We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Evaluating Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure with Satellite Data at Sites of Amphibian Declines in Central and South America.
- Authors
Middleton, Elizabeth M.; Herman, Jay R.; Celarier, Edward A.; Wilkinson, John W.; Carey, Cynthia; Rusin, Robert J.
- Abstract
Abstract: Many amphibian species have experienced substantial population declines or have disappeared altogether during the last several decades at a number of amphibian survey sites in Central and South America. Our study addresses the use of trends in solar UV-B radiation exposure (280–320 nm) at these sites over the last two decades, derived from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer satellite data. It is intended to demonstrate a role for satellite observations in determining whether UV-B radiation is a contributing factor in amphibian declines. We used these data to calculate the daily erythemal (sunburning) UV-B, or UV-Bery , exposure at the latitude, longitude, and elevation of each of 20 survey sites. The annually averaged UV-Bery dose, as well as the maximum values, have been increasing in both Central and South America, with higher levels reached at the Central American sites. The annually averaged UV-Bery exposure increased significantly from 1979–1998 at all 11 Central American sites we examined (r 2 = 0.60–0.79; p ≤ 0.015), with smaller but significant increases at five of the nine South American sites (r 2 = 0.24–0.42; p ≤ 0.05). The number of days having the highest UV-B exposure (≥6.75 kJ/m2/day) increased in both regions from <40 days per year to approximately 58 days per year in 1998 (r2 = 0.24–0.42; p ≤ 0.001). In Central America, the contribution of these very high UV-Bery exposure levels to the annual UV-Bery total increased from approximately 5 to approximately 15% over the 19-year period, but actual daily exposures for each species are unknown. A UV-B ratio, the highest monthly UV-B exposure relative to the annual average for the highest UV-B category (≥6.75 kJ/m2), increased in both regions over this time period (r 2 = 0.73; p ≤ 0.001)....
- Subjects
AMPHIBIANS; ANIMAL populations; RADIATION
- Publication
Conservation Biology, 2001, Vol 15, Issue 4, p914
- ISSN
0888-8892
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1523-1739.2001.015004914.x