Research
Investigation: Fungus may have killed Atlantic Forest amphibians in the 1970s and ’80s
Mongabay · By Sean Mowbray ·
The Brief
- Researchers now propose a fungus may have caused frog die-offs in Brazil's Atlantic Forest in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Earlier explanations for the decline included severe cold snaps and acid rain.
- The source describes the proposed culprit as a highly pathogenic fungus, based on the investigation's findings.
Why it matters
The proposed fungal cause offers a candidate explanation for a historic amphibian decline, which matters for understanding how pathogens drive biodiversity loss in tropical forests.
Who’s affected
- amphibian researchers and conservation biologists
- people working on Atlantic Forest conservation in Brazil
- #amphibians
- #atlantic forest
- #fungal disease
- #biodiversity loss
- #brazil
In the 1970s and ’80s, frogs in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest began dying off. Researchers have proposed various causes, from severe cold snaps to acid rain. Now, scientists believe they have solved this decade-old amphibian “cold case.” The culprit, it seems, may be the highly…
Timeline
Mongabay published an investigation proposing a fungus as the cause of the 1970s and 1980s Atlantic Forest amphibian die-offs
Conservation news
Investigation: Fungus may have killed Atlantic Forest amphibians in the 1970s and ’80s