Status and Trends

Reports & Publications

Effect of Species Rarity on the Accuracy of Species Distribution Models Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: Standard Methods for Amphibians Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources, vols. 1-2

Subtopics

Amphibians

Frogs & Toads Salamanders

Related Subjects

Marine

Bays, Deltas & Estuaries Intertidal/Coastline

Agricultural Practice (Impacts)

Threatened and Endangered Species

Amphibians
(Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders) - The continental United States is home to at least 230 amphibian species: 90 frog and toad species, and 140 species of salamanders. Amphibians appear in cities and in natural areas, as well as rainforests and in wetlands. Healthy amphibian populations that once thrived are now on the decline worldwide. In the U.S. alone, declines in amphibian populations are particularly serious in California, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and Puerto Rico. This decline has been a result of amphibian malformations - extra limbs, malformed or missing limbs, and facial malformations. These malformations have been documented in 44 states, and involve nearly 60 species. In some local populations, up to 60% of the amphibians exhibit malformations.

Did You Know...?

Amphibians & Reptiles

Antarctica is the only continent that has no native amphibian species. Amphibians and reptiles are very important vertebrates on the Pacific Islands. Surprisingly, given their importance, there are only six reptiles native to the Hawaiian Islands and all of them live in the sea. The rest of Hawaii's reptiles and amphibians are invaders. Learn more about amphibians from the NBII Pacific Basin Information Node website

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National Amphibian Atlas - Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI)

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC, Laurel) | Format: URL

igsaceeswb00.er.usgs.gov:8080 — From the Web site: "The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) National Atlas for Amphibian Distributions (or simply, the ARMI Atlas), is a compilation of current and historic records of amphibian occurrences. These records are from published, peer-reviewed scientific literature, museum records, state and regional herpetological More...

ARMI - Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative

Publisher: USGS | Format: URL

armi.usgs.gov — The U.S. Geological Survey's Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is a multidisciplinary effort to determine the status and trends of amphibians in the U.S., research the causes for amphibian declines, and provide scientific information to decision-makers to help halt or reverse declines. This website includes information on ARMI's More...

ARMI - FRESC Corvallis Research Group: Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — ARMI is an initiative of agencies within the United States Department of the Interior to measure, understand, and respond to effects of environmental change upon the Nation's amphibians. Amphibians have been disappearing from many locations around the world and reports of declines have increased in recent decades. Some of the most dramatic More...

ARMI - South Central ARMI Guide to Louisiana Amphibians

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC, Lafayette) | Format: URL

www.nwrc.usgs.gov — The south-central region includes the States of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. We are currently conducting research projects designed to monitor amphibians on Federal lands in these States and to research possible causes of declines in amphibian populations. These potential threats include loss or degradation of habitat, More...

Checklist of Amphibian Species and Identification Guide An Online Guide for the Identification of Amphibians in North America north of Mexico

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC, Jamestown) | Format: URL

www.npwrc.usgs.gov — Interest in amphibians continues to rise as people become more aware of this fascinating group of animals. To the uninitiated all frogs may look alike; ditto for salamanders (in the same manner that beginning birders are overwhelmed by the immense variety of small brown birds). One of the purposes of this checklist and online identification guide More...

Cloud-climbing Salamanders of New Mexico

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Fort Collins Science Center (FORT, Ft. Collins) | Format: URL

www.fort.usgs.gov — At high elevations, and in the nearby Capitan and White mountains in alpine tundra habitat, the Sacramento Mountain salamander occurs. This issue overview looks at size-class distributions of salamanders, showing that juveniles comprise a significantly smaller proportion of all salamanders on logged plots, suggesting that populations on logged More...

Recovery of Salamander Populations in High-Mountain Lakes, Mount Rainier National Park

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — The National Park Service has stated that declining amphibian populations are the top priority for research in the National Park System. Salamanders are a native vertebrate predator in small, western, high-mountain lakes naturally barren of fish. During this century many western high-mountain lakes were stocked with trout. These introduced fish More...

Inventory and Monitoring of Amphibians and Reptiles in Olympic National Park

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — Description of a project to determine the status of reptiles and amphibians at Olympic National Park. Includes project objectives, metadata, related publications, and contact information.

State Partnership: Assessment of Sensitive Amphibians and Reptiles in Southern Oregon

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — There is a relatively rich herpetofauna in southwestern Oregon with about 38 species present. These species are almost equally divided between amphibians and reptiles. The objective of this issue overview is to conduct field surveys and assess status of several amphibian species of management concern, including: Western toad (Bufo boreas), Cascade More...

Herpetological Monitoring Using a Pitfall Trapping Design in Southern California

Publisher: USGS | Format: URL

pubs.usgs.gov — The steps necessary to conduct a pitfall trapping survey for small terrestrial vertebrates are presented. Descriptions of the materials needed and the methods to build trapping equipment from raw materials are discussed. Recommended data collection techniques are given along with suggested data fields. Animal specimen processing procedures, More...

Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC, Sacramento) | Format: URL

www.werc.usgs.gov — This site is a field guide to the reptiles and amphibians of coastal Southern California, including species accounts, illustrations of tadpoles, and images of different habitat types. The guide also contains a glossary of terms, a map of the study area, and types of habitats.

Research Natural Areas of Southern Oregon: Amphibians

Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC, Corvallis) | Format: URL

fresc.usgs.gov — An overview of research that defines the distribution and habitat requirements of amphibians and reptiles in southern Oregon, mostly in old-growth forests or alpine habitats. Includes links to USGS publications resulting from this research.