Roundup Is Killing Off Amphibians, Ecologist Says

Worldwide, amphibians are dying. And University of Pittsburgh ecologist Rick Relyea said he knows one way to kill them: Spray them with a little Roundup, the best-selling weed killer from St. Louis-based Monsanto.

In a new study from Relyea, published in this month’s issue of the journal Ecological Applications, Roundup killed 98 percent of tadpoles during a three-week test in simulated shallow ponds. In a separate dry experiment, Roundup killed 79 percent of young frogs and toads after just one day. “It’s much deadlier than we thought,” Relyea said.

Amphibians’ permeable skins make them vulnerable to toxins. Global warming, acid rain and increased ultraviolet light all seem to harm them. So even if Roundup has a toxic effect, Chase said, it’s unlikely to cause the global declines on its own. Rather, there are likely many causes with the biggest being loss of habitat, he said.

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