Towards a causal link between amphibian declines and increased UV radiation

A clear causal link between increased solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) levels and global amphibian declines remains elusive in part because we do not understand how amphibians experience, interact with and respond to UVR in their natural environment. This project will explore the UVR microenvironment in aquatic habitats, and using a combination of laboratory, seminatural mesocosm and field approaches, determine how natural UVR exposures can influence amphibians - from the individual up to populations. The project will provide critical knowledge of how rapidly changing environments influence amphibians, and given the current species extinction rates, support evidence-based policies that are urgently needed to address this key threat.