Evolution of Ideas about Causes of Amphibian Deformities

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This Issue focuses on a research article by Blaustein and Johnson (2003) that was published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. The article discusses amphibian deformities, which may be related to a global decline in amphibians. By working with this paper and additional figures, students come to appreciate the complexity of biodiversity loss. Specifically, they gain an understanding of why scientists disagree about causes of amphibian limb deformities and why the search for a single factor is likely too simple.

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Primary or BEN resource type	Teaching strategies & guidelines
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Format	html
Ecological Core Concept	Individuals -- Physiology Individuals Human impacts -- Biodiversity loss Human impacts
Drought & Water-Ecosystem Services Collection	Off
Conservation Targets Under Global Change Collection	Off
Big Data Collection	Off
Editor's Choice	No
Audience	Undergraduate upper division 15-16 Undergraduate lower division 13-14
Pedagogical Use Description	Frontiers Issues are designed to help faculty use a Frontiers article in the classroom. The Stohlgren et al. (Frontiers, 2003) paper can be used in sections of courses dealing with diversity loss. By working with this paper and additional figures, students come to appreciate the complexity of biodiversity loss. Specifically, they gain an understanding of why scientists disagree about causes of amphibian limb deformities and why the search for a single factor is likely too simple. This research question can help students appreciate that scientists can disagree for a number of reasons-— because they are asking different questions, studying different aspects of the same issue, or interpreting data differently.
Keywords	TIEE, pedagogy, student active, inquiry based, deformity, deformed, development, parasite, chemical, complexity, bioindicator, environmental indicator
Key taxa	Amphibia, Anura, frog, trematode, trematoda, ribeiroia ondatrae, Ribeiroia cercariae, Telorchis, Pacific treefrog, Hyla regilla
Life science discipline (subject)	Ecology
Primary Author Controlled Name	Charlene D'Avanzo
Primary Author Affiliation	School of Natural Sciences, Hampshire College
Primary Author email	cdavanzo@hampshire.edu
Rights	Copyright 2004 by Charlene D'Avanzo and the Ecological Society of America.
Resource Editor	Unknown
Reviewer A	Unknown
Reviewer B	Unknown
Date Of Record Submission	2007-12-26

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