Professor Célio Haddad gives a lecture on the conservation of amphibians in the face of climate change

By Emerson José

The Charles Darwin Seminars, an initiative of CBioClima (Center for Research in Biodiversity and Climate Change), received Prof. Dr. Célio Haddad for a lecture this Tuesday (29) on “The impact of human-induced environmental changes and the conservation of amphibians”, at Amphitheater II of Unesp, in Rio Claro.

Prof. Dr. Célio Haddad holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the State University of Campinas (1982), a master's degree (1987) and a doctorate (1991) in Ecology, also from the State University of Campinas. Célio is a professor at the Institute of Biosciences at Unesp in Rio Claro and a tenured professor at the São Paulo State University (UNESP). The professor's area of ​​expertise is zoology and ecology. He researches taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, evolution, behavior and conservation of anuran amphibians. He is also the Scientific Coordinator of CBioClima.

According to the professor’s presentation, “the Neotropical region has approximately half of the global amphibian diversity. However, the number of new species described continues to increase, as a result of the increasing number of researchers in this region. The destruction and transformation of natural ecosystems is the main threat to amphibians. This degradation process is increasing in several places in the Neotropical region, causing declines and extinctions of populations and species. We are losing species (they are becoming extinct) before we can collect and describe them. This situation is particularly dramatic in the Atlantic Forest, one of the most diverse formations, but which has been almost entirely destroyed in recent centuries. We need to describe species more quickly than we do today, because it is more difficult to protect unnamed species and because we need a better understanding of real diversity.”

In this sense, “the current processes of decline and extinction of amphibians are not natural and are, for the most part, caused by man (destruction and alteration of habitats, climate change, infectious diseases, excessive hunting, introduction of exotic species, among others)”.

Therefore, conservation is necessary: ​​the wise, equitable and sustainable use of natural resources. This definition by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), during the Rio 92 meeting, already understood that resources would be used by man. However, species are finite resources and, if they become extinct, they will not return. Even though many species are not used as resources by man, they may be in the future. Furthermore, they are indirectly important for the functioning of ecosystems. There is also the ethical issue that man does not have the right to eliminate species”, pointed out the professor.

Furthermore, “amphibians are important in food chains and are preyed upon by several species. From a mercantilist and utilitarian point of view, we may be losing valuable information about chemical compounds present in amphibian skin. The use of amphibians as medicine is a tradition among some indigenous Amazonian peoples.”

Finally, the professor emphasized that we must “preserve the diversity of organisms to mitigate the harmful effects of human activities on natural populations.”

Professor Célio Haddad, CBioClima.