9423333 Blaustein An unprecedented loss of the variety and numbers of species around the world is currently occurring. A continual loss of biodiversity can have significant ecological, economical, social, medical, and ethical consequences. Habitat destruction, over-harvesting, chemical pollution, introduced exotic species, and climatic change are among the major threats to biodiversity. As part of this overall crisis, numerous recent reports have suggested that many species within the class amphibia are undergoing population declines and range reductions. The causes of these declines in some populations are unclear. One factor implicated in amphibian decline is UV-B radiation. This research under this conservation and restoration biology award will investigate the effects of UV-B radiation on amphibian egg survivorship, hatching success, and larval development in field populations in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, studies will determine if UV-B interacts with a pathogen to further reduce amphibian survivorship. Since conditions likely to promote increased UV transmission are now becoming manifest, it is important to examine the effects of ambient levels of UV radiation in natural populations of organisms. Knowledge from such studies will enable us to take steps to reduce a potentially series environmental threat.
