A study finds farm fields may not be the best environment for toads (Photo courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service)
A new study connects chemicals from
farm fields to mutant toads. Rebecca Williams
has more:
Transcript
A new study connects chemicals from
farm fields to mutant toads. Rebecca Williams
has more:
This study looked at toads that live near farm fields and toads that live
near other kinds of not-so-pristine areas like parking lots.
The researchers found in areas with more agriculture – and more farm
chemicals – there were more mutant toads. They found male toads with
both male and female parts. Not ideal when it comes to mating.
Louis Guillette is an author of the study, in the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives.
“It may in fact be a mixture of chemicals along with who knows what
other variables, nutrition, other stressors, that may be leading to these
problems.”
He says next they’ll try to figure out what chemicals are at play, and
exactly how the toads are being turned into hermaphrodites.
For The Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.