Review of threats to amphibians in Brazil

• Grant number: 24/00049-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Felipe de Toledo Ramos Pereira
• Grantee: Elvis Almeida Pereira Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/11096-8 - From the natural history to the conservation of Brazilian amphibinas, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/22567-7 - Mapping the Decline: Distribution Models, Vulnerability Scenarios, and the Search for Types to Elucidate the Diversity of Threatened Brazilian Amphibians, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Amphibians play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance, acting as predators and prey, promoting biodiversity. However, their sensitivity to global environmental changes, due to specific preferences and restricted distributions, places them in global decline. Approximately 41% of amphibian species face extinction threats, resulting from environmental and anthropogenic factors such as habitat loss, fires, pollution, diseases, introduction of exotic species, and climate change. Climate change, particularly temperature rise, can restrict distribution and lead to species extinction, impacting anuran interactions. Habitat loss from land use modification intensifies population isolation, increasing extinction risks. Vulnerability is amplified by the spread of pathogens, such as the chytrid fungus (Bd), which has contributed to the global collapse of amphibian populations. In Brazil, 59 species face threats, the majority of which are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. The assessment of the conservation status is crucial, and this project aims to compile data from various sources to analyze causes and declines of amphibians in Brazil. Thus, the present project will focus on the association between potential causes and declines in amphibian populations in Brazil, identifying priority regions for conservation and clades most vulnerable to threats. Additionally, we will simulate species extinction based on climate models and study the possible consequences of these diversity reductions. With this project, we will seek a comprehensive understanding of threats to amphibians in Brazil, guiding effective mitigation and conservation strategies. (AU)