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Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota The Frog Malformities Issue: How Can My Students Help? Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs Scientists in MN and elsewhere had found malformed frogs in the early 1990s. Then the issue hit the national media in 1995. Why? Students in Henderson, MN, found hundreds of malformed frogs at a site. A Thousand Friends of Frogs was formed in the wake of this media coverage What are we being told by: Amphibian (frog and toad) malformities Amphibian populations locally and globally But first…… Vs. Frogs have: cold blood smooth or slimy skin strong, long legs and webbed hind feet two bulging eyes Toads have: cold blood warty and dry skin stubby bodies with short hind legs parotid glands behind eyes lay eggs in clusters lay eggs in long chains a group of frogs is called an ARMY of frogs a group of toads is called a KNOT of toads Anuran Diversity Frogs and Toads 14 species in MN 92 species in USA 3,300 species in the world MN Frogs and Toads Amphibian Habitats forests grasslands lakes, ponds, marshes rivers and streams Why We Care 1. Amphibians are a part of the planet’s bio-diversity. 2. Amphibians interact in interesting ways with each other and the environment, i.e. both prey and predators Why We Care 3. Amphibians provide benefits to humans i.e. Gastric Brooding Frog of Australia might have provided answers for people suffering from gastric ulcers (Case of the Vanishing Frogs, T. Halliday and W. R. Heyer). 4. Frogs As Bio-indicators 1) double life--amphibious 2) permeable skin 3) absorb and concentrate toxins-biomagnification 4. Frogs As Bio-indicators Biomagnification: a process in which retained substances become more concentrated with each link in the food chain Malformed Amphibians External Malformations • • • • • extra or missing limbs branching limbs spikes or protuberances missing eyes abnormal webbing Internal Malformations • reproductive • digestive • urinary Malformed Frog Pictures Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris Causes of Malformations • • • • • • genetic origins parasite disruption of limb formation chemical contamination viruses ultraviolet radiation physical trauma (predation, people) Trematode (flatworm) cysts have been demonstrated to cause problems in limb bud development in tadpoles Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College Possible Chemical Contaminants • • • • agrochemicals heavy metals acid rain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Types of Agrochemicals • herbicides Maneb-fungicide • pesticides propylthiourea • fertilizers Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College Types of Agrochemicals applications of the herbicide atrazine have led to egg mortality and tadpole deformities (Hazelwood 1970) Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College Correlations to Human Health Concerns • high nitrate levels (from fertilizers) in human drinking water and frog breeding ponds are hazardous • human birth defects result from pesticide application • UV radiation results in blindness and skin cancer in humans and other animals; DNA damage in developing frog eggs Joan Chadde Amphibian Malformation Survey of the Western Upper Peninsula Using Middle/High School Classes Where have all the frogs gone? Global Amphibian Decline • • • a concern during the past decade frog declines widespread and welldocumented possible causes include habitat destruction, increased UV radiation, and chemical contamination Global Population Declines • Loss of habitat from filling in wetlands to create more farmland for crops, and to build more houses and roads (Case of the Vanishing Frogs, T. Halliday and W. R. Heyer). Global Population Declines • • • • • • Increasing ultraviolet radiation Pollution by chemicals Acid rain Pathogens Parasites Introduction of non-native species Global Population Declines Amphibian declines occurring in locations where habitats relatively undisturbed. Australia: Gastric Brooding Frog last seen in wild in 1980s Global Population Declines Monteverde, Costa Rica: Golden Toad last seen 1988 Global Population Declines Other places experiencing declines include: Puerto Rico Ecuador Venezuela Brazil U.S. Rocky Mountains Cascade Mountain Range in Washington, Oregon, and California Stakeholders/Interest Groups Scientists: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Environmental Protection Agency Individual scientists promoting different hypotheses Industry and Agriculture Policy-Makers Citizens (Adults and students) What You and Your Students Can Do to Help! Answer the Care Adopt Look Listen Malformity and Calling Surveys Various types of surveys depending on your objectives Malformity surveys: deal specifically with malformities in amphibians Calling surveys: need to know the calls of anurans terrestrial salamander monitoring aquatic surveys Malformity and Calling Surveys A Thousand Friends of Frogs has two surveys— Malformity and Calling http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/students/ involved.html Malformity and Calling Surveys Malformity survey Protocols for collecting and reporting data. Data collected and transferred to scientists Results on web site http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/datasht.html Calling survey: Minnesota Frog Watch Over 100 volunteers surveying in the state Working with MN Dept. Natural Resources http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/wach2000.html Malformity and Calling Surveys North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformities (NARCAM) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam Report data on the web Malformity and Calling Surveys North American Amphibian Monitoring Project (NAAMP) http://www.im.nbs.gov/amphibs.html Protocols for reporting data State coordinators Malformity and Calling Surveys What you need to know to survey? Depends on type of survey conducted ID of frogs, toads and salamanders—color, shape, etc. Calls of frogs and toads Let’s learn a few calls!! Bullfrog Spring Peepers Malformity and Calling Surveys Kristin Schuster Science Teacher Houghton Middle School Michigan Student Activities Other student activities Student Reports on Project Web Site Student Poetry Student Writing Student Art Australia Finland Celebrating amphibians Scotland Minnesota Helping Our Planet Earth (H.O.P.E.) Frogs Resources A Thousand Friends of Frogs http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs FrogWeb http://frogweb.gov Audiotapes and Book