People all over the
world, regardless of culture or religion,
think the natural world is a beautiful
place that inspires them and fills
them with wonder.
Both rich (developed) and not-so-rich
(developing) countries need to find
ways that people can live happy, successful
lives without endangering the environment
around them. Just as humans need homes
and jobs, animals need habitats for
food and shelter and to maintain their
lifestyles. To conserve wonderful
animals such as tigers, pandas, and
chimpanzees, we must work to preserve
their unique habitats and ecosystems.
We can do a better job of protecting
our planet if we understand how humans
interact with animals and their habitats.
The village
of Efolofo on the northern slopes
of Mount Cameroon, Southwest Province,
Cameroon. Most of Dave's field research
is conducted near small villages in
the forests. At these villages, it
is necessary to meet with local chiefs
and elders in order to get permission
to enter the forests.
Photo D.C. Blackburn
We also need to understand the biology
of the species in these habitats.
How many species live there? How do
these species interact with each other?
If one species becomes extinct, will
other species also go extinct? What
are the special features that make
certain organisms so successful in
their environments? These are just
a few of the many questions that biologists
interested in biodiversity—like
David Blackburn and his team—ask
when they explore a habitat.
Rope bridge
crossing a river on the way up to
the Ntale Plateau, Southwest Province,
Cameroon. The forests of the Ntale
Plateau are rich with amphibian species
as well as many birds and mammals
such as chimpanzees.
Photo D.C. Blackburn
The
Global Amphibian Assessment of Conservation
International recently estimated
that about one third of all amphibian
species are threatened with extinction.
Amphibians (frogs, salamanders, and
caecilians) are very sensitive to
habitat change such as changes in
forest cover and water quality, as
well as erosion. Therefore, scientists
can get a good idea of how healthy
a habitat is by studying the amphibians
that live there. Unfortunately, we
still have a lot to learn about the
biology and diversity of the almost
6000 living amphibian species.
David.
Blackburn at Lake Oku in Cameroon
Photo D.C. Blackburn
David and his team hope
to provide you with a firsthand experience
of the joys and difficulties of biodiversity
research and fieldwork. Most importantly,
they hope that Project
Frog and its online
resources will help you develop a
better understanding of biodiversity
and the crisis facing animals, plants,
and ecosystems all over the world.
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