Each of these factors is a potential threat to the amphibians of the Southeast

The mountain chorus frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) may be declining throughout the Southern Appalachians.

The green salamander (Aneides aeneus) has disappeared from much of its crevice habitat. Climate change and disease may be responsible.

The striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus) has lost much habitat to commercial forestry. It requires small temporary wetlands for reproduction, but spends most of its time in terrestrial habitats sometimes hundreds of meters from the breeding pond.

Devils Millhopper State Geological Site, Florida: D. auriculatus disappeared from this protected area probably in the mid 1970's, a critical time for amphibians.

Only a few viable populations remain of the dusky gopher frog (Rana sevosa) of the Gulf Coastal Plain.

The Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) is restricted to few talus slopes by competition from the redback salamander.

The southern dusky salamander (Desmognathus auriculatus) has disappeared, mysteriously, from many locations in the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

The greatest diversity of southeastern amphibians occurs in states where there are both mountain and coastal plain habitats. The greatest diversity of amphibians north of the tropics occurs in the Southeast. Many families and genera are endemic and restricted in range.

For species needing water to live and/or reproduce, many types of habitats are used, depending on species.

In North America, most amphibians have a biphasic life cycle consisting of an egg and larval stage in water, metamorphosis into a terrestrial adult, and remigration back to water as adults to breed and lay eggs. The time between metamorphosis and first breeding varies among species, although it is usually from 1-4 years. The life span of wild individuals also varies.

Many salamanders breed on land, but nearly all southeastern frogs breed in water. Both aquatic and terrestrial habitats are required to ensure survival.

Monitoring programs for amphibians seek to:

• Identify natural levels of population fluctuation
• Identify population trends
• Recognize declines should they occur:
• with a reasonable level of statistical accuracy
• while it may be possible to reverse the causes of decline

National Parks and Wildlife Refuges administered by the Department of Interior offer ideal places to monitor the status of amphibians. Potential monitoring locations are shown above. These areas offer a wide variety of habitats, and include a large number of southeastern amphibians.