PUCRS researchers study herbicide impacts on Boana faber tadpoles

Researchers at PUCRS are conducting studies in São Francisco de Paula to understand how glyphosate-based herbicides affect the development of Boana faber tadpoles, commonly known as hammerhead frogs. The research, led by Professor Guendalina Turcato Oliveira and researcher Cristiano Hentges, examines physiological parameters such as oxidative balance, metabolism, and body condition indices under controlled laboratory conditions.

Amphibians serve as critical bioindicators of environmental quality due to their close relationship with both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The study highlights the vulnerability of these species to human activities, including habitat fragmentation and chemical contamination, which contribute to the mass extinction processes observed in Brazil’s highly diverse amphibian populations.