# Amphibians' spawning areas of national significance (AM)

A thematic map of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. The map is drawn in the browser; this file describes it and lists its variants and links, but not the data values shown on the map.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/amphibians-spawning-areas-of-national-significance-am/
- Short title: Amphibians' spawning areas (AM)
- Map id: 362
- Categories: Landscape and Space › Landscapes/Habitats › Protected areas
- Keywords: Animals, Nature conservation
- Published: 2010-11-26
- Last revised: 2022-02-04
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/amphibienlaichgebiete-von-nationaler-bedeutung-am.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/sites-de-reproduction-de-batraciens-dimportance-nationale.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/siti-di-riproduzione-di-anfibi-dimportanza-nazionale-am.md)

## Description

Amphibians are the most endangered group of animals in Switzerland. In all, 70% of local species are on the Red List of Threatened Species. With the exception of alpine salamanders, all the types that exist in Switzerland are dependent on stretches of water for their reproduction.

In 2001 the government set up the “Federal Inventory of Amphibian Spawning Areas (IANB)” in order to protect the endangered amphibians. It designates the most significant spawning areas and charges the cantons with their protection and maintenance. The aim of the IANB is to maintain, improve or reinstate proven stocks of amphibians.

The inventory currently contains 897 sectors of terrain with a total area of almost 13,815 ha. Sectors that have been inventoried but not yet enforced benefit from provisional protection. Areas of individual sectors range from a dozen square metres to a square kilometre.

The inventory covers a variety of stretches of water and wet areas such as pools, ponds, water-meadows and larger wetland complexes in marshland or alluvial and pit biotopes. All sectors are either characterised by substantial biodiversity or are used as spawning areas and temporary habitat by endangered species or large populations of single species.

The inventory’s spawning areas are principally vital for rare and endangered species of amphibian. Some species are found significantly more frequently in IANB sectors than in other areas. The acutely endangered Italian agile frog (Rana latastei) exists only in IANB stretches of water.

## Sources

- BAFU/OFEV/UFAM/FOEN (2015): [Amphibienlaichgebiete](http://www.bafu.admin.ch/biodiversitaet/13721/14385/14438/14450/index.html?lang=de). Bundesamt für Umwelt

## Data sources

- FOEN (2009): [Bundesinventar Amphibienlaichgebiete (AM)](http://www.bafu.admin.ch/biodiversitaet/13690/13725/16022/index.html?lang=de)

## Data owners

- [Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)](http://www.bafu.admin.ch/)

## Authors

- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2022): Amphibians' spawning areas of national significance (AM). ETH Zürich. Map data © FOEN. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/amphibians-spawning-areas-of-national-significance-am/

## Links

The map opens at its full extent; a link cannot set the map position.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/amphibians-spawning-areas-of-national-significance-am/
- Short link, stays valid when the title changes: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/t/362/
- Side by side with another map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/comparison/?lt=362&rt={id of the other map}&ru={u of the other map, or leave out}

Embed in another website (allowed by the terms of use, as long as the source references stay visible):

```html
<iframe src="https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/embed/?id=362&dm=e&ig=1" style="border:0;width:100%;height:600px;max-width:100%;" loading="lazy" title="Thematic map 'Amphibians&#39; spawning areas (AM)' in the Atlas of Switzerland" allowfullscreen sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups" allow="geolocation" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe>
```

In the embed URL, `dm` sets what is shown: `e` the map with its title bar (default), `p` also the values of an object clicked on the map, `m` only the map with a button that opens it in the atlas. `ig=1` (default) lets the map react to scrolling and dragging only after a click into it, `ig=0` right away. The size can be changed in `style`.

## Maps to compare with

- [Quarries: extraction of stones](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/quarries-extraction-of-stones.md) (id 191)
- [Extraction of clayey rocks](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/extraction-of-clayey-rocks.md) (id 193)

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).