Study Guide

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

1. How does the permeable skin of amphibians make them both unique and vulnerable?
2. Explain the dual role amphibians play in the food web.
3. What makes the great crested newt special in the context of British amphibians?
4. Why is the smooth newt the most likely to be encountered in Sidmouth?
5. How does habitat destruction specifically impact amphibians?
6. Name two ways climate change negatively affects amphibian populations.
7. Why are invasive species a threat to native amphibian populations?
8. Explain the threat posed by the chytrid fungus to amphibians.
9. What is the significance of captive breeding programs for amphibian conservation?
10. How can local communities contribute to amphibian conservation efforts?

Short-Answer Quiz Answer Key

1. Answer: Amphibians' permeable skin allows them to respire and absorb water and nutrients directly through their skin, but this also makes them highly susceptible to toxins and pollutants in their environment.
2. Answer: Amphibians act as both predators, controlling insect populations, and prey, serving as a food source for larger animals, thus playing a crucial role in maintaining a balanced food web.
3. Answer: The great crested newt is the largest native newt species in Britain and is now scarce, making it a subject of special conservation efforts to protect it from further decline.
4. Answer: The smooth newt is most commonly found in garden ponds and is known to inhabit the Knapp nature pond, making it the most likely species to be encountered in Sidmouth.
5. Answer: Habitat destruction, through deforestation and urbanisation, leads to the loss and fragmentation of amphibian habitats, reducing available breeding sites and restricting their movement.
6. Answer: Climate change alters precipitation patterns and temperatures, disrupting amphibian breeding cycles. Additionally, increased frequency of extreme weather events like droughts and floods can destabilise their habitats.
7. Answer: Invasive species can outcompete native amphibians for resources, disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem, and introduce diseases to which native amphibians have little resistance.
8. Answer: The chytrid fungus causes chytridiomycosis, a highly infectious disease that affects the skin of amphibians, leading to widespread population declines and extinctions globally.
9. Answer: Captive breeding programs help bolster the populations of endangered amphibian species, providing a safety net against extinction and a source for potential reintroduction into the wild.
10. Answer: Local communities can contribute by promoting sustainable land-use practices, reducing pollution, participating in citizen science projects, supporting conservation organisations, and educating others about the importance of amphibian conservation.

Essay Questions

1. Discuss the various ecological roles played by amphibians and their importance in maintaining ecosystem health.
2. Analyse the major threats faced by amphibians worldwide, focusing on the impact of human activities.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of current conservation efforts aimed at protecting amphibians. What are the challenges and potential solutions?
4. Explain how climate change poses a significant threat to amphibian populations, using specific examples to illustrate the impacts.
5. Drawing upon the information about amphibians in Britain and Sidmouth, propose a local conservation plan to protect amphibian populations in the area.

Key Terms Glossary

Amphibian - A cold-blooded vertebrate animal of a class that comprises the frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians. They are distinguished by having an aquatic gill-breathing larval stage followed by a terrestrial lung-breathing adult stage. 

Permeable Skin - Skin that allows liquids or gases to pass through it. In amphibians, this allows for respiration and absorption of water and nutrients.

Ecosystem Health - The condition of an ecosystem, reflecting its ability to function normally and maintain its biodiversity and services. Amphibians, due to their sensitivity, are good indicators of this health.

Predator - An animal that naturally preys on others. Amphibians act as predators to insects, regulating populations.

Prey - An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food. Amphibians are prey for various animals, playing a role in the food web.

Nutrient Cycling - The continuous movement of nutrients between living organisms and their environment. Amphibians contribute to this by consuming and releasing nutrients.

Regeneration - The process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes organisms resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Some amphibians, like axolotls, show remarkable regenerative abilities.

Habitat Destruction - The process by which natural habitats are rendered functionally unable to support the species present. This is a major threat to amphibians.

Pollution - The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. This can significantly impact amphibians due to their permeable skin.

Climate Change - Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts can disrupt amphibian breeding cycles and habitat stability.

Invasive Species - A species that is not native to a specific location and has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy or human health. These can outcompete or spread diseases to native amphibians.

Chytrid Fungus - A deadly fungus responsible for chytridiomycosis, a disease that has decimated amphibian populations globally.

Conservation - The act of protecting Earth's natural resources for current and future generations. This includes efforts to protect amphibian populations and habitats.

Habitat Restoration - The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Important for amphibian conservation.

Captive Breeding - The process of breeding animals outside of their natural environment in controlled conditions, such as zoos or wildlife reserves. Used to bolster populations of endangered species.endangered species.