Alien species and animal diseases are only secondary endangering factors in China (Figure 9). However it is needed to emphasize disease impact on amphibian community. In many places of the world, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis caused by fungal pathogen infection has created destructive impact on the amphibian population in recent years [10,14,22,23,43,46~48]. An important characteristic of this kind of disease causes sharp reduction of animals in suitable habitat. in China at least one species (Nanorana pleskei) is sharply reducing, which is impossible to explain, therefore it is required to identify as soon as possible whether it is caused by this disease. If Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis gets rampant in China, then it may produce devastating attack to the amphibious fauna, especially to species of high-elevation and brook reproduction. Decline of this kind of reason should be most considered [43], followed by many high-risk Megophryidae and Ranidae species [49]. At present, there is no reporting of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in China, some specimen gathered in 2000 from west Sichuan are infected with unclear disease, but fungus test indicates a negative reaction, and no pathogen was discovered (Fu Jinzhong, personal communication).

Figure 8 populations of global threatened amphibians of China under specific endangering factor

a) The fast-reducing species refer to those which are worsening since 1980 in the red list category, worsening of one category equals to a specie’s change since 1980 in the red list category, such as change from least concern to near threatening is a classified worsening, Two species changing from least concern to near threatening are two classified worsening. One specie changing from near threatening to critical endangered is 3 classifications worsenings (for example China giant salamander Andrias davidianus)

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