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Vega-Yánez MA, Quezada-Riera AB, Rios-Touma B, Vizcaíno-Barba MDC, Millingalli W, Ganzino O, Coloma LA, Tapia EE, Dupérré N, Páez-Vacas M, Parra-Puente D, Franco-Mena D, Gavilanes G, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Valle CA, Guayasamin JM. Path for recovery: an ecological overview of the Jambato Harlequin Toad (Bufonidae: Atelopus ignescens) in its last known locality, Angamarca Valley, Ecuador. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17344. [PMID: 38915382 PMCID: PMC11195548 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The Jambato Harlequin toad (Atelopus ignescens), a formerly abundant species in the Andes of Ecuador, faced a dramatic population decline in the 1980s, with its last recorded sighting in 1988. The species was considered Extinct by the IUCN until 2016, when a fortuitous discovery of one Jambato by a local boy reignited hope. In this study, we present findings from an investigation conducted in the Angamarca parish, focusing on distribution, abundance, habitat preferences, ecology, disease susceptibility, and dietary habits of the species. In one year we identified 71 individuals at different stages of development in various habitats, with a significant presence in agricultural mosaic areas and locations near water sources used for crop irrigation, demonstrating the persistence of the species in a complex landscape, with considerable human intervention. The dietary analysis based on fecal samples indicated a diverse prey selection, primarily comprising arthropods such as Acari, Coleoptera, and ants. Amphibian declines have been associated with diseases and climate change; notably, our study confirmed the presence of the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), but, surprisingly, none of the infected Jambatos displayed visible signs of illness. When analyzing climatic patterns, we found that there are climatic differences between historical localities and Angamarca; the temporal analysis also exposes a generalized warming trend. Finally, in collaboration with the local community, we developed a series of management recommendations for terrestrial and aquatic environments occupied by the Jambato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateo A. Vega-Yánez
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Maestría en Ecología Tropical y Conservación, Quito, Ecuador
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Calle Diego de Robles s/n y Pampite, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Blanca Rios-Touma
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS). Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas, Vía Nayón S/N, Campus UDLAPARK, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - Luis A. Coloma
- Alianza Jambato, Las Casas, Quito, Ecuador
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Jambatu, San Rafael, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Elicio E. Tapia
- Leibniz-Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Dupérré
- Leibniz-Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mónica Páez-Vacas
- Alianza Jambato, Las Casas, Quito, Ecuador
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Jambatu, San Rafael, Quito, Ecuador
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Universidad Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador
| | - David Parra-Puente
- Alianza Jambato, Las Casas, Quito, Ecuador
- Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Daniela Franco-Mena
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Calle Diego de Robles s/n y Pampite, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Gabriela Gavilanes
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Calle Diego de Robles s/n y Pampite, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador
| | - David Salazar-Valenzuela
- Alianza Jambato, Las Casas, Quito, Ecuador
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Universidad Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador
- Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carlos A. Valle
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Juan M. Guayasamin
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Maestría en Ecología Tropical y Conservación, Quito, Ecuador
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Calle Diego de Robles s/n y Pampite, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador
- Alianza Jambato, Las Casas, Quito, Ecuador
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2
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Zigler A, Straw S, Tokuda I, Bronson E, Riede T. Critical calls: Circadian and seasonal periodicity in vocal activity in a breeding colony of Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286582. [PMID: 37590183 PMCID: PMC10434951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is a critically endangered species and currently is believed to survive and reproduce only in human care. Panamanian golden frog males are considerably vocal which may be an important component in their successful reproduction, though little is currently known about their calls. To better understand the behavior and vocal patterns of this species and to improve breeding efforts in the assurance colony, we employed individual sound recording of male advertisement calls and acoustic monitoring of a breeding colony to investigate variation in the vocal behavior of Panamanian golden frogs. The goal was to capture variability within and among frogs as well as patterns of periodicity over time. First, the advertisement calls from individual male Panamanian golden frogs were recorded, and acoustic parameters were analyzed for individual differences. Results suggest that male advertisement calls demonstrate individual- and population specificity. Second, data collected through a year-long acoustic monitoring of the breeding colony were investigated for circadian and circannual periodicity. Male vocal activity revealed a circadian periodicity entrained by the daily light schedule. Seasonal periodicity was also found with highest vocal activities between December and March. The finding of a seasonal periodicity is worth noting given that the population had been bred for 20 years under constant environmental conditions. Finally, results suggest that vocal activity was responsive to daily animal care activity. Vocal activity decreased substantially when personnel entered the room and engaged in animal husbandry activities. The findings illustrate the usefulness of acoustic monitoring to provide insight into animal behavior in a zoo setting in a key breeding colony of endangered animals, and calling pattern observations may be utilized to modify husbandry practices to improve Panamanian golden frog breeding success and general care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Zigler
- The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Straw
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Isao Tokuda
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Ellen Bronson
- The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tobias Riede
- Department of Physiology, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, United States of America
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3
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Womack MC, Steigerwald E, Blackburn DC, Cannatella DC, Catenazzi A, Che J, Koo MS, McGuire JA, Ron SR, Spencer CL, Vredenburg VT, Tarvin RD. State of the Amphibia 2020: A Review of Five Years of Amphibian Research and Existing Resources. ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1643/h2022005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Molly C. Womack
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322; . ORCID: 0000-0002-3346-021X
| | - Emma Steigerwald
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611; . ORCID: 0000-0002-1810-9886
| | - David C. Cannatella
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712; . ORCID: 0000-0001-8675-0520
| | | | - Jing Che
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Security of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; . ORCID: 0000-0003-4246-6
| | - Michelle S. Koo
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Jimmy A. McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Santiago R. Ron
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador; . ORCID: 0000-0001-6300-9350
| | - Carol L. Spencer
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Vance T. Vredenburg
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Rebecca D. Tarvin
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
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4
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Turner A, Heard G, Hall A, Wassens S. Age structure of amphibian populations with endemic chytridiomycosis, across climatic regions with markedly different infection risk. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9123. [PMID: 35898428 PMCID: PMC9309026 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Threatening processes, such as disease, can drive major changes in population demographics of the host. Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has led to the decline of at least 500 amphibian species across the globe and has been shown to truncate host age structure by lowering adult survival rates. This results in heavy reliance on annual recruitment and the inability to recover in the event of periodic recruitment failure. We used skeletochronology to determine the age structure, growth, and survival rates of populations of an endangered amphibian, Litoria raniformis, with endemic chytridiomycosis, across two climatically disparate regions in south-eastern Australia: semi-arid and temperate. Contrary to predictions, populations in the semi-arid region (in which chytrid prevalence is substantially lower due to high temperatures) displayed a more truncated age structure than populations in the temperate study regions. Maximum recorded age was only two years in the semi-arid region compared with up to four years in the temperate region. Wetland hydroperiod and average seasonal air temperature were correlated with age, and males had a slightly higher survival rate than females (0.31 for males and 0.27 for females). Despite the previously documented differences in chytrid prevalence between the two climatic regions, water availability and wetland hydroperiods appear the over-riding determinants of the age structure and survival rates of L. raniformis. Targeted management which ensures water availability and improves survival of 1-year-old frogs into their second and third breeding season would reduce the impact of stochastic events on L. raniformis, and this may be true for numerous frog species susceptible to chytridiomycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Turner
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary ScienceCharles Sturt UniversityAlburyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Geoffrey Heard
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research NetworkThe University of QueenslandIndooroopilyQueenslandAustralia
| | - Andrew Hall
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary ScienceCharles Sturt UniversityAlburyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Skye Wassens
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary ScienceCharles Sturt UniversityAlburyNew South WalesAustralia
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5
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Gass J, Voyles J. When Defenses Fail: Atelopus zeteki Skin Secretions Increase Growth of the Pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1595-1605. [PMID: 35640912 PMCID: PMC9801971 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To combat the threat of emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, ecoimmunologists seek to understand the complex interactions among pathogens, their hosts, and their shared environments. The cutaneous fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has led to the decline of innumerable amphibian species, including the Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki). Given that Bd can evade or dampen the acquired immune responses of some amphibians, nonspecific immune defenses are thought to be especially important for amphibian defenses against Bd. In particular, skin secretions constitute a vital component of amphibian innate immunity against skin infections, but their role in protecting A. zeteki from Bd is unknown. We investigated the importance of this innate immune component by reducing the skin secretions from A. zeteki and evaluating their effectiveness against Bd in vitro and in vivo. Following exposure to Bd in a controlled inoculation experiment, we compared key disease characteristics (e.g., changes in body condition, prevalence, pathogen loads, and survival) among groups of frogs that had their skin secretions reduced and control frogs that maintained their skin secretions. Surprisingly, we found that the skin secretions collected from A. zeteki increased Bd growth in vitro. This finding was further supported by infection and survival patterns in the in vivo experiment where frogs with reduced skin secretions tended to have lower pathogen loads and survive longer compared to frogs that maintained their secretions. These results suggest that the skin secretions of A. zeteki are not only ineffective at inhibiting Bd but may enhance Bd growth, possibly leading to greater severity of disease and higher mortality in this highly vulnerable species. These results differ from those of previous studies in other amphibian host species that suggest that skin secretions are a key defense in protecting amphibians from developing severe chytridiomycosis. Therefore, we suggest that the importance of immune components cannot be generalized across all amphibian species or over time. Moreover, the finding that skin secretions may be enhancing Bd growth emphasizes the importance of investigating these immune components in detail, especially for species that are a conservation priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Gass
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada at Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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6
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Abarca JG, Whitfield SM, Zuniga-Chaves I, Alvarado G, Kerby J, Murillo-Cruz C, Pinto-Tomás AA. Genotyping and differential bacterial inhibition of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in threatened amphibians in Costa Rica. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2021; 167. [PMID: 33529150 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Amphibians have declined around the world in recent years, in parallel with the emergence of an epidermal disease called chytridiomycosis, caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). This disease has been associated with mass mortality in amphibians worldwide, including in Costa Rica, and Bd is considered an important contributor to the disappearance of this group of vertebrates. While many species are susceptible to the disease, others show tolerance and manage to survive infection with the pathogen. We evaluated the pathogen Bd circulating in Costa Rica and the capacity of amphibian skin bacteria to inhibit the growth of the pathogen in vitro. We isolated and characterized - genetically and morphologically - several Bd isolates from areas with declining populations of amphibians. We determined that the circulating chytrid fungus in Costa Rica belongs to the virulent strain Bd-GPL-2, which has been related to massive amphibian deaths worldwide; however, the isolates obtained showed genetic and morphological variation. Furthermore, we isolated epidermal bacteria from 12 amphibian species of surviving populations, some in danger of extinction, and evaluated their inhibitory activity against the collection of chytrid isolates. Through bioassays we confirmed the presence of chytrid-inhibitory bacterial genera in Costa Rican amphibians. However, we observed that the inhibition varied between different isolates of the same bacterial genus, and each bacterial isolation inhibited fungal isolation differently. In total, 14 bacterial isolates belonging to the genera Stenotrophomonas, Streptomyces, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella showed inhibitory activity against all Bd isolates. Given the observed variation both in the pathogen and in the bacterial inhibition capacity, it is highly relevant to include local isolates and to consider the origin of the microorganisms when performing in vivo infection tests aimed at developing and implementing mitigation strategies for chytridiomycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan G Abarca
- Laboratorio de Recursos Naturales y Vida Silvestre (LARNAVISI), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Steven M Whitfield
- Conservation and Research Department, Zoo Miami, St, Miami, FL 33177, USA
| | - Ibrahim Zuniga-Chaves
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Gilbert Alvarado
- Laboratorio de Patología Experimental y Comparada (LAPECOM), Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Jacob Kerby
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Catalina Murillo-Cruz
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMic), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Adrián A Pinto-Tomás
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMic), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
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7
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Zipkin EF, DiRenzo GV, Ray JM, Rossman S, Lips KR. Tropical snake diversity collapses after widespread amphibian loss. Science 2020; 367:814-816. [PMID: 32054766 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay5733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity is declining at unprecedented rates worldwide. Yet cascading effects of biodiversity loss on other taxa are largely unknown because baseline data are often unavailable. We document the collapse of a Neotropical snake community after the invasive fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis caused a chytridiomycosis epizootic leading to the catastrophic loss of amphibians, a food source for snakes. After mass mortality of amphibians, the snake community contained fewer species and was more homogeneous across the study site, with several species in poorer body condition, despite no other systematic changes in the environment. The demise of the snake community after amphibian loss demonstrates the repercussive and often unnoticed consequences of the biodiversity crisis and calls attention to the invisible declines of rare and data-deficient species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise F Zipkin
- Department of Integrative Biology; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Graziella V DiRenzo
- Department of Integrative Biology; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
| | - Julie M Ray
- La MICA Biological Station, El Copé de La Pintada, Coclé, Republic of Panama
| | - Sam Rossman
- Department of Integrative Biology; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, USA
| | - Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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8
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Scheele BC, Pasmans F, Skerratt LF, Berger L, Martel A, Beukema W, Acevedo AA, Burrowes PA, Carvalho T, Catenazzi A, De la Riva I, Fisher MC, Flechas SV, Foster CN, Frías-Álvarez P, Garner TWJ, Gratwicke B, Guayasamin JM, Hirschfeld M, Kolby JE, Kosch TA, La Marca E, Lindenmayer DB, Lips KR, Longo AV, Maneyro R, McDonald CA, Mendelson J, Palacios-Rodriguez P, Parra-Olea G, Richards-Zawacki CL, Rödel MO, Rovito SM, Soto-Azat C, Toledo LF, Voyles J, Weldon C, Whitfield SM, Wilkinson M, Zamudio KR, Canessa S. Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity. Science 2019; 363:1459-1463. [PMID: 30923224 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav0379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 560] [Impact Index Per Article: 112.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic trade and development have broken down dispersal barriers, facilitating the spread of diseases that threaten Earth's biodiversity. We present a global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic, one of the most impactful examples of disease spread, and demonstrate its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century, including 90 presumed extinctions. The effects of chytridiomycosis have been greatest in large-bodied, range-restricted anurans in wet climates in the Americas and Australia. Declines peaked in the 1980s, and only 12% of declined species show signs of recovery, whereas 39% are experiencing ongoing decline. There is risk of further chytridiomycosis outbreaks in new areas. The chytridiomycosis panzootic represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben C Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. .,National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - Frank Pasmans
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Lee F Skerratt
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - Lee Berger
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - An Martel
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Wouter Beukema
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Aldemar A Acevedo
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Grupo de Investigación en Ecología y Biogeografía, Universidad de Pamplona, Barrio El Buque, Km 1, Vía a Bucaramanga, Pamplona, Colombia
| | - Patricia A Burrowes
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Tamilie Carvalho
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Ignacio De la Riva
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Sandra V Flechas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.,Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Sede Venado de Oro, Paseo Bolívar 16-20, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claire N Foster
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Patricia Frías-Álvarez
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - Trenton W J Garner
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.,Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Brian Gratwicke
- Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Juan M Guayasamin
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Ambientales BIOSFERA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador.,Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Facultad de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Calle Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador.,Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Mareike Hirschfeld
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Jonathan E Kolby
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.,Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center, Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Research Center, Tela, Honduras.,The Conservation Agency, Jamestown, RI 02835, USA
| | - Tiffany A Kosch
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.,AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Enrique La Marca
- School of Geography, Faculty of Forestry Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ana V Longo
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Raúl Maneyro
- Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. Igua 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cait A McDonald
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Joseph Mendelson
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - Gabriela Parra-Olea
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
| | | | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Sean M Rovito
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Guanajuato CP36824, México
| | - Claudio Soto-Azat
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Jamie Voyles
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Ché Weldon
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Steven M Whitfield
- Zoo Miami, Conservation and Research Department, Miami, FL 33177, USA.,Florida International University School of Earth, Environment, and Society, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Mark Wilkinson
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Kelly R Zamudio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Stefano Canessa
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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9
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Iritani R, Visher E, Boots M. The evolution of stage-specific virulence: Differential selection of parasites in juveniles. Evol Lett 2019; 3:162-172. [PMID: 31289690 PMCID: PMC6591554 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of infectious disease is often very different in juveniles and adults, but theory has focused on the drivers of stage-dependent defense in hosts rather than the potential for stage-dependent virulence evolution in parasites. Stage structure has the potential to be important to the evolution of pathogens because it exposes parasites to heterogeneous environments in terms of both host characteristics and transmission pathways. We develop a stage-structured (juvenile-adult) epidemiological model and examine the evolutionary outcomes of stage-specific virulence under the classic assumption of a transmission-virulence trade-off. We show that selection on virulence against adults remains consistent with the classic theory. However, the evolution of juvenile virulence is sensitive to both demography and transmission pathway with higher virulence against juveniles being favored either when the transmission pathway is assortative (juveniles preferentially interact together) and the juvenile stage is long, or in contrast when the transmission pathway is disassortative and the juvenile stage is short. These results highlight the potentially profound effects of host stage structure on determining parasite virulence in nature. This new perspective may have broad implications for both understanding and managing disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Iritani
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental ScienceUniversity of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of California3040 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140BerkeleyCA94720
| | - Elisa Visher
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of California3040 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140BerkeleyCA94720
| | - Mike Boots
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental ScienceUniversity of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of California3040 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140BerkeleyCA94720
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10
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González-Maya JF, Gómez-Hoyos DA, Cruz-Lizano I, Schipper J. From hope to alert: demography of a remnant population of the Critically Endangered Atelopus varius from Costa Rica. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2018.1460931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José F. González-Maya
- Proyecto de Conservación de Aguas y Tierras, ProCAT Colombia/Internacional-Fundación Sierra to Sea Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF, México
| | - Diego A. Gómez-Hoyos
- Proyecto de Conservación de Aguas y Tierras, ProCAT Colombia/Internacional-Fundación Sierra to Sea Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
| | - Ivan Cruz-Lizano
- Proyecto de Conservación de Aguas y Tierras, ProCAT Colombia/Internacional-Fundación Sierra to Sea Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
| | - Jan Schipper
- Proyecto de Conservación de Aguas y Tierras, ProCAT Colombia/Internacional-Fundación Sierra to Sea Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
- Arizona Center for Nature Conservation–Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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11
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Lips KR. Overview of chytrid emergence and impacts on amphibians. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0465. [PMID: 28080989 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians that affects over 700 species on all continents where amphibians occur. The amphibian-chytridiomycosis system is complex, and the response of any amphibian species to chytrid depends on many aspects of the ecology and evolutionary history of the amphibian, the genotype and phenotype of the fungus, and how the biological and physical environment can mediate that interaction. Impacts of chytridiomycosis on amphibians are varied; some species have been driven extinct, populations of others have declined severely, whereas still others have not obviously declined. Understanding patterns and mechanisms of amphibian responses to chytrids is critical for conservation and management. Robust estimates of population numbers are needed to identify species at risk, prioritize taxa for conservation actions, design management strategies for managing populations and species, and to develop effective measures to reduce impacts of chytrids on amphibians.This article is part of the themed issue 'Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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12
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Rocha Usuga AA, Vargas-Salinas F, Rueda Solano LA. Not every drought is bad: quantifying reproductive effort in the harlequin frogAtelopus laetissimus(Anura: Bufonidae). J NAT HIST 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1355075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andres A. Rocha Usuga
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Aplicada (GIBEA), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta D.T.C.H, Colombia
| | - Fernando Vargas-Salinas
- Grupo de Investigación en Evolución, Ecología y Conservación EECO, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Luis Alberto Rueda Solano
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Aplicada (GIBEA), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta D.T.C.H, Colombia
- Grupo Biomics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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13
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Lampo M, Señaris C, García CZ. Population dynamics of the critically endangered toad Atelopus cruciger and the fungal disease chytridiomycosis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179007. [PMID: 28570689 PMCID: PMC5453621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are among the most severely impacted amphibians by the emergence of chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Many species disappeared while others suffered drastic contractions of their geographic distribution to lower altitudes. A diminished virulence of Bd in warm habitats was proposed to explain the survival of lowland populations of harlequin toads (i.e. thermal refuge hypothesis). To understand the mechanisms that allow some populations to reach an endemic equilibrium with this pathogen, we estimated demographic and epidemiological parameters at one remnant population of Atelopus cruciger in Venezuela using mark-recapture data from 2007–2013. We demonstrated that Bd is highly virulent for A. cruciger, increasing the odds of dying of infected adults four times in relation to uninfected ones and reducing the life expectancy of reproductive toads to a few weeks. Despite an estimated annual loss of 18% of the reproductive population due to Bd-induced mortality, this population has persisted in an endemic equilibrium for the last decade through the large recruitment of healthy adults every year. Given the high vulnerability of harlequin toads to Bd in lowland populations, thermal refuges need to be redefined as habitats of reduced transmission rather than attenuated virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Lampo
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Kilómetro 11 Carretera Panamericana, Caracas, Venezuela
- * E-mail:
| | - Celsa Señaris
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Kilómetro 11 Carretera Panamericana, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Carmen Zulay García
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Kilómetro 11 Carretera Panamericana, Caracas, Venezuela
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