"P1: (提出观点) [ declines in amphibian populations < signs of extinctioon ] +opinions of environmentalists
P2: (评估观点)distinction between a declining population and extinction --> many factors lead to decline
P3: (承上)boilogists' opinion [ population declines>extinctions ] -->反驳P1观点
P5: (总结)identifying real declines needs more data [ but we should pay attenntion in time] --> warning. "
P1.
1. Recent reports: of drastic declines in amphibian populations and of extinctions of a number of the world's endangered amphibian species
2. Environmentalists: immediate environmental action -> to remedy "amphibian crisis" – an indicator of environmental degradation due to human activity
P2.
1. Evaluation: A declining population ≠ endangered one
2. Elaborate: endangered one is always rare, small, and under constant threat of extinction even without a proximate cause in human activities – chance events may lead to its extinction (depends on the population size)
P3.
1. Biologists’ concern: population declines are more worrisome than extinctions – indicate a changed ecological context
2. Argument: distinctions must be made among apparent declines/ lower acceptable declines/ threaten extinction delcines
3. Difficulties: Anecdotal reports can’t distinguish + amphibian have shown fluctuations before
P4.
1. Evidence: long-term scientific data on amphibian populations is not enough
2. Example: many amphibian species extinct after severe declines in the 1950s and 1960s have subsequently recovered
3. Reminder: long-term data will not soon be forthcoming – postponing environmental action while we wait for it may doom species and whole ecosystems to extinction