Complex mystery of amphibian decline calls for a new kind ...( problems are expected as two major pro...)

"What's driving this is globalization -- as humans become more and more integrated into the earths ecosystems then we're going to see more and more change. As humans move around, they move things with them, like any other animal. If there's one lesson that history teaches us, when humans move into an area, there's generally a loss of biodiversity."

While much of the ecological change caused by human influence may not be reversible or even possible to stop, Collins sees a pragmatic reason for studying problems like the amphibian decline and working hard to get quick answers.

"We'd like to be in a position where we could begin to makes some decisions that might slow up this process. If we can understand better what the dynamics are, we could do that" Collins said. "It's a three-year grant -- experiments have been planned and some are already underway. We hope to know more soon."

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Contact: James Hathaway
hathaway@asu.edu
480-965-6375
Arizona State University
13-Feb-2000