VARIABLE BREEDING PHENOLOGY AFFECTS THE EXPOSURE OF AMPHIBIAN EMBRYOS TO ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION and OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL WATERS PROTECT AMPHIBIANS FROM UV-B IN THE U.S. PACIFIC NORTHWEST: COMMENT

Abstract

Numerous reports suggest that amphibian populations are declining throughout the world (recently reviewed in Alford and Richards 1999, Blaustein and Kiesecker 2002).Potential causes for these declines include habitat destruction, disease, environmental contaminants, global climate change, introduced exotic species, and increasing levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280-315 nm) radiation.Because of the global nature