The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is a multi-agency,
Department of the Interior (DOI) initiative with the objectives
of (1) starting long-term monitoring to determine trends in amphibian
populations, (2) conducting research into causes of amphibian declines
and malformations, and (3) making information on amphibians such
as the National Atlas
for Amphibian Distributions available to land managers and the
public. Highlights and results from the first five years of ARMI were recently summarized in a U. S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report
Amphibians evolved more than 300 million years ago and have survived
at least 3 mass extinction events in their long history on earth.
Increasing evidence for the decline of amphibian populations worldwide
has prompted international efforts to monitor amphibian populations,
and determine the causes of their decline. There is a need to link amphibian decline studies with hydrologic investigations that help characterize the quality of amphibian habitat and the vulnerability of that habitat to climate variability, chemical stressors, disease agents, and other human influences.
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey
Toxic Substances Hydrology Program (Toxics) and the National Research
Program (NRP) are participating in ARMI. Currently, Toxics and NRP
scientists from across the Nation are participating in monitoring
and research studies and program coordination with their Biological
Resources Division (BRD) counterparts.
Information on the current
status of water related ARMI project work and accomplishment is
available here. |