Extinction of Montane Populations of the Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) in Colorado

The relative roles of vicariance versus elevational gradients in the genetic differentiation of the high Andean tree frog, Dendropsophus labialis

“…This is just one of the initial attempts to understand the effect of the Andes on the mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of anuran populations; Many other Andean species with wide altitudinal ranges most be analyzed, integrating the information from other disciplines such as geology and palynology to get a general perspective on the complex orogenic history of the region. The upward expansion of anurans and other organisms to newly available habitats as a consequence recent climate change (Seimon et al, 2007), the upward range extension of the chytridiomycosis disease that is now infecting frogs in most of their elevational range (Seimon et al, 2007), and the fact that amphibian extinctions (and all the organisms that share the same montane ecosystems) are increasing especially at high elevations (Corn and Fogleman, 1984;Lips, 1998;Stuart et al, 2004;Pounds et al, 2006;Bosch et al, 2007;Seimon et al, 2007), makes phylogeographic, population genetic, and natural history studies on montane species a high priority.…”

Infectious Disease and Worldwide Declines of Amphibian Populations, with Comments on Emerging Diseases in Coral Reef Organisms and in Humans

“…Although a few localized die-offs of amphibians occurring prior to the 1970s are documented in the literature (10), large-scale mass mortalities of toads (Bufo) and frogs (Rana) started in the 1970s in mountainous areas of the western United States (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) and Brazil (16,17) and on the plains of southern Canada (18,19). The magnitude and timing of many of these die-offs can be pinpointed, since populations were monitored in preceding months or years (11)(12)(13)(14).…”

“…However, a perplexing number of amphibian populations have declined in relatively undisturbed areas of the world such as national parks and wilderness areas of the American West (12)(13)(14)(15)20) and tropical rainforests of Central America and Australia (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26). In these cases, human manipulation of the environment is not obvious.…”

Population status and population genetics of northern leopard frogs in Arizona

“…Over the last 40 years, however, northern leopard frogs and their relatives have experienced marked declines throughout the Southwest (Corn and Fogleman, 1984;Clarkson and Rorabaugh, 1989;Sredl, 1998). Northern leopard frogs are currently listed as a species of conservation concern by State and Federal agencies, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD; "Species of Special Concern"), the State of Colorado ("Special Concern Species"), the U.S. Forest Service ("Sensitive," Regions 2 and 3 [Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona]), and the Navajo Nation ("Threatened").…”