[Odonata-l] Frog legs and odonates - simplistic answer

[Lawson, Tamara]

This article is misleading as it makes the "answer" sound simplistic at best.  My husband is a herpetologist (although he prefers to study snakes) and I've occasionally gone to meetings with him and sat in on some of the presentations.  The overwhelming thought of most herpetologists that I've talked to (and Nova had a program on amphibians recently as well that stated this idea) is that THERE IS NO SINGLE CAUSE for the mutations (as well as the deaths) observed in amphibians.  Research as shown that some chemicals (this includes man-made ones as well as some secreted by plants' roots), some parasites (some worms, some fungi, as well as single-celled species, etc.), and some environmental factors (temperature extremes, salinity, predators, etc.) all contribute to current problem of amphibian deformities.  The cause for the world-wide problem is just different in different bodies of water with some research showing multiple cumulative causes and even additive causes in the same pond.  It all goes back to the old saying (or it should be a saying) "don't look for simple answers in a complicated system".


Tamara Lawson, Science Lab. Manager

________________________________
From: odonata-l-bounces at listhost.ups.edu [mailto:odonata-l-bounces at listhost.ups.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Blust
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 9:10 AM
To: odonata-l at listhost.ups.edu
Subject: [Odonata-l] Frog legs and odonates - attempt #2




Legless Frogs Mystery Solved<https://harpo.greenmtn.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://amsciadmin.eresources.com/track/trackurl.aspx?q=SynP9lejxPWeMYgWYOLBpF3qYfMf3VwOTz3il6d/WxCzUOou/cx14xeMXZyVCt5F8RuOkahE9Xs/1y2vqAW27K7l9ZOtb5R28O0JTorAmaiSnWUWugKs7g==>

from BBC News Online

Scientists think they have resolved one of the most controversial environmental issues of the past decade: the curious case of the missing frogs' legs.

Around the world, frogs are found with missing or misshaped limbs, a striking deformity that many researchers believe is caused by chemical pollution.

However, tests on frogs and toads have revealed a more natural, benign cause. The deformed frogs are actually victims of the predatory habits of dragonfly nymphs, which eat the legs of tadpoles.

http://snipr.com/kx70t
------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Blust
Dept. of Natural Science
Green Mountain College
Poultney, VT   05764
802-287-8331
blustm at greenmtn.edu<mailto:blustm at greenmtn.edu>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailweb.ups.edu/pipermail/odonata-l/attachments/20090626/e7c491e6/attachment.html