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Abstract
Amphibian species around the world are unusually vulnerable to a variety of threats, by no means all of which are properly understood. Volume 11 in this major series will be published in parts devoted to the causes of amphibian decline and to conservation measures in regions of the world; this Part 3 is concerned with Western Europe (Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal).
Experts from each country contribute a chapter describing the ecological background and the conservation status of affected species, with an emphasis on native species. As well as infectious diseases and parasites (also covered in a general chapter), threats take the form of introduced and invasive species, pollution, destruction and alteration of habitat, and climate change. These are discussed as they affect each species. All these countries have monitoring schemes and conservation programmes, whose origins and activities are described. Recommendations for action are also made.
Edited by leading scholars in the field, Volume 11, when complete, will therefore provide a definitive survey of the amphibian predicament and a stimulus to further research with the objective of arresting the global decline of an entire class of animal.
Harold Heatwole is an ecologist and herpetologist. His first PhD (University of Michigan) dealt with habitat use by amphibians, but then he branched out and studied other taxa, mostly reptiles and amphibians, but also ants, tardigrades, and seabirds. He earned a second PhD in Botany with a dissertation on the dynamics of vegetation on coral cays on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia (University of Queensland). He completed his education with a PhD in Geography (James Cook University) and a DsC (University of New England, Australia). He had faculty appointments at the University of Puerto Rico, University of New England, and currently is Professor of Biology at North Carolina State University and Adjunct Professor of Zoology at the University of New England. He is editor in Chief of the journal Integrative and Comparative Biology. He is a Fellow of the Explorers Club.
John W. Wilkinson is a conservation biologist specializing in studying and monitoring amphibians and reptiles. He started working with herpetofauna whilst an undergraduate and now nobody will give him a proper job. For eight years he was International Coordinator of the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force and is currently Science Program Manager for the charity Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. John's PhD thesis was on toad conservation - it just made him realize how much more there is to find out...
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title page | 4 | ||
| Contents | 6 | ||
| Contributors | 7 | ||
| 31 Infectious diseases that may threaten Europe’s amphibians | 1 | ||
| I. Introduction | 2 | ||
| II. Viruses | 3 | ||
| A. Ranavirosis | 4 | ||
| B. Herpesvirosis | 8 | ||
| III. Bacteria | 10 | ||
| IV. Fungi | 11 | ||
| A. Chytridiomycosis | 12 | ||
| V. Oomycetes | 17 | ||
| A. Saprolegniosis | 17 | ||
| VI. Mesomycetozoea | 18 | ||
| A. Amphibiocystidium sp. | 18 | ||
| VII. Protozoa | 20 | ||
| VIII. Metazoa | 21 | ||
| IX. Concluding remarks | 22 | ||
| X. References | 24 | ||
| 32 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Ireland | 42 | ||
| I. Introduction | 42 | ||
| II. The Irish amphibians | 43 | ||
| A. Lissotriton vulgaris | 43 | ||
| B. Rana temporaria | 43 | ||
| C. Bufo [Epidalea] calamita | 43 | ||
| III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes | 44 | ||
| IV. Status of Irish amphibians on the red data list | 45 | ||
| V. Conclusions | 45 | ||
| VI. References | 47 | ||
| 33 Amphibian declines and conservation in Britain | 48 | ||
| I. Introduction | 49 | ||
| II. Amphibian declines and conservation measures | 50 | ||
| A. The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) | 50 | ||
| B. The pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae) | 51 | ||
| C. The natterjack toad (Bufo [Epidalea] calamita) | 52 | ||
| D. The common toad (Bufo bufo) | 52 | ||
| E. The agile frog (Rana dalmatina) | 53 | ||
| F. Other species and issues | 53 | ||
| G. Species’ status | 54 | ||
| III. Monitoring of amphibians in Britain | 54 | ||
| IV. Conclusions | 55 | ||
| V. Acknowledgements | 55 | ||
| VI. References | 56 | ||
| 34 Conservation and declines of amphibians in The Netherlands | 58 | ||
| I. Introduction | 58 | ||
| II. Declining species and species of special conservation concern | 59 | ||
| A. Bombina variegata | 60 | ||
| B. Salamandra salamandra | 60 | ||
| C. Hyla arborea | 60 | ||
| D. Pelobates fuscus | 60 | ||
| E. Triturus cristatus | 60 | ||
| F. Lissotriton helveticus | 61 | ||
| G. Alytes obstetricans | 61 | ||
| H. Bufo calamita | 61 | ||
| III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes | 62 | ||
| A. Conservation measures | 62 | ||
| B. Monitoring programmes | 63 | ||
| IV. Perspective | 64 | ||
| V. Acknowledgements | 64 | ||
| VI. References | 65 | ||
| 35 Amphibian declines and conservation in Belgium | 66 | ||
| I. Introduction | 66 | ||
| II. Legal protection and current status of amphibians | 66 | ||
| III. Species of special conservation concern | 68 | ||
| A. The yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) | 68 | ||
| B. The treefrog (Hyla arborea) | 68 | ||
| C. The common spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) | 69 | ||
| D. The common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) | 69 | ||
| E. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) | 70 | ||
| F. The natterjack toad (Bufo [Epidalea] calamita) | 70 | ||
| G. The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) | 71 | ||
| IV. Conservation and monitoring | 71 | ||
| V. Acknowledgments | 72 | ||
| VI. References | 73 | ||
| 36 Amphibian declines and conservation in France | 74 | ||
| I. Introduction | 75 | ||
| A. Threats to amphibians in France | 75 | ||
| 1. Destruction and alteration of habitats | 75 | ||
| 2. Diseases | 76 | ||
| 3. Non-native species | 76 | ||
| II. Declining species of amphibians and species of concern for conservation | 77 | ||
| A. Species with a reduced distribution in France | 77 | ||
| 1. Species that reach their distributional limit in France | 77 | ||
| A. Salamandra atra | 77 | ||
| B. Bufo viridis | 77 | ||
| C. Pelobates fuscus | 78 | ||
| D. Rana arvalis | 78 | ||
| 2. Narrowly distributed species that occur in France | 78 | ||
| A. Calotriton asper | 78 | ||
| B. Salamandra lanzai | 78 | ||
| C. Rana pyrenaica | 79 | ||
| B. Widely distributed species that occur in France | 79 | ||
| III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes | 80 | ||
| A. National action plans | 80 | ||
| B. The Natura 2000 Network and the Habitats Directive in France | 80 | ||
| 1. Amphibians and the Natura 2000 Network | 80 | ||
| 2. Implementation of Article 17 of the Habitats Directive | 80 | ||
| C. Monitoring of amphibians in France | 81 | ||
| D. Protected areas | 81 | ||
| 1. National parks and nature reserves | 81 | ||
| 2. Other protected areas | 81 | ||
| IV. The Red List of amphibians of metropolitan France | 82 | ||
| V. Conclusions | 83 | ||
| VI. Acknowledgements | 84 | ||
| VII. References | 85 | ||
| 37 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Spain | 87 | ||
| I. Introduction | 87 | ||
| II. Declining species | 88 | ||
| III. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes | 88 | ||
| IV. Red List | 89 | ||
| V. Conclusions | 90 | ||
| VI. Acknowledgments | 90 | ||
| VII. References | 90 | ||
| 38 Conservation and declines of amphibians in Portugal | 92 | ||
| I. Introduction – the country and its amphibian fauna | 92 | ||
| II. Threats to amphibians | 93 | ||
| III. Declining species or species of special concern for conservation | 97 | ||
| IV. Conservation measures and monitoring programmes | 98 | ||
| V. Conclusions | 99 | ||
| VI. Acknowledgments | 99 | ||
| VII. References | 100 | ||
| Index | 103 |