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Published Online October 14, 2004
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1103538

Reports

Submitted on August 2, 2004
Accepted on October 6, 2004

Status and Trends of Amphibian Declines and Extinctions Worldwide

Simon N. Stuart 1*, Janice S. Chanson 1, Neil A. Cox 1, Bruce E. Young 2, Ana S. L. Rodrigues 3, Debra L. Fischman 3, Robert W. Waller 3

1 IUCN-SSC/CI-CABS Biodiversity Assessment Unit, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
2 NatureServe, Apdo. 75-5655, Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
3 Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, 1919 M Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Simon N. Stuart , E-mail: s.stuart{at}conservation.org

The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context to the well-publicised phenomenon of amphibian declines. Amphibians are more threatened, and are declining more rapidly, than either birds or mammals. Although many declines are due to habitat loss and over-utilization, other, unidentified processes threaten 48% of rapidly declining species, and are driving species most quickly to extinction. Declines are non-random in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges and taxonomic associations, and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species. The lack of conservation remedies for these poorly understood declines means that hundreds of amphibian species now face extinction.


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