Conclusion

This book has presented what is known about the extent and causes of amphibian population declines in the United States and what can be done about them. It has also examined life history and natural history features needed to manage for amphibians, with a current assessment of their distribution. In assembling the literature for this project, and with a quick look at the species accounts, what is immediately noticeable is that a few species are well known and have a large literature, some species are better known and have a modest literature, and many species are almost unknown. An existing scientific literature creates a future scientific literature and results in a species bias. Workers are strongly encouraged to explore species that are not well known and to seek questions from field observations. Scientists must also explore creative new techniques for observing and monitoring inconvenient animals.