State of the World's Amphibians

The Anthropocene is characterized by a widespread biodiversity crisis that is rivaling prehistoric mass extinctions. Amphibians are the most threatened class of vertebrates. In addition to traditional threats such as land-use conversion and pollution, climate change and introduced diseases are expected to further reduce amphibian biodiversity. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis has caused the rapid extirpation of tens to possibly hundreds of amphibian species. Recent advances have revealed a deep evolutionary history and considerable variation in the virulence of strains of the fungal pathogen, patterns that need to be reconciled with the rapid spread of disease and demise of host populations. A conservation priority is surveillance of a newly discovered species of chytrid fungus that is killing European salamanders. The accelerated discovery of new amphibian species challenges existing conservation resources, but it is an opportunity to fill geographical gaps and to enhance programs aimed at preserving amphibian biodiversity.