Current trends and future directions in koala chlamydial disease research

Abstract

koala population declines and the underlying mechanisms involved. They should also employ rigorous epidemiological methodologies and evaluate co-infection, habitat, climatic and demographic data. Our findings suggest some key research gaps concerning koala chlamydiosis, and are hence important for guiding future research into koala chlamydiosis and conservation.

Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Factors Associated with Trends in Bare‐Nosed Wombats

“…Geographically widespread species present challenges for comprehending changes in abundance over both space and time. This is evidenced by multiple wildlife species where range contraction and declining trajectories are recognized at late stages, greatly limiting the potential success of management interventions (Grogan et al 2017). One solution is to use local monitoring as a proxy for the species' range, but spatially variable population trajectories can also lead to erroneous interpretations (positive or negative).…”

“…Barriers can include difficulty in identifying techniques that cover a range of target taxa, competing priorities for targeted monitoring, limited resources and capacity to establish new monitoring programs, capacity to validate indices of abundance, expertise across a range of survey methodologies, and legacies of past management and monitoring practices (Witmer 2005, Fontaine 2011). Though all methods have strengths and limitations, establishing systematic monitoring can be among the most significant investment of resources for informed conservation management, and the absence of such monitoring can be the most significant limitation (e.g., koala, [ Phascolarctos cinereus ] populations in Queensland; Grogan et al 2017).…”

Is disease a major causal factor in declines? An Evidence Framework and case study on koala chlamydiosis

“…Resource and technological limitations have resulted in inherent sampling and methodological biases in the majority of population-level ( Fig. 1B) studies performed to date on koala chlamydiosis (Grogan et al 2017). The most important of these caveats was the lack of appropriate diagnostic techniques capable of distinguishing chlamydial species/strains and infection severity (Fig.…”

“…However, it is disappointing that so few time series (Fig. 1BIIId) of koala population dynamics and chlamydial infection, which could shed light on this question, are available for analysis (Grogan et al 2017).…”

“…To demonstrate the application of the Evidence Framework detailed above, we use koala (Phascolarctos cinereus, Goldfuss) population declines and their putative association with the disease chlamydiosis (infection by bacteria in Family Chlamydiaceae; Fig. 2) as a case study, in light of a recent comprehensive evaluation of the koala chlamydial literature (Grogan et al 2017). Throughout this case study we make reference to sections of the Evidence Framework in parentheses (i.e.…”