December 14, 2010

Frog Recovery - An Emerging Story

I've spent a large portion of the last 10 years describing the spread of the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis - "Bd") across the Sierra Nevada. Given the hundreds of frog population extinctions that have resulted from the arrival of Bd it is sometimes easy to forget about the other side of this story - that there is also evidence of frog recovery following Bd-caused population crashes. 

To read more about what is happening in the Sierra Nevada and Australia check out this recent story in the New Scientist. The writer somewhat exaggerates the recovery angle but it is a worthwhile read nonetheless. The reality in the Sierra Nevada is that recovery of populations to a pre-Bd population size is very rare and has happened at just a handful of sites. But the fact that it is happening at all is important.

Back to The Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Site.

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