The complexity of deformed amphibians

Many amphibian populations have disappeared or are in decline throughout the world. In addition, more than 60 different species of amphibians with severe abnormalities have been found in the US and several other countries. These complex, perhaps interrelated phenomena are associated with important current challenges in conservation biology. Although intense research, beginning in the early 1990s, has led to a better understanding of why amphibian populations are declining, there is still a basic lack of knowledge about the causes and implications of amphibian deformities.