Abstract
In late 1995, school children discovered malformedfrogs in a south central Minnesota pond. Press coverage resultedin numerous citizen reports of frog malformation across Minnesotain 1996. After some initial site investigation, 3 affected frogsites and 4 nearby reference sites were selected for moredetailed evaluation. Field biologists made 89 visits to studysites beginning spring 1997 through fall 1999 to examine thenumber and type of frog malformations. Over 5,100 Leopardfrogs (Rana pipiens) were captured and examined atall study sites. Water elevations and associated littoralinundation were recorded from 1997-2000. Results indicate thatmalformation occurred at all study sites above historicalbackground levels. Rana pipiens malformation across allsites over three seasons averaged 7.9% and ranged from 0 to 7% at reference sites and 4 to 23% at affected sites. At onenorthern Minnesota site, mink frog (Ranaseptentrionalis) malformation was 75% in 1998. A sitecharacteristic common to the most affected sites was an elasticzone of littoral inundation. Climate driven hydrologic variationlikely influenced water depth and associated breeding locations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ankley, G. T., Tietge, J. E., DeFoe, D. L., Jensen, K. M., Holcombe, G. W., Durhan E. J. and Diamond, S. A.: 1998, 'Effects of ultraviolet light and methoprene on survival and development of Rana pipiens’, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 17, 2530-2542.
Blaustein, A. R. and Olsen, D. H.: 1991, ‘Declining amphibians’, Science 247, 1033-1034.
Blaustein, A. R., Kiesecher, J.M., Chivers, D. O. and Anthony, R. G.: 1997, ‘Ambient UV-B radiation causes deformities in amphibian embryos’, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA 94, 13735-13737.
Bridges, C. M.: 2000, ‘Long-term effects of pesticide exposure at various life stages of the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala)’, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 39, 91-96.
Burkhart, J. G., Helgen, J. C., Fort, D. J., Gallagher, K., Bowers, D., Propst, T. L., Gernes, M., Magner, J. A., Shelby, M. D. and Lucier, G.: 1998, ‘Induction of mortality and malformation in Xenopus laevis embryos by water sources associated with field frog deformities’, Environ. Health Perpect. 106, 841-848.
Canfield, J. T., Kersten, S. M. and Vanselow, P.: 2000, ‘1997-1999 Field Season Report: Minnesota Malformed Frog Investigation’, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN.
Fort, D. J., Propst, T. L., Stover, E. L., Helgen, J. C., Levey, R., Gallagher, K. and Burkhart, J. G.: 1999a, ‘Effects of pond water, sediment and sediment extracts from Minnesota and Vermont on early development and metamorphosis in Xenopus’, Environ. Toxicol. and Chem. 18, 2305-2315.
Fort, D. J., Rogers, R. L., Copley, H. F., Bruning, L. A., Stover, E. L., Helgen, J. C. and Burkhart, J. G.: 1999b, ‘Progress towards identifying causes of maldevelopment induced in Xenopus by pond water and sediment extracts fromMinnesota, USA’, Environ. Toxicol. and Chem. 18, 2325-2336.
Gardiner, D. M. and Hoppe, D. M.: 1999, ‘Environmentally induced limb malformation in mink frogs (Rana Septentrionalis)’, J. Exper. Zool. 284, 207-216.
Garber, E. A. E., Erb, J. L., Downward, J. G., Priuska, E. M., Wittliff, J. L., Feng, W., Magner, J. and Larsen, G. L.: 2000, ‘Biosensor, ELISA and Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay: Xenopus (FETAX) Analysis of Water Associated with Frog Malformations in Minnesota’, in: International Symposium on Environmental and Industrial Sensing: Photonic Detection and Intervention Technologies for Safe Food, Nov. 5-8th 2000, Boston MA. Vol. 4206: 147-158.
Hedeen, S. E.:1971, ‘Growth of the tadpoles of the mink frog, Rana septentrionalis’, Herpetologica 27, 160-165.
Hoppe, D. M.: 1999, ‘History of Minnesota frog abnormalities: do recent findings represent a new phenomenon?’, J. Iowa Acad. Sci. 107, 86-89.
Johnson, P. T. J., Lunde, K. B., Ritchie, E. G. and Launer, A. E.: 1999, ‘The effect of trematode infection on amphibian limb development and survivorship’, Science 248, 802-804.
Jones, P. M., Thurman, E. M., Little, E., Kersten, S., Helgen, J., and Scribner, E. A.: 1999, ‘Pesticide andMetabolite Concentrations in Sediments and Surface and GroundWater Found at Sites where Frog Malformations are Present in Minnesota’, in: 7th Symposium on the Chemistry and Fate of Modern Pesticides, September 14-16, 1999, Lawrence, KS.
Kliesecker, J. M., Blaustein, A. R. and Belden, L. K.: 2001, ‘Complex causes of amphibian population declines’, Nature 410, 681-684.
Lannoo, M. J.: 1998, Status and Conservation of Midwestern Amphibians, University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, IA.
Little, E. E.: 1999, ‘Solar Radiometric Measures In Amphibian Habitats of Central Minnesota’, Report prepared for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA, St.Paul, MN.
Meteyer, C. U., Loeffler, I. K., Fallon, J. F., Converse, K. A., Green, D. E., Helgen, J. C., Kersten, S., Levey, R., Eaton-Poole, L. and Burkhart, J. G.: 2000, ‘Hind limb malformations in free-living northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) from Maine, Minnesota, and Vermont suggest multiple etiologies’, Teratology 62, 151-171.
Murzen, R.: 2001, ‘Minnesota Amphibian Database’, http://www.murzen.robert.pca.state.mn.us NARCAM: 2001, ‘Current Observations on the Geographic Extent and Incidence of Frog Deformities’, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, North American Reporting Center for Amphibians Malformations, Jamestown, ND. http://www.npsc.nbs.gov/narcam/reports. National Drought Mitigation Center http://enso.unl.edu/ndmc/
Ouellet, M., Bonin, J., Ridrigue, J., DesGranges, J.-L. and Lair, S.: 1997, ‘Hindlimb deformities (ectromelia, ectrodactyly) in free-living anurans from agricultural habitats’, J. Wild. Disor. 33, 95-104.
Pechmann, J. H. K. and Wilber, H. M.: 1994, ‘Putting declining amphibian populations in perspective: natural fluctuations and human impacts’, Herpetologica 50, 65-84.
Schmidt, C. W.: 1997, ‘Amphibian deformites continue to puzzle researchers’, Environ. Sci. Tech. 31, 324-326.
Sessions, S. K., Franssen, R. A. and Horner, V. L.: 1999, ‘Morphological clues from multilegged frogs: are retinoids to blame?’, Science 284, 800-802.
Shappell, N. W., Garber, E. A. E., Gackle, N. J., Canfield, J. T. and Larsen, G.: 2000, ‘Malformation versus mortality, a study of Northern Leopard frog development in situ’, Mol. Biol. Cell 11: Suppl. Ab. 1428 p. 274.
Sutherland, D.: 2001, ‘Parasites of North American Anurans’, in: Status and Conservation of United States Amphibians, Vol. 1, Univ. of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
Wise, D.: 1997, ‘Terminology of developmental abnormalities in common laboratory mammals (Version 1)’, Teratology 55, 249-292.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vandenlangenberg, S.M., Canfield, J.T. & Magner, J.A. A Regional Survey of Malformed Frogs in Minnesota (USA) (Minnesota Malformed Frogs). Environ Monit Assess 82, 45–61 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021684723301
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021684723301