In certain parts of the world, amphibians seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate, scientists agree. But is it a global problem? And are amphibians really disappearing faster than other species? UC Davis evolution and ecology professor Brad Shaffer will present the case for the global decline of amphibians in a public debate with Henry Wilbur, a biology professor at the University of Virginia, who will argue that the shrinking numbers are due in part to natural population fluctuations. The evening forum on Wednesday, July 27, will mark the first day of the annual meeting of the Herpetologists' League and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, the two largest societies of professional herpetologists. The forum and subsequent sessions are being held at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.