Implementing Pesticide Usage Standards in the US to Mitigate Amphibian Decline
Jason Motley, a recent graduate of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy master’s program at George Mason University, recently published a policy memo in the Journal of Science Policy & Governance. Motley completed the work as part of EVPP 530 Evidence-Based Environmental Policymaking, a course taught by associate professor of science communication and policy K. L. Akerlof which is offered in the fall semester. Motley is the third student from this class to publish in a peer-reviewed journal, which is a new record for EVPP 530.
The publication, entitled “Implementing Pesticide Usage Standards in the U.S. to Mitigate Amphibian Decline,” addresses the growing threat that pesticide exposure poses to amphibian populations across the United States. Amphibians are especially vulnerable due to their permeable skin and aquatic life stages, yet they remain unprotected by current federal regulations. This memo outlines a series of policy recommendations aimed at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), including updated pesticide regulations, improved application timing near amphibian habitats, and increased federal research funding. Additionally, it highlights that amphibians play a vital role in ecosystem health, from controlling insect populations to contributing to nutrient cycling in forests and wetlands. Their decline not only signals broader environmental degradation but also threatens the ecosystem services that benefit human communities.
Motley will continue his research in conservation biology as a PhD student at Wake Forest University, where he plans to focus on population ecology and science communication.
