Amphibian decline in Yellowstone National Park

Abstract/Summary

As researchers engaged in long-term amphibian monitoring in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), we read the paper by McMenamin et al. with interest. This study documents a decline in the extent of seasonal wetlands in the Lamar Valley of YNP during an extended drought, but their conclusion, widely reported in the media, of “severe declines in 4 once-common amphibian species”, is unsupported. Their analysis incorrectly defines populations, ignores significant inter-annual variation in amphibian occurrence, and is applicable to only a tiny fraction of YNP.