AMPHIBIANS (CONT)

wards a potentially epidemic number of extinctions."

In the Americas , the Caribbean and Australia , a highly infectious disease called chytridiomycosis has hit amphibians especially hard. New research is showing that in some regions, outbreaks of the disease may be linked to drought years, which scientists are increasingly attributing to the effects of climate change.

But in most parts of the world - including Europe , Asia and Africa - chytridiomycosis is currently less of a problem. Other threats, such as habitat destruction, air and water pollution and consumer demand are leading causes of amphibian decline.

Still, scientists are confident that an immediate commitment of resources and effort could reverse many of the present negative trends. Creating new protected areas, captive breeding programs, better community engagement and protection of freshwater systems would enhance amphibians' chances of survival. As with many, if not most, environmental problems, this one submits to no easy solutions. Just as a forest is more than its trees, life is more than individual species but rather an interwoven web of interdependence whose strands we unravel at our peril.

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