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Sheridan JA, Kendrick MR. Relationships of primary productivity with anuran abundance, richness, and community composition in tropical streams. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303886. [PMID: 38820528 PMCID: PMC11142703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationship between primary productivity and diversity has been demonstrated across taxa and spatial scales, but for organisms with biphasic life cycles, little research has examined whether productivity of larval and adult environments influence each life stage independently, or whether productivity of one life stage's environment outweighs the influence of the other. Experimental work demonstrates that tadpoles of stream-breeding anurans can exhibit a top-down influence on aquatic primary productivity (APP), but few studies have sought evidence of a bottom-up influence of primary productivity on anuran abundance, species richness and community composition, as seen in other organisms. We examined aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity in two forest types in Borneo, along with amphibian abundance, species richness, and community composition at larval and adult stages, to determine whether there is evidence for a bottom-up influence of APP on tadpole abundance and species richness across streams, and the relative importance of aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity on larval and adult phases of anurans. We predicted that adult richness, abundance, and community composition would be influenced by terrestrial primary productivity, but that tadpole richness, abundance, and community composition would be influenced by APP. Contrary to expectations, we did not find evidence that primary productivity, or variation thereof, predicts anuran richness at larval or adult stages. Further, no measure of primary productivity or its variation was a significant predictor of adult abundance, or of adult or tadpole community composition. For tadpoles, we found that in areas with low terrestrial primary productivity, abundance was positively related to APP, but in areas with high terrestrial primary productivity, abundance was negatively related to APP, suggesting a bottom-up influence of primary productivity on abundance in secondary forest, and a top-down influence of tadpoles on primary productivity in primary forest. Additional data are needed to better understand the ecological interactions between terrestrial primary productivity, aquatic primary productivity, and tadpole abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Sheridan
- Section of Amphibians and Reptiles, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Kendrick
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston, SC, United States of America
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2
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Ford J, Green DM. Inter-annual variation in amphibian larval interspecies interactions. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10221. [PMID: 37408624 PMCID: PMC10318579 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The outcomes of species interactions can vary by life stage, year, and surrounding environmental conditions. Amphibian species are expected to compete most strongly during their tadpole stage when they exist in the highest densities. Changes in arrival timing, surrounding aquatic communities, and yearly conditions could all affect the outcome of larval competition. In Long Point, Ontario, the Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) is at the northern edge of its range and overlaps with the more common American toad (Anaxyrus americanus). Both species breed in ponds that encounter high inter-annual variation. To determine whether these species compete strongly, and if this effect was replicated across multiple years, we raised both species as tadpoles together and, apart, in mesocosms in 2018 and 2021. We measured survivorship to, weight at, and time to metamorphosis for both species in both years. We determined that the presence of American toad tadpoles consistently had a detrimental effect on Fowler's toad tadpoles, even though this effect presented itself differently across years. Our study suggests that competitive exclusion by American toads could be occurring at the edge of the Fowler's toad's range. This study further demonstrates the importance of studying communities across multiple years to understand the full scope of species interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ford
- Redpath MuseumMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
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3
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Dvorsky C, Riddle K, Boone M. Assessing the Impact of Chemical Algae Management Strategies on Anurans and Aquatic Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:213-224. [PMID: 36342350 PMCID: PMC10107480 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pond management with chemical and biological agents that reduce overgrowth of algae is an important means of maintaining water quality in residential ponds, yet the effects on nontarget species are not fully understood. We assessed the impact of Aquashade (a common nontoxic pond dye) and copper sulfate (a toxic algaecide) on American toad (Anaxyrus americanus), northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens), and Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) metamorphosis in outdoor mesocosm experiments. We also evaluated the relative impact of tadpole grazing versus chemical treatment on phytoplankton and periphyton abundance. We found no significant effects of pond management treatment on anuran metamorphosis, suggesting that addition of Aquashade and copper sulfate at tested concentrations does not significantly impact anurans under these experimental conditions. Interestingly, we found that the presence of tadpoles more strongly reduced algal abundance than Aquashade or copper sulfate by significantly decreasing phytoplankton and periphyton abundance over time. The present study suggests that anuran tadpoles may be effective at maintaining water quality, and that Aquashade and copper sulfate may have minimal effects on amphibian metamorphosis. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:213-224. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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4
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Alonso A, Monroy S, Bosch J, Pérez J, Boyero L. Amphibian loss alters periphyton structure and invertebrate growth in montane streams. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:2329-2337. [PMID: 36177539 PMCID: PMC9828351 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are declining worldwide due to a combination of stressors such as climate change, invasive species, habitat loss, pollution and emergent diseases. Although their losses are likely to have important ecological consequences on the structure and functioning of freshwater ecosystems, this issue has been scarcely explored. We conducted an experiment in three montane streams-where primary production is the main source of energy and carbon-to assess the effects of amphibian disappearance (i.e. presence or absence of the common midwife toad Alytes obstetricans, a common species found in pools of these streams) on several aspects of ecosystem functioning and structure: periphyton biomass and chlorophyll a concentration, algal assemblage structure, and growth of macroinvertebrate grazers. We compared four types of experimental enclosures: (i) without macroinvertebrates or amphibians; (ii) with larvae of the caddisfly Allogamus laureatus; (iii) with A. obstetricans tadpoles; and (iv) with both A. laureatus larvae and A. obstetricans tadpoles. The absence of tadpoles increased periphyton biomass, but did not cause differences on inorganic sediment accrual. The algal assemblage had a higher diversity in the absence of tadpoles, and their characteristic taxa differed from the assemblages in presence of tadpoles. A. laureatus presented higher mass in presence of tadpoles; however, tadpole length was not affected by presence of macroinvertebrates. Our results suggest that presence of tadpoles is a driver of periphyton accrual and assemblage structure, acting as top-down control and with key potential consequences on the functioning of montane stream ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Alonso
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Silvia Monroy
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Jaime Bosch
- IMIB‐Research Unit of Biodiversity (CSIC, UO, PA)Oviedo University‐Campus MieresMieresSpain,Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Parque Nacional de la Sierra de GuadarramaRascafríaSpain
| | - Javier Pérez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Luz Boyero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for ScienceBilbaoSpain
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5
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Zipkin EF, DiRenzo GV. Biodiversity is decimated by the cascading effects of the amphibian-killing chytrid fungus. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010624. [PMID: 35862362 PMCID: PMC9302726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elise F. Zipkin
- Department of Integrative Biology; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Graziella V. DiRenzo
- U.S. Geological Survey, Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
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6
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Harjoe CC, Buck JC, Rohr JR, Roberts CE, Olson DH, Blaustein AR. Pathogenic fungus causes density‐ and trait‐mediated trophic cascades in an aquatic community. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen C. Harjoe
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Julia C. Buck
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington North Carolina USA
| | - Jason R. Rohr
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame, Eck Institute for Global Health, and Environmental Change Initiative Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - Claire E. Roberts
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Deanna H. Olson
- Pacific Northwest Research Station USDA Forest Service Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Andrew R. Blaustein
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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7
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Rettig JE, Teeters NR, Smith GR. Effects of the Interaction of Bluegill and Two Species of Tadpoles on Experimental Zooplankton Communities. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-186.1.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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8
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Towards a more healthy conservation paradigm: integrating disease and molecular ecology to aid biological conservation †. J Genet 2021. [PMID: 33622992 PMCID: PMC7371965 DOI: 10.1007/s12041-020-01225-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, and the diseases they cause, are important from an ecological and evolutionary perspective because they can negatively affect host fitness and can regulate host populations. Consequently, conservation biology has long recognized the vital role that parasites can play in the process of species endangerment and recovery. However, we are only beginning to understand how deeply parasites are embedded in ecological systems, and there is a growing recognition of the important ways in which parasites affect ecosystem structure and function. Thus, there is an urgent need to revisit how parasites are viewed from a conservation perspective and broaden the role that disease ecology plays in conservation-related research and outcomes. This review broadly focusses on the role that disease ecology can play in biological conservation. Our review specifically emphasizes on how the integration of tools and analytical approaches associated with both disease and molecular ecology can be leveraged to aid conservation biology. Our review first concentrates on disease-mediated extinctions and wildlife epidemics. We then focus on elucidating how host–parasite interactions has improved our understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics affecting hosts at the individual, population, community and ecosystem scales. We believe that the role of parasites as drivers and indicators of ecosystem health is especially an exciting area of research that has the potential to fundamentally alter our view of parasites and their role in biological conservation. The review concludes with a broad overview of the current and potential applications of modern genomic tools in disease ecology to aid biological conservation.
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Ford J, Hunt DA, Haines GE, Lewis M, Lewis Y, Green DM. Adrift on a Sea of Troubles: Can Amphibians Survive in a Human-Dominated World?1. HERPETOLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.1655/0018-0831-76.2.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ford
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | | | - Grant E. Haines
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Micaela Lewis
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Yael Lewis
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - David M. Green
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
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10
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Craioveanu O, Craioveanu C, Ghira I, Mireșan V, Hartel T. Does carnivory pay off? Experiments on the effects of different types of diet on growth and development of Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758) tadpoles and carry-over effects after metamorphosis. HERPETOZOA 2019. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e35627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural diets of anuran larvae vary widely in their relative amounts of nutrients. The proportion of these ingested nutrients has significant influence on larval and post-metamorphic performance.
Here, we use the Common Toad to address the role of diet (exclusively carnivore, exclusively vegetarian and mixed) on growth and development of tadpoles and short-term carry-over effects on post-metamorphic animals. Larvae fed on an exclusively vegetarian diet performed better (faster growth and development) than larvae fed on exclusively carnivore and mixed diets. Larvae fed on the exclusively carnivore diet had the lowest performance. Regarding the carry-over effects of larval diets, although the body condition indices of the toadlets were similar in all treatments, there was a major difference in the survival rate. While toadlets, originating from larvae fed on a vegetarian diet, were more successful and had the lowest mortality, those fed on a carnivore diet had the highest mortality level. Our results suggest that a plant-based diet may contain all the necessary nutrients needed by Bufobufo larvae. Furthermore, a diet based exclusively on food of animal origin might be detrimental for the larval performance and could have significant carry-over effects on the post-metamorphic animal.
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11
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Simon TN, Binderup AJ, Flecker AS, Gilliam JF, Marshall MC, Thomas SA, Travis J, Reznick DN, Pringle CM. Landscape patterns in top-down control of decomposition: omnivory disrupts a tropical detrital-based trophic cascade. Ecology 2019; 100:e02723. [PMID: 30973962 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Detrital-based trophic cascades are often considered weak or absent in tropical stream ecosystems because of the prevalence of omnivorous macroconsumers and the dearth of leaf-shredding insects. In this study, we isolate top-down effects of three macroconsumer species on detrital processing in headwater streams draining Trinidad's northern mountains. We separated effects of different macroconsumers by experimentally manipulating their temporal access to isolated benthic habitat over the diel cycle. We found no evidence that omnivorous macroconsumers, including a freshwater crab (Eudaniela garmani) and guppy (Poecilia reticulata), increased leaf decomposition via consumption. By contrast, above a waterfall excluding guppies, the insectivorous killifish, Anablepsoides hartii, reduced the biomass of the leaf-shredding insect Phylloicus hansoni 4-fold, which consequently reduced leaf decomposition rates 1.6-fold. This detrital cascade did not occur below the barrier waterfall, where omnivorous guppies join the assemblage and reduce killifish densities; here killifish had no significant effects on Phylloicus or decomposition rates. These patterns of detrital processing were also observed in upstream-downstream comparisons in a landscape study across paired reaches of six streams. Above waterfalls, where killifish were present, but guppies absent, leaf decomposition rates and Phylloicus biomass were 2.5- and ~35-fold lower, respectively, compared to measurements below waterfalls. Moreover, the strength of top-down control by killifish is reflected by the 20- and 5-fold reductions in variability (±SE) surrounding mean Phylloicus biomass and leaf decomposition rates in upstream relative to downstream reaches where no top-down control was detected. Findings show a clear, detrital-based trophic cascade among killifish, a leaf-shredding insect, and leaf decomposition rates. Results also show how omnivorous guppies disrupt this cascade by depressing killifish densities, thereby releasing invertebrate shredders from predation, and significantly increasing decomposition rates. Moreover, this combination of direct and indirect trophic interactions drives patterns in decomposition rates in stream networks at a landscape scale, resulting in significantly lower rates of decomposition above vs. below barrier waterfalls. Our findings reveal that omnivory can result in significant indirect effects on a key ecosystem process, illustrating the importance of these hidden trophic pathways in detrital-based systems and suggesting that resource control in tropical systems may be even more complex than previously envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy N Simon
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Andrew J Binderup
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Alex S Flecker
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - James F Gilliam
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
| | - Michael C Marshall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Steven A Thomas
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68583, USA
| | - Joseph Travis
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA
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12
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Schmeller DS, Loyau A, Bao K, Brack W, Chatzinotas A, De Vleeschouwer F, Friesen J, Gandois L, Hansson SV, Haver M, Le Roux G, Shen J, Teisserenc R, Vredenburg VT. People, pollution and pathogens - Global change impacts in mountain freshwater ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 622-623:756-763. [PMID: 29223902 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Mountain catchments provide for the livelihood of more than half of humankind, and have become a key destination for tourist and recreation activities globally. Mountain ecosystems are generally considered to be less complex and less species diverse due to the harsh environmental conditions. As such, they are also more sensitive to the various impacts of the Anthropocene. For this reason, mountain regions may serve as sentinels of change and provide ideal ecosystems for studying climate and global change impacts on biodiversity. We here review different facets of anthropogenic impacts on mountain freshwater ecosystems. We put particular focus on micropollutants and their distribution and redistribution due to hydrological extremes, their direct influence on water quality and their indirect influence on ecosystem health via changes of freshwater species and their interactions. We show that those changes may drive pathogen establishment in new environments with harmful consequences for freshwater species, but also for the human population. Based on the reviewed literature, we recommend reconstructing the recent past of anthropogenic impact through sediment analyses, to focus efforts on small, but highly productive waterbodies, and to collect data on the occurrence and variability of microorganisms, biofilms, plankton species and key species, such as amphibians due to their bioindicator value for ecosystem health and water quality. The newly gained knowledge can then be used to develop a comprehensive framework of indicators to robustly inform policy and decision making on current and future risks for ecosystem health and human well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk S Schmeller
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Adeline Loyau
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kunshan Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Beijing Road 73, 210008 Nanjing, China
| | - Werner Brack
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Antonis Chatzinotas
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Jan Friesen
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Catchment Hydrology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Laure Gandois
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophia V Hansson
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France; Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience - Arctic Research Centre, Fredriksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marilen Haver
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Gaël Le Roux
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Ji Shen
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman Teisserenc
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- San Francisco State University, Department of Biology, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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13
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Infectious Agents Trigger Trophic Cascades. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:681-694. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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14
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DiRenzo GV, Che-Castaldo C, Rugenski A, Brenes R, Whiles MR, Pringle CM, Kilham SS, Lips KR. Disassembly of a tadpole community by a multi-host fungal pathogen with limited evidence of recovery. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:309-320. [PMID: 28052493 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases can cause host community disassembly, but the mechanisms driving the order of species declines and extirpations following a disease outbreak are unclear. We documented the community disassembly of a Neotropical tadpole community during a chytridiomycosis outbreak, triggered by the generalist fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Within the first 11 months of Bd arrival, tadpole density and occupancy rapidly declined. Species rarity, in terms of tadpole occupancy and adult relative abundance, did not predict the odds of tadpole occupancy declines. But species losses were taxonomically selective, with glassfrogs (Family: Centrolenidae) disappearing the fastest and tree frogs (Family: Hylidae) and dart-poison frogs (Family: Dendrobatidae) remaining the longest. We detected biotic homogenization of tadpole communities, with post-decline communities resembling one another more strongly than pre-decline communities. The entire tadpole community was extirpated within 22 months following Bd arrival, and we found limited signs of recovery within 10 years post-outbreak. Because of imperfect species detection inherent to sampling species-rich tropical communities and the difficulty of devising a single study design protocol to sample physically complex tropical habitats, we used simulations to provide recommendations for future surveys to adequately sample diverse Neotropical communities. Our unique data set on tadpole community composition before and after Bd arrival is a valuable baseline for assessing amphibian recovery. Our results are of direct relevance to conservation managers and community ecologists interested in understanding the timing, magnitude, and consequences of disease outbreaks as emerging infectious diseases spread globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziella V DiRenzo
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20744, USA
| | | | - Amanda Rugenski
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85281, USA
| | - Roberto Brenes
- Department of Biology, Carroll University, Waukesha, Wisconsin, 53186, USA
| | - Matt R Whiles
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, 62901, USA
| | | | - Susan S Kilham
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| | - Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20744, USA
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15
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Bassar RD, Bryan BL, Marshall MC, Pringle CM, Reznick DN, Travis J. Local adaptation of fish consumers alters primary production through changes in algal community composition and diversity. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald D. Bassar
- Dept of Biology; Univ. of California; Riverside CA USA
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - Brynne L. Bryan
- Biology Dept; California State Univ. Dominguez Hills; Carson CA USA
| | - Michael C. Marshall
- Odum School of Ecology; Univ. of Georgia; Athens GA USA
- Center for Applied Isotope Studies-Stable Isotope Ecology Laboratory; Univ. of Georgia; Athens GA USA
| | | | | | - Joseph Travis
- Dept of Biological Sciences; Florida State Univ.; Tallahassee FL USA
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16
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Rowland FE, Rawlings MB, Semlitsch RD. Joint effects of resources and amphibians on pond ecosystems. Oecologia 2016; 183:237-247. [PMID: 27718066 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3748-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Primary production can be controlled through bottom-up (e.g., resources) or top-down (e.g., predators) constraints. Two key bottom-up resources in small aquatic systems are light and nutrients, and forest canopy cover heavily influences these factors, whereas amphibian and invertebrate colonizers exert top-down pressure as grazers and predators. We designed our experiment to specifically manipulate two different top-down and bottom-up factors. We manipulated resources by altering light (low/high) and nutrient (low/high) availability; omnivores with the presence/absence of southern leopard frog tadpoles (Lithobates sphenocephalus); and predators with the presence/absence of spotted salamander larvae (Ambystoma maculatum) in a full-factorial experiment conducted over 14 weeks. We observed that both bottom-up and top-down effects were important in predicting lower trophic level biomass. We found a significant top-down effect of salamanders on Daphnia, but tadpoles had the strongest overall effect on the food web, influencing phytoplankton (+), periphyton (-), and chironomids (-). None of our models were good predictors of phytoplankton biomass, but both shading and nutrient availability relatively equally boosted periphyton biomass. We also found large temporal differences in food-web dynamics. Our results underscore the need for more information into how ecosystem functioning could be altered by land use, amphibian extirpation, and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya E Rowland
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Madelyn B Rawlings
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Raymond D Semlitsch
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
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Whitfield SM, Lips KR, Donnelly MA. Amphibian Decline and Conservation in Central America. COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-15-300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Smith TC, Knapp RA, Briggs CJ. Declines and extinctions of mountain yellow‐legged frogs have small effects on benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C. Smith
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine BiologyUniversity of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Roland A. Knapp
- Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research LaboratoryUniversity of California 1016 Mount Morrison Road Mammoth Lakes California 93546 USA
| | - Cheryl J. Briggs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine BiologyUniversity of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
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Buck JC, Rohr JR, Blaustein AR. Effects of nutrient supplementation on host-pathogen dynamics of the amphibian chytrid fungus: a community approach. FRESHWATER BIOLOGY 2016; 61:110-120. [PMID: 28956554 PMCID: PMC4857202 DOI: 10.1111/fwb.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors may influence hosts and their pathogens directly or may alter host-pathogen dynamics indirectly through interactions with other species. For example, in aquatic ecosystems, eutrophication may be associated with increased or decreased disease risk. Conversely, pathogens can influence community structure and function and are increasingly recognised as important members of the ecological communities in which they exist.In outdoor mesocosms, we experimentally manipulated nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and the presence of a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and examined the effects on Bd abundance on larval amphibian hosts (Pseudacris regilla: Hylidae), amphibian traits and community dynamics. We predicted that resource supplementation would mitigate negative effects of Bd on tadpole growth and development and that indirect effects of treatments would propagate through the community.Nutrient additions caused changes in algal growth, which benefitted tadpoles through increased mass, development and survival. Bd-exposed tadpoles metamorphosed sooner than unexposed individuals, but their mass at metamorphosis was not affected by Bd exposure. We detected additive rather than interactive effects of nutrient supplementation and Bd in this experiment.Nutrient supplementation was not a significant predictor of infection load of larval amphibians. However, a structural equation model revealed that resource supplementation and exposure of amphibians to Bd altered the structure of the aquatic community. This is the first demonstration that sublethal effects of Bd on amphibians can alter aquatic community dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Buck
- Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, U.S.A
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A
| | - Jason R Rohr
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, U.S.A
| | - Andrew R Blaustein
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A
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Barnum TR, Drake JM, Colón-Gaud C, Rugenski AT, Frauendorf TC, Connelly S, Kilham SS, Whiles MR, Lips KR, Pringle CM. Evidence for the persistence of food web structure after amphibian extirpation in a Neotropical stream. Ecology 2015; 96:2106-16. [DOI: 10.1890/14-1526.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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22
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Warwick AR, Travis J, Lemmon EM. Geographic variation in the Pine Barrens Treefrog (Hyla andersonii): concordance of genetic, morphometric and acoustic signal data. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3281-98. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2014] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexa R. Warwick
- Department of Biological Science; Florida State University; 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL 32306 USA
| | - Joseph Travis
- Department of Biological Science; Florida State University; 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL 32306 USA
| | - Emily Moriarty Lemmon
- Department of Biological Science; Florida State University; 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL 32306 USA
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Rowland FE, Bricker KJ, Vanni MJ, González MJ. Light and nutrients regulate energy transfer through benthic and pelagic food chains. OIKOS 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.02106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zongo B, Boussim JI. The effects of physicochemical variables and tadpole assemblages on microalgal communities in freshwater temporary ponds through an experimental approach. AQUATIC BIOSYSTEMS 2015; 11:1. [PMID: 25694810 PMCID: PMC4332427 DOI: 10.1186/s12999-014-0013-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In freshwater systems, microalgae are the major biomass of microorganisms. They occur in ecosystems that are largely structured by the climatic regime, the physical and chemical environments with which they interact, and the biological interactions that occur within them. Amphibian larvae are most present in standing water habitats where they are important primary and secondary consumers and even predators. Studies conducted in America and Europe have shown that tadpoles play an important role in the regulation of the algal community structure and water quality in ecosystems. This article aimed to study the effects of the physicochemical variables and tadpole assemblages of four species on microalgae in artificial freshwater ponds using an experimental approach in the Pendjari area, a flora and fauna reserve located in the extreme north-west of Benin. RESULTS The species of phytoplankton and periphyton recorded in ponds were among the taxonomical groups of chlorophytes, cyanophytes, euglenophytes, diatoms and dinoflagellates. Chlorophytes were the dominant group in the algal communities. Physicochemical variables affected the biomass of the different communities of algae in temporary freshwater ponds. Transparency and pond size were the most determinative variables of the structure of microalgae communities in ponds. Tadpoles of Kassina fusca, Ptychadena. bibroni, and Phrynomantis microps were important for the regulation of the water quality and algal community structure by grazing and filter-feeding. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in the tadpole population in the artificial temporary ponds due to predation by carnivorous tadpoles of Hoplobatrachus occipitalis caused a disturbance of the algal community structure. This means that the decline of the amphibian population will critically lead to the impoverishment of ecosystems, thereby negatively influencing aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilassé Zongo
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Écologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Joseph I Boussim
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Écologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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Kearney BD, Pell RJ, Byrne PG, Reina RD. Anuran larval developmental plasticity and survival in response to variable salinity of ecologically relevant timing and magnitude. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 321:541-9. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian D. Kearney
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - Rebecca J. Pell
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - Phillip G. Byrne
- The Institute for Conservation Biology & Environmental Management; University of Wollongong; Wollongong New South Wales Australia
| | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton Victoria Australia
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Travis J, Reznick D, Bassar RD, López-Sepulcre A, Ferriere R, Coulson T. Do Eco-Evo Feedbacks Help Us Understand Nature? Answers From Studies of the Trinidadian Guppy. ADV ECOL RES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801374-8.00001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Use of stable isotope ratios to characterize potential shifts in the isotopic niches of grazing insects following an amphibian decline in a Neotropical stream. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1017/s026646741300028x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Neotropical streams are losing dominant consumer groups as a result of disease-driven amphibian declines. The herbivorous tadpoles of Lithobates warszewitschii were once abundant in the Rio Maria in the Eastern Cordillera Central of Panama, where they consumed algae and organic matter. The decline of this once abundant grazer has the potential to affect the resources consumed by insect grazers in this system. Stable isotopes were used to characterize changes in the resource use before and after amphibian declines of four abundant insect grazer taxa: Stenonema spp., Thraulodes spp., Psephenus spp. and Petrophila spp. We collected 11 isotope samples of L. warszewitschii and 27 isotope samples of these insect taxa in 2006, and then 24 more isotope samples of the same insect taxa in 2008, 20 mo. after a disease-driven amphibian extirpation. We also tested for potential functional redundancy of insects with tadpoles by comparing the post-decline isotopic niche of each insect taxon to the isotopic niche of L. warszewitschii. The isotopic niche of Psephenus spp., Petrophila spp. and Stenonema spp. shifted from 2006 to 2008, but none of the insect taxa in 2008 occupied the same isotopic niche as tadpoles. Our study builds on previous evidence that the ecological roles of tadpoles were not replaced through functional redundancy after amphibian declines.
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Costa ZJ, Vonesh JR. Interspecific Differences in the Direct and Indirect Effects of Two Neotropical Hylid Tadpoles on Primary Producers and Zooplankton. Biotropica 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zacharia J. Costa
- Department of Biology; Virginia Commonwealth University; 1000 W. Cary St; Richmond; VA; 23284-2012; U.S.A
| | - James R. Vonesh
- Department of Biology; Virginia Commonwealth University; 1000 W. Cary St; Richmond; VA; 23284-2012; U.S.A
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Woodhams DC, Bell SC, Kenyon N, Alford RA, Rollins-Smith LA. Immune evasion or avoidance: fungal skin infection linked to reduced defence peptides in Australian green-eyed treefrogs, Litoria serrata. Fungal Biol 2012; 116:1203-11. [PMID: 23245614 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2012.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Many parasites and pathogens suppress host immunity to maintain infection or initiate disease. On the skin of many amphibians, defensive peptides are active against the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis. We tested the hypothesis that infection with the fungus may be linked to lower levels of defensive peptides. We sampled both ambient (or constitutive) skin peptides on the ventral surface immediately upon capture, and stored skin peptides induced from granular glands by norepinephrine administration of Australian green-eyed treefrogs, Litoria serrata. Upon capture, uninfected frogs expressed an array of antimicrobial peptides on their ventral surface, whereas infected frogs had reduced skin peptide expression. Expression of ambient skin peptides differed with infection status, and antimicrobial peptides maculatin 1.1 and 2.1 were on average three times lower on infected frogs. However, the repertoire of skin peptides stored in granular glands did not differ with infection status; on average equal quantities were recovered from infected and from uninfected frogs. Our results could have at least two causes: (1) frogs with reduced peptide expression are more likely to become infected; (2) Bd infection interferes with defence peptides by inhibiting release or causing selective degradation of peptides on the skin surface. Immune evasion therefore may contribute to the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis and a mechanistic understanding of this fungal strategy may lead to improved methods of disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas C Woodhams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, N122 Ramaley, 334 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA.
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Whiles MR, Hall RO, Dodds WK, Verburg P, Huryn AD, Pringle CM, Lips KR, Kilham SS, Colón-Gaud C, Rugenski AT, Peterson S, Connelly S. Disease-Driven Amphibian Declines Alter Ecosystem Processes in a Tropical Stream. Ecosystems 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-012-9602-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Effects of the Anuran Tadpole Assemblage and Nutrient Enrichment on Freshwater Snail Abundance (Physella sp.). AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2012. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-168.2.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Blaustein AR, Gervasi SS, Johnson PTJ, Hoverman JT, Belden LK, Bradley PW, Xie GY. Ecophysiology meets conservation: understanding the role of disease in amphibian population declines. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2012; 367:1688-707. [PMID: 22566676 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are intimately associated with the dynamics of biodiversity. However, the role that infectious disease plays within ecological communities is complex. The complex effects of infectious disease at the scale of communities and ecosystems are driven by the interaction between host and pathogen. Whether or not a given host-pathogen interaction results in progression from infection to disease is largely dependent on the physiological characteristics of the host within the context of the external environment. Here, we highlight the importance of understanding the outcome of infection and disease in the context of host ecophysiology using amphibians as a model system. Amphibians are ideal for such a discussion because many of their populations are experiencing declines and extinctions, with disease as an important factor implicated in many declines and extinctions. Exposure to pathogens and the host's responses to infection can be influenced by many factors related to physiology such as host life history, immunology, endocrinology, resource acquisition, behaviour and changing climates. In our review, we discuss the relationship between disease and biodiversity. We highlight the dynamics of three amphibian host-pathogen systems that induce different effects on hosts and life stages and illustrate the complexity of amphibian-host-parasite systems. We then review links between environmental stress, endocrine-immune interactions, disease and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Blaustein
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-2914, USA.
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Bassar RD, Ferriere R, López-Sepulcre A, Marshall MC, Travis J, Pringle CM, Reznick DN. Direct and Indirect Ecosystem Effects of Evolutionary Adaptation in the Trinidadian Guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Am Nat 2012; 180:167-85. [DOI: 10.1086/666611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Hall RO, Taylor BW, Flecker AS. Detritivorous fish indirectly reduce insect secondary production in a tropical river. Ecosphere 2011. [DOI: 10.1890/es11-00042.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Woodhams DC, Bosch J, Briggs CJ, Cashins S, Davis LR, Lauer A, Muths E, Puschendorf R, Schmidt BR, Sheafor B, Voyles J. Mitigating amphibian disease: strategies to maintain wild populations and control chytridiomycosis. Front Zool 2011; 8:8. [PMID: 21496358 PMCID: PMC3098159 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-8-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2010] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rescuing amphibian diversity is an achievable conservation challenge. Disease mitigation is one essential component of population management. Here we assess existing disease mitigation strategies, some in early experimental stages, which focus on the globally emerging chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. We discuss the precedent for each strategy in systems ranging from agriculture to human medicine, and the outlook for each strategy in terms of research needs and long-term potential. Results We find that the effects of exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis occur on a spectrum from transient commensal to lethal pathogen. Management priorities are divided between (1) halting pathogen spread and developing survival assurance colonies, and (2) prophylactic or remedial disease treatment. Epidemiological models of chytridiomycosis suggest that mitigation strategies can control disease without eliminating the pathogen. Ecological ethics guide wildlife disease research, but several ethical questions remain for managing disease in the field. Conclusions Because sustainable conservation of amphibians in nature is dependent on long-term population persistence and co-evolution with potentially lethal pathogens, we suggest that disease mitigation not focus exclusively on the elimination or containment of the pathogen, or on the captive breeding of amphibian hosts. Rather, successful disease mitigation must be context specific with epidemiologically informed strategies to manage already infected populations by decreasing pathogenicity and host susceptibility. We propose population level treatments based on three steps: first, identify mechanisms of disease suppression; second, parameterize epizootiological models of disease and population dynamics for testing under semi-natural conditions; and third, begin a process of adaptive management in field trials with natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas C Woodhams
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Blaustein AR, Han BA, Relyea RA, Johnson PT, Buck JC, Gervasi SS, Kats LB. The complexity of amphibian population declines: understanding the role of cofactors in driving amphibian losses. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2011; 1223:108-19. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05909.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Colón-Gaud C, Whiles MR, Lips KR, Pringle CM, Kilham SS, Connelly S, Brenes R, Peterson SD. Stream invertebrate responses to a catastrophic decline in consumer diversity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1899/09-102.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Checo Colón-Gaud
- Institute for Tropical Ecosystem Studies, University of Puerto Rico–Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931 USA
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Matt R. Whiles
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Karen R. Lips
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA
| | | | - Susan S. Kilham
- Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 USA
| | - Scott Connelly
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 USA
| | - Roberto Brenes
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Scot D. Peterson
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA
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