Physiology of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a Chytrid Pathogen of Amphibians

Piotrowski, Jeffrey S.; Annis, Seanna L.; Longcore, Joyce E.

doi:10.2307/3761981

Cited by 522 publications

(631 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…. The negative risk effect of m Z underlines the risks associated with a potentially long-lived infectious zoospore, the existence of which still remains controversial [25,26,30]. We did not find significant risk effects for many of the other model parameters.…”

Section: (C) Risk Effectscontrasting

confidence: 52%

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Assessing host extinction risk following exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2014

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Wildlife diseases are increasingly recognized as a major threat to biodiversity. Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Using a mathematical model and simulations, we study its effects on a generic riparian host population with a tadpole and adult life stage. An analytical expression for the basic reproduction quotient, Q o , of the pathogen is derived. By sampling the entire relevant parameter space, we perform a statistical assessment of the importance of all considered parameters in determining the risk of host extinction, upon exposure to Bd. We find that Q o not only gives a condition for the initial invasion of the fungus, but is in fact the best predictor for host extinction. We also show that the role of tadpoles, which in some species tolerate infections, is ambivalent. While tolerant tadpoles may provide a reservoir for the fungus, thus facilitating its persistence or even amplifying its outbreaks, they can also act as a rescue buffer for a stressed host population. Our results have important implications for amphibian conservation efforts.

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Section: (C) Risk Effectscontrasting

confidence: 52%

“…The transmission rates b s , zoospore loss rates m Z , m S,s and immunological parameters such as l s and T s , are strongly linked to abiotic factors like temperature and pH [4,14,30]. A better understanding of these links will provide a connection between our parametrization and site-specific abiotic factors.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing host extinction risk following exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2014

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“…The topographic and physical structure of the two sites is largely similar and they host identical amphibian species assemblages. Although water temperature at Wahlwiller was consistently 1-28C higher than at Rooth, both remain within the suitable thermal conditions for Bd growth for most of the Bombina breeding season [40,41], although other biotic interactions may be playing a role. For example, [42] found a strong relationship between seasonality and experimental Bd infection in Eleutherodactylus coqui, reflecting seasonal changes in the microbial community of the host species.…”

Section: (A) Individual-level Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fragile coexistence of a global chytrid pathogen with amphibian populations is mediated by environment and demography

et al. 2017

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Unravelling the multiple interacting drivers of host-pathogen coexistence is crucial in understanding how an apparently stable state of endemism may shift towards an epidemic and lead to biodiversity loss. Here, we investigate the apparent coexistence of the global amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) with Bombina variegata populations in The Netherlands over a 7-year period. We used a multi-season mark-recapture dataset and assessed potential drivers of coexistence (individual condition, environmental mediation and demographic compensation) at the individual and population levels. We show that even in a situation with a clear cost incurred by endemic Bd, population sizes remain largely stable. Current environmental conditions and an over-dispersed pathogen load probably stabilize disease dynamics, but as higher temperatures increase infection probability, changing environmental conditions, for example a climate-change-driven rise in temperature, could unbalance the current fragile host-pathogen equilibrium. Understanding the proximate mechanisms of such environmental mediation and of site-specific differences in infection dynamics can provide vital information for mitigation actions.

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“…One of these limiting factors is temperature; Bd has an optimal range of 17 to 25°C and can only persist within the range of 4 to 25°C, while temperatures greater than 30°C kill the fungus (Piotrowski et al 2004). Moisture is also critical for the persistence of Bd.…”

Section: Environmental Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting the potential distribution of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in East and Southeast Asia

Moriguchi

Tominaga²,

Irwin³

et al. 2015

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is the pathogen responsible for chytridiomycosis, a disease that is associated with a worldwide amphibian population decline. In this study, we predicted the potential distribution of Bd in East and Southeast Asia based on limited occurrence data. Our goal was to design an effective survey area where efforts to detect the pathogen can be focused. We generated ecological niche models using the maximum-entropy approach, with alleviation of multicollinearity and spatial autocorrelation. We applied eigenvector-based spatial filters as independent variables, in addition to environmental variables, to resolve spatial autocorrelation, and compared the model's accuracy and the degree of spatial autocorrelation with those of a model estimated using only environmental variables. We were able to identify areas of high suitability for Bd with accuracy. Among the environmental variables, factors related to temperature and precipitation were more effective in predicting the potential distribution of Bd than factors related to land use and cover type. Our study successfully predicted the potential distribution of Bd in East and Southeast Asia. This information should now be used to prioritize survey areas and generate a surveillance program to detect the pathogen.

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Physiology of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a Chytrid Pathogen of Amphibians

Cited by 522 publications

References 17 publications

Assessing host extinction risk following exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Assessing host extinction risk following exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Fragile coexistence of a global chytrid pathogen with amphibian populations is mediated by environment and demography

Predicting the potential distribution of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in East and Southeast Asia

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