural functioning of ecosystems.
At Air/Water Interface
[southern leopard frog]
On Land, Living In Outdoor Environs
Three Ways In Which Amphibians
Are Affected By Their Environment
Bullfrog skin
Eggs w/tadpoles
Tadpole w/gills
Human Population Growth:
Its Effects on Sentinels
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Loss or modification of habitat
Predation
Introduction of non-native species
Air and water quality impacts
Climate changes
Air Quality Effects
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Greenhouse gas production
Volatile organic compounds
Aerosolized pesticides & other chemicals
Particulate matter and silt/sedimentation
Water Quality & Quantity Effects
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Herbicides
Pesticides
Heavy metals
Other materials in run-off
Decreased pH & Increased salinity
Lowering of water tables
Loss of freshwater spring flows
Trematode Life-Cycle
Digestive Juices
Release Encysted
Larvae
Deformed Frog
Bird Eats Tadpole
Larval Form of Trematode
Encysts in Leg Bud of Tadpole
Snail Ingests
Trematode
Golden Toads - Monteverde Cloudforest
North Central Costa Rica
Climate Change Effects
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Increased ultraviolet light
Acid rain
Global warming
Disease
UVB Radiation Effects on Developing Eggs
Maintaining Biological Diversity
Strawberry Poison Dart Frogs Mating
Bridging the Gap - Who?
Public Health Veterinarians
Epidemiologists
Applied and Basic Research Scientists
Small Animal Veterinarians (pocket pets)
Exotic Animal Clinicians
Wildlife Veterinarians
Zoo Veterinarians
Ecosystem Health Veterinarians
Bridging the Gap - How?
Amphibian Physiology
Reproductive Physiology
Parasitology
Disease Diagnosis
Physical Environs Alterations
Reproducible Results
Environ’l
Factors
Field
Studies
Keen
Observat’n
Life Hx
Habitat
Health
Population
Dynamics
Organism &
Its Environment
Disease
Diagnosis
Ecosyst’m
Health
Envir’l
Health
Pathology
Epidemiol’y
Treatment
& Care
Morbidity
& Mortality
Organism & Its Response
To the Environment
Bridging the Gap - Why?
Healthy Environs Mean Healthy Animals and Humans
Veterinarians have unique skills to communicate science simply
Multi- and Inter-disciplinary research efforts recognize the
value of animals as sentinels
Veterinarians are trained in systematic observation & reasoning
Attention to individual cases may help explain
whether, how, and why a population is changing
Use of clinical evidence and clinical judgement
Long-term monitoring and consistency
Some Suggested Causes of
Amphibian Declines & Deformities
Habitat Modification and/or Destruction
Predation--Introduced Non-Native Competitors
Volatile Organic Compounds/Skin, Eggs, Tads
Air- & Water-Borne Chemicals, Heavy Metals...
Acid Rain and Increased UVB Exposure
Retinoids, such as Retinoic Acid
Climate Change and Emerging Diseases
Trematodes, Ribeiroia spp.Encysting at Legbuds
Fungi, such as Chytrid Bactrochochytrium spp.
Iridescent Viruses, such as Iridovirus (ATV)
Amphibian
Up-to-Date Websites
www.avma.org/netvet/amphib.htm
(American Veterinary Medical Assoc)
www.uga.edu/srelherp
(Savannah River Ecology Lab)
www.usgs.gov
(USGS, Biological Research Service)
www.mp2-pwrd.usgs.gov/frogwatch
(Frogwatch--Local Reports of Nation)
cmgm.stanford.edu/~meisen/herp/
(Stanford University Research)
www.fws.gov/r9endspp/esysgal.htm
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)