Photo Credit: Robbie Sproule

In a study published on July 26 in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, researchers show that Pacific chorus frogs are being exposed to toxic pesticides even in remote areas many miles from conventional farmland. Testing frogs, water, and sediment from seven locations downwind of agricultural areas, researchers found traces of pesticides in frog tissues at every site. Amphibian populations have seen a dramatic decline in the last decade, and many scientists attribute this decrease in amphibian biodiversity to pesticide use. Pesticide exposure can result in increased amphibian mortality, and even low-dose exposure can result in endocrine disruption. This study is the first to show that even frogs living in remote locations are still being exposed to these toxic chemicals, likely transported by dust and rain.