Amphibian conservation status in Brazil: Spatial patterns, threats, and challenges

Abstract

Extinction risk assessments are valuable conservation tools, especially for sensitive groups like amphibians, which are facing escalating threats from habitat loss and degradation. In this scenario, Brazil stands out as a pivotal player in amphibian conservation due to its exceptional amphibian diversity. Between 2010 and 2014, 973 amphibian species were assessed in Brazil. More recently, from 2017 to 2018, this number increased to 1096. In this study, we (1) compare the extinction risk status of Brazilian amphibians between the 1st and 2nd assessments; (2) evaluate the reasons for changes in status; (3) identify the main threats and research recommendations; and (4) analyze the spatial patterns of threatened species in relation to protected areas and ecoregions in Brazil. Our findings reveal an increase in the number of threatened species from the first to the second assessment. The categories of Least Concern and Critically Endangered experienced the most significant increases, with 169 and 15 more species, respectively, while the count of Data Deficient species dropped by 71. The primary factor contributing to these changes is the availability of new, more precise information, affecting 134 species, or 85.4% of the cases. Threatened species are predominantly clustered within the Atlantic Forest biome, itself the most endangered biome in Brazil, hosting 46 species, or 78% of the total. Notably, one-third of threatened species in Brazil do not inhabit protected areas and thus require immediate conservation attention. While substantial progress has been made in understanding Brazilian amphibians in recent years, an urgent need persists for fundamental research. This research should encompass taxonomy, natural history, and the evaluation of threat impacts, providing a robust foundation for more effective conservation efforts concerning this group.