The Amphibian Assessment Process

1. The Amphibian Assessment Process Ariadne Angulo IUCN SSC Amphibian Red List Authority Focal Point

2. Background to Amphibians on the IUCN Red List • Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) • Partnership between IUCN, CI and NatureServe • Initiated in 2001 • Concluded first global assessment in 2004 with the publication of results in www.globalamphibians.org, www.iucnredlist.organd Stuart et al. (2004) Science paper • 5743 amphibian species assessed • www.globalamphibians.org phased out to avoid confusion

3. Background to Amphibians on the IUCN Red List • GAA core team comprised initially of three people (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson and Neil Cox), later four (Mike Hoffmann) • Barcelona 2008: World Conservation Congress • Simon Stuart elected Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) • GAA coordinating team dissolved

4. Background to Amphibians on the IUCN Red List • IUCN SSC Amphibian Red List Authority (Amphibian RLA) implemented in 2009 • Amphibian RLA part of the Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) and Species Survival Commission (SSC) • RLA not a single person but a group of people • Amphibian RLA oversees the process of updating, maintaining and curating amphibian assessments in the IUCN Red List (http://www.iucnredlist.org/initiatives/amphibians) • Amphibian RLA to take over the role of the GAA coordinating team

5. Outside IUCN Within IUCN Unreviewed Assessment Reviewed Assessment Checked, reviewed assessments Checked, reviewed assessments Peer review process IUCN Red List Unit Reviewers Red List Authorities At least 2 reviewers for every assessment The Red List assessment process • Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities • Global Biodiversity Assessment projects • Regional projects • Regional/national assessments (endemic species) • Other assessors Assessors

7. Amphibian RLA • One focal point • 19 “full-time” members (voluntary basis) • Currently two “part-time” members and one IUCN Species Programme staff member • All RLAs trained in the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria • All RLAs trained in IUCN’s Species Information Service (SIS) database system • All RLAs in capacity to act as either assessors or reviewers • All RLAs able to review assessments from any part of the world and any amphibian taxon • Minimum of two reviewers (RLAs or SP staff members) for every assessment

8. Other important changes Citation of assessments • Assessors: IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) and other organized groups/organizations • Reviewers: Reviewer names, typically members of the Amphibian RLA and/or members of the IUCN Species Programme • Contributors: A list of all the people who have contributed to the assessment, as experts, compilators and facilitators, past and present, listed in alphabetical order (first name) • E.g. South African Frog Re-assessment Group (SA-FRoG) & IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2010. Anhydrophrynengongoniensis. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 March 2011.

9. Goals and objectives • To make the Amphibians on the Red List database self-sustaining • To continue to work on updating amphibian assessments, including new assessments and reassessments • To adopt several strategies for updates (one-on-one, workshops and online discussion forums) • To increase local and regional capacity with regards to the Red List Categories and Criteria • To decentralize the global assessment process and empower regional/national groups to take stewardship of their endemic species (e.g. South Africa)

10. For more information • http://www.iucnredlist.org/initiatives/amphibians • http://amphibianrla.pbworks.com/w/page/29057098/Home-page • Or contact Ariadne Angulo at ariadne.angulo@iucn.org