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Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota

Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota. The Frog Malformities Issue: How Can My Students Help?. Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota. http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs.

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Hamline University Graduate School St. Paul, Minnesota

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  1. Hamline University Graduate SchoolSt. Paul, Minnesota The Frog Malformities Issue: How Can My Students Help?

  2. Hamline University Graduate SchoolSt. Paul, Minnesota http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs

  3. Scientists in MN and elsewhere had found malformed frogs in the early 1990s. Then the issue hit the national media in 1995. Why? Students in Henderson, MN, found hundreds of malformed frogs at a site. A Thousand Friends of Frogs was formed in the wake of this media coverage

  4. What are we being told by: Amphibian (frog and toad) malformities Amphibian populations locally and globally But first……

  5. Vs. cold blood cold blood smooth or slimy skin warty and dry skin strong, long legs and stubby bodies with short webbed hind feet hind legs two bulging eyes parotid glands behind eyes lay eggs in clusters lay eggs in long chains a group of frogs is called a group of toads is called an ARMY of frogs a KNOT of toads Frogs have: Toads have:

  6. Anuran Diversity

  7. Frogs and Toads 14 species in MN 92 species in USA 3,300 species in the world

  8. MN Frogs and Toads

  9. Amphibian Habitats forests grasslands lakes, ponds, marshes rivers and streams

  10. Why We Care • Amphibians are a part of the planet’s bio-diversity. 2.Amphibians interact in interesting ways with each other and the environment, i.e. both prey and predators

  11. Why We Care 3. Amphibians provide benefits to humansi.e. Gastric Brooding Frog of Australia might have provided answers for people suffering from gastric ulcers (Case of the Vanishing Frogs, T. Halliday and W. R. Heyer).

  12. 4. Frogs As Bio-indicators 1) double life--amphibious 2) permeable skin 3) absorb and concentrate toxins--biomagnification

  13. 4. Frogs As Bio-indicators Biomagnification: a process in which retained substances become more concentrated with each link in the food chain

  14. Malformed Amphibians

  15. External Malformations • extra or missing limbs • branching limbs • spikes or protuberances • missing eyes • abnormal webbing

  16. Internal Malformations • reproductive • digestive • urinary

  17. Malformed Frog Pictures

  18. Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris

  19. Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris

  20. Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris

  21. Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris

  22. Causes of Malformations • genetic origins • parasite disruption of limb formation • chemical contamination • viruses • ultraviolet radiation • physical trauma (predation, people)

  23. Trematode (flatworm) cysts have been demonstrated to cause problems in limb bud development in tadpoles Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College

  24. Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College

  25. Possible Chemical Contaminants • agrochemicals • heavy metals • acid rain • chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

  26. Types of Agrochemicals • herbicides Maneb-fungicide • pesticides propylthiourea • fertilizers Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College

  27. Types of Agrochemicals applications of the herbicide atrazine have led to egg mortality and tadpole deformities (Hazelwood 1970) Dr. Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College

  28. Correlations to Human Health Concerns • high nitrate levels (from fertilizers) in human drinking water and frog breeding ponds are hazardous • human birth defects result from pesticideapplication • UV radiationresults in blindness and skin cancer in humans and other animals; DNA damage in developing frog eggs

  29. Joan Chadde Amphibian Malformation Survey of the Western Upper Peninsula Using Middle/High School Classes

  30. Where have all the frogs gone?Global Amphibian Decline • a concern during the past decade • frog declines widespread and well-documented • possible causes include habitat destruction, increased UV radiation, and chemical contamination

  31. Global Population Declines • Loss of habitat from filling in wetlands to create more farmland for crops, and to build more houses and roads (Case of the Vanishing Frogs, T. Halliday and W. R. Heyer).

  32. Global Population Declines • Increasing ultraviolet radiation • Pollution by chemicals • Acid rain • Pathogens • Parasites • Introduction of non-native species

  33. Global Population Declines Amphibian declines occurring in locations where habitats relatively undisturbed. Australia: Gastric Brooding Frog last seen in wild in 1980s

  34. Global Population Declines Monteverde, Costa Rica: Golden Toad last seen 1988

  35. Global Population Declines Other places experiencing declines include: Puerto Rico Ecuador Venezuela Brazil U.S. Rocky Mountains Cascade Mountain Range in Washington, Oregon, and California

  36. Stakeholders/Interest Groups Scientists: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Environmental Protection Agency Individual scientists promoting different hypotheses Industry and Agriculture Policy-Makers Citizens (Adults and students)

  37. What You and Your Students Can Do to Help!

  38. Care Adopt Look Listen Answer the

  39. Malformity and Calling Surveys Various types of surveys depending on your objectives Malformity surveys: deal specifically with malformities in amphibians Calling surveys: need to know the calls of anurans terrestrial salamander monitoring aquatic surveys

  40. Malformity and Calling Surveys A Thousand Friends of Frogs has two surveys— Malformity and Calling http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/students/involved.html

  41. Malformity and Calling Surveys Malformity survey Protocols for collecting and reporting data. Data collected andtransferred to scientists Results on web site http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/datasht.html Calling survey: Minnesota Frog Watch Over 100 volunteers surveying in the state Working with MN Dept. Natural Resources http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/wach2000.html

  42. Malformity and Calling Surveys North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformities (NARCAM) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam Report data on the web

  43. Malformity and Calling Surveys North American Amphibian Monitoring Project (NAAMP) http://www.im.nbs.gov/amphibs.html Protocols for reporting data State coordinators

  44. Malformity and Calling Surveys What you need to know to survey? Depends on type of survey conducted ID of frogs, toads and salamanders—color, shape, etc. Calls of frogs and toads Let’s learn a few calls!! Bullfrog Spring Peepers

  45. Malformity and Calling Surveys Kristin Schuster Science Teacher Houghton Middle School Michigan

  46. Student Activities Other student activities Student Reports on Project Web Site Student Poetry Student Writing Student Art

  47. Celebrating amphibians Australia Finland Scotland Minnesota

  48. Helping Our Planet Earth (H.O.P.E.) Frogs

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