Why Are All of The Amphibians Disappearing

Why Are All of The Amphibians Disappearing??!!

Ms. Chatham

Marble Hill School for International Studies

Introduction:

Globally, over 200 amphibian species have experienced recent population declines, with reports of 32 species extinctions (Blaustein and Wake 1990, Alford and Richards 1999, Houlahan et al. 2000).

Not only are amphibians declining worldwide, but reports of malformed frogs and salamanders have sharply increased in the past several years. The causes of the population declines and deformities are not well understood. Scientists point to the myriad of environmental changes that are occurring worldwide. Pollution, habitat destruction, global warming, increased UV radiation levels, pesticide use and invasive species may all be contributing to the loss of amphibian diversity. Amphibians may be more vulnerable to these environmental changes due to their unique biology. However, many people point out that amphibian declines may be a warning of future declines in other species.

You are a part of international group of herpetologists asked to explore the cause(s) behind the alarming decline of global amphibian populations. You will work in groups of four, each person first individually researching a declining amphibian population of your choice. Each person will explore the core cause or causes behind their species decline. As a group, you will discuss reasons for the decline and research the effectiveness of current public policies addressing this issue. Finally, your group will form an action plan to fill in the gaps in current policies that protect amphibian diversity.

Task:

1. Individually, you are responsible for a written report of your findings. It should be typed and no less than two pages in length. The completed worksheets used to guide your research (found below) must be attached to your final paper.

2. As a group, you will present your findings to the class. The oral report must be presented by all group members equally, and must be accompanied by a visual component (map, graph, pictures, etc.) Your group will be allotted 5 minutes for this presentation.

The Process:

Use the worksheets hyperlinked below to guide you in your research and report. Worksheets 1-3 are to be done individually, 4-5 as a group.

1. Define the problem

6. Select the best solution

Resources:

Use the following websites to guide you in your research.

1. For general information a comprehensive list of endangered amphibians from around the world: http://www.amphibiaweb.org/aw/index.html

2. Amphibian declines and deformities: http://www.usgs.gov/amphibians.html/http://www.usgs.gov/amphibians.html/

3. Current U.S. and international policies: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/wildlifecrossings/main.htm

http://www.natureserve.org/

http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html

4. General amphibian decline information:

http://www.fdrproject.org/

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp/

Evaluation:

Rubric

Points	4	3	2	1	Total
Task Completeness	6 Steps	5 Steps	4 Steps	3 or fewer steps
Development & Organization	excellent organization & thorough explanations	very good organization & explanations	good organization & explanations	poor organization & explanations
Oral Presentation	All members participate; very clear, loud & understandable	All members participate; somewhat clear, loud & understandable	Some members; somewhat clear, loud & understanding	some members; not clear or understanding
Grammar	writing is in your own words; few grammatical errors	writing is in your own words; 5-8 grammatical errors	writing is in your own words; 9-11 grammatical errors	writing is not in your own words; 11> errors
Research	Gathered information from at least 4 online sources	Gathered information from at 3 online sources	Gathered information from at 2 online sources	Gathered information from at 1 online source

example: task 4; organization 3; presentation 3; grammar 3; research 4 total: 17 x 5 = 85%

Standards:

LIVING ENVIRONMENT:

#7 Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment.

· identify ways in which humans have changed their environment and the effects of those changes

· describe the effects of environmental changes on humans and other populations

· explain how individual choices and societal actions can contribute to improving the environment

ENGLISH

#1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas, discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

· select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation and relate ideas from one text to another

· select and use strategies that have been taught for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information

· ask specific questions to clarify and extend meaning

Conclusion:

Having completed this WebQuest, you are more aware of the issues surrounding the global decline of amphibians and all biodiversity. This problem is a complex issue, involving many of the environmental problems we have studied throughout the year. In this assignment, you have used your knowledge of these problems to help you evaluate public policies surrounding the loss of amphibians. You and your team have learned how to analyze this problem and how to develop realistic solutions to current environmental threats.