Amphibians in Serbia Today and Tomorrow - Ecological and Economic Value

Abstract

Regarding the vertebrate group Amphibia (amphibians), confronting the questions of ecological and economic roles of this widespread group of animals is in essence contradictio in adjecto.

The general issue that arises at the very beginning is the fact that no real ecological, but neither assumed economic importance of amphibians in Serbia, today, in the second decade of the 21st century, cannot be even approximately evaluated. An ecological analysis of the status of populations is impossible without detailed and long term studies, which hasn’t been carried out in Serbia in a satisfactory manner to this day. As a result, the economic importance of amphibians in Serbia could be approximately rather than precisely and methodologically estimated.

We believe that is not neccessary to write here in details about ecological status of amphibians in the biosphere. The importance of the amphibians is noted already on the most basic levels of education so that even average educated inhabitants of our planet are aware that those small, slimy and most repulsive creatures are important for our survival. On the other hand, consideration of economic value one of the key animal groups such as amphibians is, in essence, denying their uniqueness in the importance and role in the global development of life on Earth.

Consideration of the economic importance of amphibians seems to multiply layered process although essentially rests on three, often interconnected but diametrically opposite problems.

The first and simplest problem is anthropocentric that could be summarized in one question: “How much one specimen worth to me on the market at a given time and place?”. This question is perhaps has the easiest answer because it takes into account only that part of the human population who can't see beyond their own interests. The second problem is considering how much it costs when you have to fix often a very large and hard reperable damage. This is a very complex question with no immediate response, where the numbers are changing in time and space, and the size of the economic value of this problem in time only increases.

The third and most significant problem are costs which, although directly continue on the value of the two previous questions, is the toughest to estimate, because it does not seem directly connected. These are costs related to the global level and the overall correlation effect of energetic material flows of the process, and whose maintenance is becoming more expensive and problematic by the day. Regarding this problem, this work has no aspirations in giving expert opinion.

Ecological importance of amphibians is unquestionable, clear and will be more important in days that come. Amphibians for over 360 million years ago represent the link between the aquatic and terrestrial environments, and in every ecosystem in which they could be found they are one of the basic factors of ecosystem survival.

Explanation of their importance lies in the multiple particularities of their life histories, biological specificity and both, global and local ecology. Without amphibians the largest number of stable biological systems would be affected so profoundly that their survival couldn’t be predicted.

Anthropogenic modification of the natural habitats of amphibians typically has a harmful effect on populations of amphibians (and not only them). Determining the economic losses arising from the disappearance of amphibian population represents an initial step in understanding the value of natural resources and in the process of redeeming the consequences. Just assign economic value to amphibians is very difficult due to the lack of realistic parameters for assessment of population attributes.

Even in places where such economical estimates are done, they are very probably underrated.

In our and neighbor countries there is no economic calculation about “price” of amphibians, except very sketchy, infeasible and rigid intent of the legislator that through the price list "protect" amphibians. In this terms only in the spring months in road kill in Serbia remain hundreds of thousands of euros (if not tenfold more), as a consequence of high amphibian road mortality.

For even a simple list of important amphibian species with their very roughly estimated economic values, we waited until 2010. Even then this “pricelist” came out ambiguous. One study study of amphibian road mortality on a short section of the road next to their reproductive center and outside the breeding season during five days of tracking, was enough to show us that the value of killed specimens has exceeded 70,000 €. There is no law which can carry out and force this sanction, no matter how much the intention of the legislature was positive. In addition, this road, as well as most others, does not contain even one warning sign of possible road kills of amphibians.

Experiences that come from abroad are hardly applicable to us. One of the reasons is poor material and technical base necessary for implementation of the necessary activities to protect amphibians, and second one, even more important, is low level of knowledge of our politicians and bureaucratic apparatus about the significance of the amphibians (and of course this is not the only reasons). Proclaimed care about amphibians in Serbia is, when it comes to decision-making levels, superficial and only form without the essence. Quoting one of the most respected organization that strive to make nature protection visible and presented globally (IUCN), we can gain insight into how far our amphibians from desirable level of protection.

Amphibian conservation Action Plan which this IUCN adopted during 2005. anticipated the total budget of almost 410 million U.S. dollars. When we try to adapt this calculation to local circumstances in Serbia (no economic but natural) we get 31.250 $ to be invested annually to protect amphibians, in order to be able to talk about the development of the modern society that takes care of the condition of nature.

Unfortunately, one of the newest and the most comprehensive analysis of the problems of economic evaluation of amphibians in Serbia (“Protection and preservation of the Green Frog in Serbia and Montenegro”) has remained without response in professional public and, even worse, in the bureaucratic political structures without whose benevolence could not be expect improvement in funding of protection of amphibians (and nature as a whole).

Neglect and misunderstanding of the conservation issues by important financial and political centers (whether they are small or large), is the basic problem in the protection of the life on Earth (that means: lower prices for our survival on Earth). Indebt analysis is not necessary in order to see a conflict between the amounts of money given for environmental conservation and limited effects of these investments.

Even the huge sums are planned to be allocated for the protection and revitalization of certain areas in most cases they never make it to the target areas, and funds spent in active protection so far did not managed to prevent (or at least slow down) the exponential trend of natural habitats disappearing. Conservation of natural habitats and their inhabitants are the only guarantee of survival of life on Earth with us as the main "bosses" included, and money should not have a decisive role.