Episodic acidification is not responsible for amphibian declines in the Rocky Mountains, USA
Vertucci FA and Corn PS. 1993. Episodic acidification is not responsible for amphibian declines in the Rocky Mountains, USA. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 74(2):470
We examine whether episodic acidification is responsible for observed declines of amphibian populations in the Rocky Mountains. Criteria for the documentation of episodic acidification of amphibian breeding habitats are defined. Monitoring pH and acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) alone can not provide evidence of anthropogenic episodic acidification of amphibian habitats. There is very limited evidence that anthropogenic episodic acidification occurs in high-elevation habitats in the Rocky Mountains, but there is no evidence that episodic acidification has led to acidic conditions (ANC < 0) or that amphibian embryos are present during the initial phase of snowmelt when episodic acidification might occur. Previously published reports of amphibian decline, which do not meet with the criteria outlined here, can not be credibly attributed to the effects of acidic deposition. Our surveys of amphibian decline habitats in the Rocky Mountain region show no evidence of either chronic or episodic acidification as the cause of observed declines.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Vertucci, Frank; Corn, P
- Units
- ROMO
- Keywords
- Acidification, Amphibian, Aquatic Studies, IAR, Population, Rocky Mountains