I work with reptiles, too, but they're much harder to study than amphibians. They don't all get together in a pool to breed. They don't call. You can't look into a pool and see their larvae. Amphibians are probably more susceptible to changes in the environment, but equally important is the fact that you can see what's happening to them.
Amphibians are often a good indicator of ecosystem health.
Carey, Cynthia, W. Ronald Heyer, John Wilkinson, Ross A. Alford, J. W. Arntzen, Tim Halliday, Laura Hungerford, Karen R. Lips, Elizabeth M. Middleton, Stan A. Orchard, and A. Stanley Rand.