The Anthropocene has witnessed catastrophic amphibian declines across the globe. A multitude of new, primarily human‐induced drivers of decline may lead to extinction, but can also push species onto novel evolutionary trajectories. If these are recognized by amphibian biologists, they can be engaged in conservation actions. Here, we summarize how principles stemming from evolutionary concepts have been applied for conservation purposes, and address emerging ideas at the vanguard of amphibian conservation science. In particular, we examine the consequences of increased drift and inbreeding in small populations and their implications for practical conservation. We then review studies of connectivity between populations at the landscape level, which have emphasized the limiting influence of anthropogenic structures and degraded habitat on genetic cohesion. The rapid pace of environmental changes leads to the central question of whether amphibian populations can cope either by adapting to new conditions or by shifting their ranges. We gloomily conclude that extinction seems far more likely than adaptation or range shifts for most species. That said, conservation strategies employing evolutionary principles, such as selective breeding, introduction of adaptive variants through translocations, ecosystem interventions aimed at decreasing phenotype–environment mismatch, or genetic engineering, may effectively counter amphibian decline in some areas or for some species. The spread of invasive species and infectious diseases has often had disastrous consequences, but has also provided some premier examples of rapid evolution with conservation implications. Much can be done in terms of setting aside valuable amphibian habitat that should encompass both natural and agricultural areas, as well as designing protected areas to maximize the phylogenetic and functional diversity of the amphibian community. We conclude that an explicit consideration and application of evolutionary principles, although certainly not a silver bullet, should increase effectiveness of amphibian conservation in both the short and long term.

中文翻译：

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指导两栖动物保护的进化原则。

人类世见证了全球两栖动物灾难性的减少。大量新的、主要由人类引起的衰退驱动因素可能会导致灭绝，但也可能将物种推向新的进化轨迹。如果这些得到两栖生物学家的认可，他们就可以参与保护行动。在这里，我们总结了如何将源自进化概念的原理应用于保护目的，并讨论两栖动物保护科学前沿的新兴想法。特别是，我们研究了小种群中漂流和近亲繁殖增加的后果及其对实际保护的影响。然后，我们回顾了景观水平上种群之间连通性的研究，这些研究强调了人类结构和退化栖息地对遗传凝聚力的限制性影响。环境的快速变化引发了一个核心问题：两栖动物种群是否可以通过适应新的条件或改变其活动范围来应对。我们悲观地得出结论，对于大多数物种来说，灭绝的可能性似乎远大于适应或范围转移的可能性。也就是说，采用进化原理的保护策略，例如选择性育种、通过易位引入适应性变异、旨在减少表型与环境不匹配的生态系统干预措施或基因工程，可能会有效地对抗某些地区或某些物种的两栖动物衰退。入侵物种和传染病的传播往往会带来灾难性的后果，但也提供了一些具有保护意义的快速进化的典型例子。在预留宝贵的两栖动物栖息地（应涵盖自然区域和农业区域）以及设计保护区以最大限度地提高两栖动物群落的系统发育和功能多样性方面，我们可以做很多事情。我们的结论是，对进化原理的明确考虑和应用虽然肯定不是灵丹妙药，但应该在短期和长期内提高两栖动物保护的有效性。