1
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Páez-Vacas MI, Funk WC. Thermal limits along tropical elevational gradients: Poison frog tadpoles show plasticity but maintain divergence across elevation. J Therm Biol 2024; 120:103815. [PMID: 38402728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Temperature is arguably one of the most critical environmental factors impacting organisms at molecular, organismal, and ecological levels. Temperature variation across elevation may cause divergent selection in physiological critical thermal limits (CTMAX and CTMIN). Generally, high elevation populations are predicted to withstand lower environmental temperatures than low elevation populations. Organisms can also exhibit phenotypic plasticity when temperature varies, although theory and empirical evidence suggest that tropical ectotherms have relatively limited ability to acclimate. To study the effect of temperature variation along elevational transects on thermal limits, we measured CTMAX and CTMIN of 934 tadpoles of a poison frog species, Epipedobates anthonyi, along two elevational gradients (200-1700 m asl) in southwestern Ecuador to investigate their thermal tolerance across elevation. We also tested if tadpoles could plastically shift their critical thermal limits in response to exposure to different temperatures representing the range of temperatures they experience in nature (20 °C, 24 °C, and 28 °C). Overall, we found that CTMAX did not change across elevation. In contrast, CTMIN was lower at higher elevations, suggesting that elevational variation in temperature influences this thermal trait. Moreover, all populations shifted their CTMAX and CTMIN according to treatment temperatures, demonstrating an acclimation response. Overall, trends in CTMIN among high, mid, and low elevation populations were maintained despite plastic responses to treatment temperature. These results demonstrate that, for tadpoles of E. anthonyi across tropical elevational gradients, temperature acts as a selective force for CTMIN, even when populations show acclimation abilities in both, CTMAX and CTMIN. Our findings advance our understanding on how environmental variation affects organisms' evolutionary trajectories and their abilities to persist in a changing climate in a tropical biodiversity hotspot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica I Páez-Vacas
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias del Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Av. Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador; Biology Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Jambatu, San Rafael, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - W Chris Funk
- Biology Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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2
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Park JK, Do Y. Current State of Conservation Physiology for Amphibians: Major Research Topics and Physiological Parameters. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3162. [PMID: 37893886 PMCID: PMC10603670 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Analysis of physiological responses can be used to assess population health, identify threat factors, and understand mechanisms of stress. In addition to this, conservation physiologists have sought to establish potential management strategies for environmental change and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation efforts. From past to present, the field of conservation physiology is developing in an increasingly broader context. In this review, we aim to categorize the topics covered in conservation physiology research on amphibians and present the measured physiological parameters to provide directions for future research on conservation physiology. Physiological responses of amphibians to environmental stressors are the most studied topic, but conservation physiological studies on metamorphosis, habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and conservation methods are relatively lacking. A number of physiological indices have been extracted to study amphibian conservation physiology, and the indices have varying strengths of correlation with each subject. Future research directions are suggested to develop a comprehensive monitoring method for amphibians, identify interactions among various stressors, establish physiological mechanisms for environmental factors, and quantify the effects of conservation activities on amphibian physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuno Do
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kongju National University, Gongju 32588, Republic of Korea;
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3
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Mata-Guel EO, Soh MCK, Butler CW, Morris RJ, Razgour O, Peh KSH. Impacts of anthropogenic climate change on tropical montane forests: an appraisal of the evidence. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1200-1224. [PMID: 36990691 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
In spite of their small global area and restricted distributions, tropical montane forests (TMFs) are biodiversity hotspots and important ecosystem services providers, but are also highly vulnerable to climate change. To protect and preserve these ecosystems better, it is crucial to inform the design and implementation of conservation policies with the best available scientific evidence, and to identify knowledge gaps and future research needs. We conducted a systematic review and an appraisal of evidence quality to assess the impacts of climate change on TMFs. We identified several skews and shortcomings. Experimental study designs with controls and long-term (≥10 years) data sets provide the most reliable evidence, but were rare and gave an incomplete understanding of climate change impacts on TMFs. Most studies were based on predictive modelling approaches, short-term (<10 years) and cross-sectional study designs. Although these methods provide moderate to circumstantial evidence, they can advance our understanding on climate change effects. Current evidence suggests that increasing temperatures and rising cloud levels have caused distributional shifts (mainly upslope) of montane biota, leading to alterations in biodiversity and ecological functions. Neotropical TMFs were the best studied, thus the knowledge derived there can serve as a proxy for climate change responses in under-studied regions elsewhere. Most studies focused on vascular plants, birds, amphibians and insects, with other taxonomic groups poorly represented. Most ecological studies were conducted at species or community levels, with a marked paucity of genetic studies, limiting understanding of the adaptive capacity of TMF biota. We thus highlight the long-term need to widen the methodological, thematic and geographical scope of studies on TMFs under climate change to address these uncertainties. In the short term, however, in-depth research in well-studied regions and advances in computer modelling approaches offer the most reliable sources of information for expeditious conservation action for these threatened forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik O Mata-Guel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Malcolm C K Soh
- National Park Boards, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore, 259569, Singapore
| | - Connor W Butler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Rebecca J Morris
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Orly Razgour
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Kelvin S-H Peh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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4
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Abstract
Rising temperatures represent a significant threat to the survival of ectothermic animals. As such, upper thermal limits represent an important trait to assess the vulnerability of ectotherms to changing temperatures. For instance, one may use upper thermal limits to estimate current and future thermal safety margins (i.e., the proximity of upper thermal limits to experienced temperatures), use this trait together with other physiological traits in species distribution models, or investigate the plasticity and evolvability of these limits for buffering the impacts of changing temperatures. While datasets on thermal tolerance limits have been previously compiled, they sometimes report single estimates for a given species, do not present measures of data dispersion, and are biased towards certain parts of the globe. To overcome these limitations, we systematically searched the literature in seven languages to produce the most comprehensive dataset to date on amphibian upper thermal limits, spanning 3,095 estimates across 616 species. This resource will represent a useful tool to evaluate the vulnerability of amphibians, and ectotherms more generally, to changing temperatures.
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5
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Haver M, Le Roux G, Friesen J, Loyau A, Vredenburg VT, Schmeller DS. The role of abiotic variables in an emerging global amphibian fungal disease in mountains. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:152735. [PMID: 34974000 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of the chytridiomycete fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), causing the disease chytridiomycosis, has caused collapse of amphibian communities in numerous mountain systems. The health of amphibians and of mountain freshwater habitats they inhabit is also threatened by ongoing changes in environmental and anthropogenic factors such as climate, hydrology, and pollution. Climate change is causing more extreme climatic events, shifts in ice occurrence, and changes in the timing of snowmelt and pollutant deposition cycles. All of these factors impact both pathogen and host, and disease dynamics. Here we review abiotic variables, known to control Bd occurrence and chytridiomycosis severity, and discuss how climate change may modify them. We propose two main categories of abiotic variables that may alter Bd distribution, persistence, and physiology: 1) climate and hydrology (temperature, precipitation, hydrology, ultraviolet radiation (UVR); and, 2) water chemistry (pH, salinity, pollution). For both categories, we identify topics for further research. More studies on the relationship between global change, pollution and pathogens in complex landscapes, such as mountains, are needed to allow for accurate risk assessments for freshwater ecosystems and resulting impacts on wildlife and human health. Our review emphasizes the importance of using data of higher spatiotemporal resolution and uniform abiotic metrics in order to better compare study outcomes. Fine-scale temperature variability, especially of water temperature, variability of moisture conditions and water levels, snow, ice and runoff dynamics should be assessed as abiotic variables shaping the mountain habitat of pathogen and host. A better understanding of hydroclimate and water chemistry variables, as co-factors in disease, will increase our understanding of chytridiomycosis dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilen Haver
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France.
| | - Gaël Le Roux
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
| | - Jan Friesen
- Environmental and Biotechnology Centre, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adeline Loyau
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France; Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, Stechlin D-16775, Germany
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Dirk S Schmeller
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
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6
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Delgado-Suazo P, Burrowes PA. Response to thermal and hydric regimes point to differential inter- and intraspecific vulnerability of tropical amphibians to climate warming. J Therm Biol 2022; 103:103148. [PMID: 35027199 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In Puerto Rico, an island threatened by climate warming, only one of two species of frogs that share part of their distribution has undergone a recent range contraction to higher elevations. We questioned if differences in their physiological response to temperature and dehydration might explain this distributional change. We studied a lowland and a highland population of Eleutherodactylus coqui, a widespread generalist, and E. portoricensis, an endangered species that is currently found only above 600 m. We compared various physiological aspects: operative temperature; temperature selection; critical temperatures; and their response to jumping performance tests at various thermal and hydric regimes. Results revealed that E. portoricensis had the highest CTmin and lowest CTmax and selected a cooler range of temperatures from the experimental gradient. Jumping performance increased with temperature for the three populations until attaining maximum performance. Afterwards, performance dropped drastically until reaching CTmax. Dehydration had a negative effect on performance for both species, particularly on maximum performance. This effect was greatest for E. portoricensis, followed by high-elevation E. coqui. The significantly greater thermo-hydric physiological limitations of E. portoricensis may explain its recent range contraction, potentially, as a response to climate warming. Low-elevation E. coqui had the lowest operative warming tolerance and was the only population to select temperatures like those encountered in their environment, indicating it may be narrowly adapted to local thermal conditions and thus, also vulnerable to climate change. Our results point towards plasticity in the response of E. coqui to varying climatic conditions, and present evidence of different physiological responses between closely related species at the same locality. This work highlights the importance of studying the combined effects of temperature and hydration to understand the response of ectotherms to warming environments and presents further evidence that desiccation may be a limiting factor determining which species may survive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Delgado-Suazo
- University of Puerto Rico, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Patricia A Burrowes
- University of Puerto Rico, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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7
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Urgiles VL, Ramírez ER, Villalta CI, Siddons DC, Savage AE. Three Pathogens Impact Terrestrial Frogs from a High-Elevation Tropical Hotspot. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:451-464. [PMID: 34894333 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01570-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Three infectious pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), Ranavirus (Rv) and Perkinsea (Pr) are associated with widespread and ongoing amphibian population declines. Although their geographic and host ranges vary widely, recent studies have suggested that the occurrence of these pathogens could be more common than previously thought, even in direct-developing terrestrial species traditionally considered less likely to harbor these largely aquatic pathogens. Here, we characterize Bd, Rv, and Pr infections in direct-developing terrestrial amphibians of the Pristimantis genus from the highland Ecuadorean Andes. We confirm the first detection of Pr in terrestrial-breeding amphibians and in the Andean region, present the first report of Rv in Ecuador, and we add to the handful of studies finding Bd infecting Pristimantis. Infection prevalence did not differ significantly among pathogens, but infection intensity was significantly higher for Bd compared to Pr. Neither prevalence nor intensity differed significantly across locality and elevation for Bd and Rv, although low prevalence in our dataset and lack of seasonal sampling could have prevented important epidemiological patterns from emerging. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating pathogen surveillance in biodiversity monitoring in the Andean region and serves as starting point to understand pathogen dynamics, transmission, and impacts in terrestrial-breeding frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica L Urgiles
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Dr, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad del Ecuador, Pasaje Rumipamba 341 y Avenida de los Shirys, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Ervin R Ramírez
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología y Gestión, Universidad del Azuay, Ave 24 de Mayo 7-77, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Cristian I Villalta
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología y Gestión, Universidad del Azuay, Ave 24 de Mayo 7-77, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - David C Siddons
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología y Gestión, Universidad del Azuay, Ave 24 de Mayo 7-77, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Anna E Savage
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Dr, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
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8
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Armijos-Ojeda D, Székely D, Székely P, Cogălniceanu D, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Ordóñez-Delgado L, Escudero A, Espinosa CI. Amphibians of the equatorial seasonally dry forests of Ecuador and Peru. Zookeys 2021; 1063:23-48. [PMID: 34720623 PMCID: PMC8545738 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1063.69580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonally dry forests (SDFs) are one of the most challenging ecosystems for amphibians, fueling the diversity of this group of vertebrates. An updated inventory of native amphibians present in the Equatorial SDF is provided, which extends along the Pacific coast of Ecuador and northwestern Peru. The study is based on an extensive field sampling (two thirds of the total records) carried out throughout the Equatorial SDF, along with a compilation of the available information on distribution of amphibians in the region from published scientific papers, museum collections and on-line databases. The final dataset included 2,032 occurrence records for 30 amphibian species, belonging to eight anuran families. Additionally, data regarding conservation status, habitat use, spawn deposition site, reproductive mode, and body size, along with an identification key for all encountered species are provided. The results indicate a strong sampling bias with a deficit in the Peruvian part of the study area, and a need for urgent inventories targeted at under-sampled areas, using modern taxonomic methods. The study emphasizes the conservation priorities in the Equatorial SDF, based on the distribution, conservation status and life-history data. This information should be useful for the local authorities and institutions involved in the management and conservation of biodiversity in SDF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Armijos-Ojeda
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador.,Programa de Doctorado en Conservación de Recursos Naturales, Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.,Museo de Zoología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, calle París s/n, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Diana Székely
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador.,Museo de Zoología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, calle París s/n, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Paul Székely
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador.,Museo de Zoología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, calle París s/n, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Dan Cogălniceanu
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University Constanţa, 900470, Constanţa, Romania
| | - Diego F Cisneros-Heredia
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito 170901, Ecuador.,Museo de Zoología & Laboratorio de Zoología Terrestre, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical iBIOTROP, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.,Department of Geography, King's College, London, UK.,Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Leonardo Ordóñez-Delgado
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador.,Programa de Doctorado en Conservación de Recursos Naturales, Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.,Museo de Zoología, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, calle París s/n, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Adrián Escudero
- Department of Science, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Iván Espinosa
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador
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9
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Koo MS, Vredenburg VT, Deck JB, Olson DH, Ronnenberg KL, Wake DB. Tracking, Synthesizing, and Sharing Global Batrachochytrium Data at AmphibianDisease.org. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:728232. [PMID: 34692807 PMCID: PMC8527349 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.728232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases have been especially devastating to amphibians, the most endangered class of vertebrates. For amphibians, the greatest disease threat is chytridiomycosis, caused by one of two chytridiomycete fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). Research over the last two decades has shown that susceptibility to this disease varies greatly with respect to a suite of host and pathogen factors such as phylogeny, geography (including abiotic factors), host community composition, and historical exposure to pathogens; yet, despite a growing body of research, a comprehensive understanding of global chytridiomycosis incidence remains elusive. In a large collaborative effort, Bd-Maps was launched in 2007 to increase multidisciplinary investigations and understanding using compiled global Bd occurrence data (Bsal was not discovered until 2013). As its database functions aged and became unsustainable, we sought to address critical needs utilizing new technologies to meet the challenges of aggregating data to facilitate research on both Bd and Bsal. Here, we introduce an advanced central online repository to archive, aggregate, and share Bd and Bsal data collected from around the world. The Amphibian Disease Portal (https://amphibiandisease.org) addresses several critical community needs while also helping to build basic biological knowledge of chytridiomycosis. This portal could be useful for other amphibian diseases and could also be replicated for uses with other wildlife diseases. We show how the Amphibian Disease Portal provides: (1) a new repository for the legacy Bd-Maps data; (2) a repository for sample-level data to archive datasets and host published data with permanent DOIs; (3) a flexible framework to adapt to advances in field, laboratory, and informatics technologies; and (4) a global aggregation of Bd and Bsal infection data to enable and accelerate research and conservation. The new framework for this project is built using biodiversity informatics best practices and metadata standards to ensure scientific reproducibility and linkages across other biological and biodiversity repositories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Koo
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States.,Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - John B Deck
- Berkeley Natural History Museums, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Deanna H Olson
- US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Kathryn L Ronnenberg
- US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - David B Wake
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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10
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Ballestas O, Lampo M, Rodríguez D. Living with the pathogenic chytrid fungus: Exploring mechanisms of coexistence in the harlequin toad Atelopus cruciger. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254439. [PMID: 34264969 PMCID: PMC8281998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked with the disappearance of amphibian populations worldwide. Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are among the most severely impacted genera. Two species are already considered extinct and most of the others are at high risk of extinction. The recent rediscovery of harlequin toad populations coexisting with Bd suggest that the pathogen can maintain enzootic cycles at some locations. The mechanisms promoting coexistence, however, are not well understood. We explore the dynamics of Bd infection in harlequin toads by modeling a two-stage host population with transmission through environmental reservoirs. Simulations showed that variations in the recruitment of adults and the persistence of zoospores in the environment were more likely to drive shifts between extinction and coexistence than changes in the vulnerability of toads to infection with Bd. These findings highlight the need to identify mechanisms for assuring adult recruitment or minimizing transmission from potential reservoirs, biotic or abiotic, in recovering populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onil Ballestas
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Margarita Lampo
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Diego Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
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11
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TEMPERATURE AS A DRIVER OF THE PATHOGENICITY AND VIRULENCE OF AMPHIBIAN CHYTRID FUNGUS BATRACHOCHYTRIUM DENDROBATIDIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:477-494. [PMID: 34019674 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis, caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a leading cause of global amphibian declines. Severe infections with Bd can lead to cardiac arrest, and mass deaths during epidemics have been reported. Temperature, pH, salinity, and moisture are important determinants of the survival, growth, reproduction, and pathogenicity of Bd, as well as its effect on amphibian populations. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on the role of temperature as a driver of the pathogenicity and virulence of Bd to better understand the effects of temperature on amphibian defense mechanisms against infection. This review advises on research direction and management approaches to benefit amphibian populations affected by Bd. We conclude by offering guidelines for four levels of temperature monitoring in amphibian field studies to improve consistency between studies: regional climate, habitat, microhabitat, and amphibian host.
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12
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Percino‐Daniel R, Contreras López JM, Téllez‐Valdés O, Méndez de la Cruz FR, Gonzalez‐Voyer A, Piñero D. Environmental heterogeneity shapes physiological traits in tropical direct-developing frogs. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6688-6702. [PMID: 34141250 PMCID: PMC8207348 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Tropical ectotherm species tend to have narrower physiological limits than species from temperate areas. As a consequence, tropical species are considered highly vulnerable to climate change since minor temperature increases can push them beyond their physiological thermal tolerance. Differences in physiological tolerances can also be seen at finer evolutionary scales, such as among populations of ectotherm species along elevation gradients, highlighting the physiological sensitivity of such organisms.Here, we analyze the influence of elevation and bioclimatic domains, defined by temperature and precipitation, on thermal sensitivities of a terrestrial direct-developing frog (Craugastor loki) in a tropical gradient. We address the following questions: (a) Does preferred temperature vary with elevation and among bioclimatic domains? (b) Do thermal tolerance limits, that is, critical thermal maximum and critical thermal minimum vary with elevation and bioclimatic domains? and (c) Are populations from high elevations more vulnerable to climate warming?We found that along an elevation gradient body temperature decreases as environmental temperature increases. The preferred temperature tends to moderately increase with elevation within the sampled bioclimatic domains. Our results indicate that the ideal thermal landscape for this species is located at midelevations, where the thermal accuracy (db ) and thermal quality of the environment (de ) are suitable. The critical thermal maximum is variable across elevations and among the bioclimatic domains, decreasing as elevation increases. Conversely, the critical thermal minimum is not as variable as the critical thermal maximum.Populations from the lowlands may be more vulnerable to future increases in temperature. We highlight that the critical thermal maximum is related to high temperatures exhibited across the elevation gradient and within each bioclimatic domain; therefore, it is a response to high environmental temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Percino‐Daniel
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
| | - José M. Contreras López
- Instituto de Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad de Ciencias y Artes de ChiapasTuxtla GutiérrezMexico
| | - Oswaldo Téllez‐Valdés
- Facultad de Estudios SuperioresUnidad de Biotecnología y Prototipos (UBIPRO)Iztacala TlalnepantlaMexico
| | - Fausto R. Méndez de la Cruz
- Departamento de ZoologíaLaboratorio de HerpetologíaInstituto de BiologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez‐Voyer
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
| | - Daniel Piñero
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
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13
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Sonn JM, Porter WP, Mathewson PD, Richards-Zawacki CL. Predictions of Disease Risk in Space and Time Based on the Thermal Physiology of an Amphibian Host-Pathogen Interaction. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.576065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases have been responsible for declines and extinctions in a growing number of species. Predicting disease variables like infection prevalence and mortality and how they vary in space and time will be critical to understanding how host-pathogen dynamics play out in natural environments and will help to inform management actions. The pandemic disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been implicated in declines in hundreds of amphibian species worldwide. We used field-collected measurements of host body temperatures and other physiological parameters to develop a mechanistic model of disease risk in a declining amphibian, the Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans). We first used a biophysical model to predict host body temperatures across the species range in the eastern United States. We then used empirically derived relationships between host body temperature, infection prevalence and survival to predict where and when the risk of Bd-related declines is greatest. Our model predicts that pathogen prevalence is greatest, and survival of infected A. crepitans frogs is lowest, just prior to breeding when host body temperatures are low. Taken together, these results suggest that Bd poses the greatest threat to short-lived A. crepitans populations in the northern part of this host’s range and that disease-related recruitment failure may be common. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the utility of mechanistic modeling approaches for predicting disease outbreaks and dynamics in animal hosts.
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14
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LaBumbard B, Shepack A, Catenazzi A. After the epizootic: Host–pathogen dynamics in montane tropical amphibian communities with high prevalence of chytridiomycosis. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brandon LaBumbard
- Department of Zoology Southern Illinois University Carbondale IL USA
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Boston Boston MA USA
| | - Alexander Shepack
- Department of Biological Sciences Florida International University Miami FL USA
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15
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Reider KE, Larson DJ, Barnes BM, Donnelly MA. Thermal adaptations to extreme freeze–thaw cycles in the high tropical Andes. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Reider
- Department of Biological Sciences Florida International University Miami FL USA
| | - Don J. Larson
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Brian M. Barnes
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Maureen A. Donnelly
- College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Florida International University Miami FL USA
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16
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González-Del-Pliego P, Scheffers BR, Freckleton RP, Basham EW, Araújo MB, Acosta-Galvis AR, Medina Uribe CA, Haugaasen T, Edwards DP. Thermal tolerance and the importance of microhabitats for Andean frogs in the context of land use and climate change. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2451-2460. [PMID: 32745275 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Global warming is having impacts across the Tree of Life. Understanding species' physiological sensitivity to temperature change and how they relate to local temperature variation in their habitats is crucial to determining vulnerability to global warming. We ask how species' vulnerability varies across habitats and elevations, and how climatically buffered microhabitats can contribute to reduce their vulnerability. We measured thermal sensitivity (critical thermal maximum-CTmax ) of 14 species of Pristimantis frogs inhabiting young and old secondary, and primary forests in the Colombian Andes. Exposure to temperature stress was measured by recording temperature in the understorey and across five microhabitats. We determined frogs' current vulnerability across habitats, elevations and microhabitats accounting for phylogeny and then ask how vulnerability varies under four warming scenarios: +1.5, +2, +3 and +5°C. We found that CTmax was constant across species regardless of habitat and elevation. However, species in young secondary forests are expected to become more vulnerable because of increased exposure to higher temperatures. Microhabitat variation could enable species to persist within their thermal temperature range as long as regional temperatures do not surpass +2°C. The effectiveness of microhabitat buffering decreases with a 2-3°C increase, and is almost null under a 5°C temperature increase. Microhabitats will provide thermal protection to Andean frog communities from climate change by enabling tracking of suitable climates through short distance movement. Conservation strategies, such as managing landscapes by preserving primary forests and allowing regrowth and reconnection of secondary forest would offer thermally buffered microhabitats and aid in the survival of this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela González-Del-Pliego
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Rui Nabeiro Biodiversity Chair, MED Institute, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Brett R Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Robert P Freckleton
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Edmund W Basham
- Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Miguel B Araújo
- Rui Nabeiro Biodiversity Chair, MED Institute, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal.,Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés R Acosta-Galvis
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Claudia A Medina Uribe
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Torbjørn Haugaasen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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17
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Burrowes PA, Navas CA, Jiménez-Robles O, Delgado P, De la Riva I. Climatic Heterogeneity in the Bolivian Andes: Are Frogs Trapped? SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-18-00047.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos A. Navas
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Peter Delgado
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931
| | - Ignacio De la Riva
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid 28006, Spain
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18
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A New Genus of Terrestrial-Breeding Frogs (Holoadeninae, Strabomantidae, Terrarana) from Southern Peru. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12050184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We propose to erect a new genus of terrestrial-breeding frogs of the Terrarana clade to accommodate three species from the Province La Convención, Department of Cusco, Peru previously assigned to Bryophryne: B. flammiventris, B. gymnotis, and B. mancoinca. We examined types and specimens of most species, reviewed morphological and bioacoustic characteristics, and performed molecular analyses on the largest phylogeny of Bryophryne species to date. We performed phylogenetic analysis of a dataset of concatenated sequences from fragments of the 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA genes, the protein-coding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), the nuclear protein-coding gene recombination-activating protein 1 (RAG1), and the tyrosinase precursor (Tyr). The three species are immediately distinguishable from all other species of Bryophryne by the presence of a tympanic membrane and annulus, and by males having median subgular vocal sacs and emitting advertisement calls. Our molecular phylogeny confirms that the three species belong to a new, distinct clade, which we name Qosqophryne, and that they are reciprocally monophyletic with species of Microkayla. These two genera (Qosqophryne and Microkayla) are more closely related to species of Noblella and Psychrophrynella than to species of Bryophryne. Although there are no known morphological synapomorphies for either Microkayla or Qosqophryne, the high endemism of their species, and the disjoint geographic distribution of the two genera, with a gap region of ~310 km by airline where both genera are absent, provide further support for Qosqophryne having long diverged from Microkayla. The exploration of high elevation moss and leaf litter habitats in the tropical Andes will contribute to increase knowledge of the diversity and phylogenetic relationships within Terrarana.
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19
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Encalada AC, Flecker AS, Poff NL, Suárez E, Herrera-R GA, Ríos-Touma B, Jumani S, Larson EI, Anderson EP. A global perspective on tropical montane rivers. Science 2020; 365:1124-1129. [PMID: 31515386 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax1682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Tropical montane rivers (TMR) are born in tropical mountains, descend through montane forests, and feed major rivers, floodplains, and oceans. They are characterized by rapid temperature clines and varied flow disturbance regimes, both of which promote habitat heterogeneity, high biological diversity and endemism, and distinct organisms' life-history adaptations. Production, transport, and processing of sediments, nutrients, and carbon are key ecosystem processes connecting high-elevation streams with lowland floodplains, in turn influencing soil fertility and biotic productivity downstream. TMR provide key ecosystem services to hundreds of millions of people in tropical nations. In light of existing human-induced disturbances, including climate change, TMR can be used as natural model systems to examine the effects of rapid changes in abiotic drivers and their influence on biodiversity and ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Encalada
- Instituto BIOSFERA, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Alexander S Flecker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - N LeRoy Poff
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Esteban Suárez
- Instituto BIOSFERA, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Guido A Herrera-R
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute for Water and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Blanca Ríos-Touma
- Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Ingeniería Ambiental, Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Suman Jumani
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Erin I Larson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Elizabeth P Anderson
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute for Water and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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20
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Villacampa J, Whitworth A, Allen L, Malo JE. Altitudinal differences in alpha, beta and functional diversity of an amphibian community in a biodiversity hotspot. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2019.1659022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Villacampa
- The Crees Foundation, Cusco, Peru
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrew Whitworth
- The Crees Foundation, Cusco, Peru
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Osa Conservation, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Laura Allen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Juan E. Malo
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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21
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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: 551] [Impact Index Per Article: 110.2] [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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22
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A New Species of Terrestrial-Breeding Frog (Amphibia, Strabomantidae, Noblella) from the Upper Madre De Dios Watershed, Amazonian Andes and Lowlands of Southern Peru. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11090145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We describe and name a new species of Noblella Barbour, 1930 (Strabomantidae) from southern Peru. Key diagnostic characteristics of the new species include the presence of a short, oblique fold-like tubercle on the ventral part of the tarsal region, two phalanges on finger IV, and an evident tympanum. The elevational distribution of the new species spans 1250 m (240–1490 m) from lowland Amazon rainforest to montane forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
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23
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von May R, Catenazzi A, Santa-Cruz R, Gutierrez AS, Moritz C, Rabosky DL. Thermal physiological traits in tropical lowland amphibians: Vulnerability to climate warming and cooling. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219759. [PMID: 31369565 PMCID: PMC6675106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is affecting biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide, and the lowland tropics are of special concern because organisms living in this region experience temperatures that are close to their upper thermal limits. However, it remains unclear how and whether tropical lowland species will be able to cope with the predicted pace of climate warming. Additionally, there is growing interest in examining how quickly thermal physiological traits have evolved across taxa, and whether thermal physiological traits are evolutionarily conserved or labile. We measured critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and minimum (CTmin) in 56 species of lowland Amazonian frogs to determine the extent of phylogenetic conservatism in tolerance to heat and cold, and to predict species' vulnerability to climate change. The species we studied live in sympatry and represent ~65% of the known alpha diversity at our study site. Given that critical thermal limits may have evolved differently in response to different temperature constraints, we tested whether CTmax and CTmin exhibit different rates of evolutionary change. Measuring both critical thermal traits allowed us to estimate species' thermal breadth and infer their potential to respond to abrupt changes in temperature (warming and cooling). Additionally, we assessed the contribution of life history traits and found that both critical thermal traits were correlated with species' body size and microhabitat use. Specifically, small direct-developing frogs in the Strabomantidae family appear to be at highest risk of thermal stress while tree frogs (Hylidae) and narrow mouthed frogs (Microhylidae) tolerate higher temperatures. While CTmax and CTmin had considerable variation within and among families, both critical thermal traits exhibited similar rates of evolutionary change. Our results suggest that 4% of lowland rainforest frogs assessed will experience temperatures exceeding their CTmax, 25% might be moderately affected and 70% are unlikely to experience pronounced heat stress under a hypothetical 3°C temperature increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf von May
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Roy Santa-Cruz
- Área de Herpetología, Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (MUSA), Arequipa, Perú
| | - Andrea S. Gutierrez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Perú
| | - Craig Moritz
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
- Centre for Biodiversity Analysis and Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Daniel L. Rabosky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
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24
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Catenazzi A, Ttito A. Noblella thiuni sp. n., a new (singleton) species of minute terrestrial-breeding frog (Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae) from the montane forest of the Amazonian Andes of Puno, Peru. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6780. [PMID: 31065457 PMCID: PMC6485238 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new species of minute, terrestrial-breeding frog in the genus Noblella. We collected a single specimen in the leaf litter of primary montane forest (2,225 m a.s.l.) near Thiuni, in the Provice of Carabaya, Department of Puno, in the upper watershed of a tributary of the Inambari River of southern Peru, the same locality where we found the types of Psychrophrynella glauca Catenazzi & Ttito 2018. We placed the new species within Noblella on the basis of molecular data, minute size, and overall morphological resemblance with the type species N. peruviana and other species of Noblella, including having three phalanges on finger IV (as in N. coloma, N. heyeri, N. lynchi, N. madreselva, N. peruviana, and N. pygmaea), and terminal phalanges T-shaped and pointed. Noblella thiuni sp. n. is distinguished from all other species of Noblella by having ventral surfaces of legs bright red, and chest and belly copper reddish with a profusion of silvery spots. The new species further differs from known Peruvian species of Noblella by the combination of the following characters: tympanic membrane absent, eyelids lacking tubercles, dorsal skin finely shagreen, tarsal tubercles or folds absent, three phalanges on Finger IV, tips of digits not expanded, no circumferential grooves on digits, inguinal spots present. The new species has a snout–vent length of 11.0 mm in one adult or subadult male. Our new finding confirms the high levels of endemism and beta diversity of small, terrestrial-breeding frogs inhabiting the moss layers and leaf litter in the montane forests of the Amazonian slopes of the Andes and adjacent moist puna grasslands, and suggests much work remains to be done to properly document this diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Catenazzi
- Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America.,Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Lima, Perú
| | - Alex Ttito
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad, Cusco, Perú
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25
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Phylogenetic homogenization of amphibian assemblages in human-altered habitats across the globe. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E3454-E3462. [PMID: 29555733 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1714891115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat conversion is driving biodiversity loss and restructuring species assemblages across the globe. Responses to habitat conversion vary widely, however, and little is known about the degree to which shared evolutionary history underlies changes in species richness and composition. We analyzed data from 48 studies, comprising 438 species on five continents, to understand how taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of amphibian assemblages shifts in response to habitat conversion. We found that evolutionary history explains the majority of variation in species' responses to habitat conversion, with specific clades scattered across the amphibian tree of life being favored by human land uses. Habitat conversion led to an average loss of 139 million years of amphibian evolutionary history within assemblages, high species and lineage turnover at landscape scales, and phylogenetic homogenization at the global scale (despite minimal taxonomic homogenization). Lineage turnover across habitats was greatest in lowland tropical regions where large species pools and stable climates have perhaps given rise to many microclimatically specialized species. Together, our results indicate that strong phylogenetic clustering of species' responses to habitat conversion mediates nonrandom structuring of local assemblages and loss of global phylogenetic diversity. In an age of rapid global change, identifying clades that are most sensitive to habitat conversion will help prioritize use of limited conservation resources.
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26
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Catenazzi A, Flechas SV, Burkart D, Hooven ND, Townsend J, Vredenburg VT. Widespread Elevational Occurrence of Antifungal Bacteria in Andean Amphibians Decimated by Disease: A Complex Role for Skin Symbionts in Defense Against Chytridiomycosis. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:465. [PMID: 29593698 PMCID: PMC5861192 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious disease is a growing threat to global health, and recent discoveries reveal that the microbiota dwelling on and within hosts can play an important role in health and disease. To understand the capacity of skin bacteria to protect amphibian hosts from the fungal disease chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), we isolated 192 bacterial morphotypes from the skin of 28 host species of frogs (families Bufonidae, Centrolenidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Strabomantidae, and Telmatobiidae) collected from the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes (540-3,865 m a.s.l.) in the Kosñipata Valley near Manu National Park, a site where we previously documented the collapse of montane frog communities following chytridiomycosis epizootics. We obtained isolates through agar culture from skin swabs of wild frogs, and identified bacterial isolates by comparing 16S rRNA sequences against the GenBank database using BLAST. We identified 178 bacterial strains of 38 genera, including 59 bacterial species not previously reported from any amphibian host. The most common bacterial isolates were species of Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Chryseobacterium, Comamonas, Sphingobacterium, and Stenotrophomonas. We assayed the anti-fungal abilities of 133 bacterial isolates from 26 frog species. To test whether cutaneous bacteria might inhibit growth of the fungal pathogen, we used a local Bd strain isolated from the mouthparts of stream-dwelling tadpoles (Hypsiboas gladiator, Hylidae). We quantified Bd-inhibition in vitro with co-culture assays. We found 20 bacterial isolates that inhibited Bd growth, including three isolates not previously known for such inhibitory abilities. Anti-Bd isolates occurred on aquatic and terrestrial breeding frogs across a wide range of elevations (560-3,695 m a.s.l.). The inhibitory ability of anti-Bd isolates varied considerably. The proportion of anti-Bd isolates was lowest at mid-elevations (6%), where amphibian declines have been steepest, and among hosts that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis (0-14%). Among non-susceptible species, two had the highest proportion of anti-Bd isolates (40 and 45%), but one common and non-susceptible species had a low proportion (13%). In conclusion, we show that anti-Bd bacteria are widely distributed elevationally and phylogenetically across frog species that have persisted in a region where chytridiomycosis emerged, caused a devastating epizootic and continues to infect amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States.,Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Sandra V Flechas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - David Burkart
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Nathan D Hooven
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Joseph Townsend
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
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27
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Catenazzi A, Ttito A. Psychrophrynella glauca sp. n., a new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs (Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae) from the montane forests of the Amazonian Andes of Puno, Peru. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4444. [PMID: 29507835 PMCID: PMC5833480 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new species of small strabomantid frog (genus Psychrophrynella) from a humid montane forest in the Peruvian Department of Puno. Specimens were collected at 2,225 m a.s.l. in the leaf litter of primary montane forest near Thiuni, along the Macusani-San Gabán road, in the province of Carabaya. The new species is assigned to Psychrophrynella on the basis of morphological similarity, including presence of a tubercle on the inner edge of the tarsus, and call composed of multiple notes. We also include genetic distances for 16S rRNA partial sequences between the new species and other strabomantid frogs. The species with lowest genetic distances are Psychrophrynella chirihampatu and Psychrophrynella usurpator. Psychrophrynella glauca sp. n. is readily distinguished from the three other species of Psychrophrynella (Psychrophrynella bagrecito, P. chirihampatu, and P. usurpator) by its small size, and by having belly and ventral surfaces of legs reddish-brown or red, and chest and throat brown to dark brown with a profusion of bluish-gray flecks. The new species is only known from its type locality. With the discovery of P. glauca, the geographic distribution of Psychrophrynella is extended to the Department of Puno, where it was no longer represented after the description of the genus Microkayla. Furthermore, the Cordillera de Carabaya is the only mountain range known to be home to four of the seven genera of Holoadeninae (Bryophryne, Microkayla, Noblella, and Psychrophrynella), suggesting an intriguing evolutionary history for this group in southern Peru.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Lima, Perú
| | - Alex Ttito
- Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú, Cusco, Perú
- Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad, Cusco, Perú
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28
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von May R, Lehr E, Rabosky DL. Evolutionary radiation of earless frogs in the Andes: molecular phylogenetics and habitat shifts in high-elevation terrestrial breeding frogs. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4313. [PMID: 29492332 PMCID: PMC5825883 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss of hearing structures and loss of advertisement calls in many terrestrial breeding frogs (Strabomantidae) living at high elevations in South America are common and intriguing phenomena. The Andean frog genus Phrynopus Peters, 1873 has undergone an evolutionary radiation in which most species lack the tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus, yet the phylogenetic relationships among species in this group remain largely unknown. Here, we present an expanded molecular phylogeny of Phrynopus that includes 24 nominal species. Our phylogeny includes Phrynopus peruanus, the type species of the genus, and 10 other species for which genetic data were previously unavailable. We found strong support for monophyly of Phrynopus, and that two nominal species-Phrynopus curator and Phrynopus nicoleae-are junior synonyms of Phrynopus tribulosus. Using X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging, we demonstrate that the absence of external hearing structures is associated with complete loss of the auditory skeletal elements (columella) in at least one member of the genus. We mapped the tympanum condition on to a species tree to infer whether the loss of hearing structures took place once or multiple times. We also assessed whether tympanum condition, body size, and body shape are associated with the elevational distribution and habitat use. We identified a single evolutionary transition that involved the loss of both the tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus, which in turn is correlated with the absence of advertisement calls. We also identified several species pairs where one species inhabits the Andean grassland and the other montane forest. When accounting for phylogenetic relatedness among species, we detected a significant pattern of increasing body size with increasing elevation. Additionally, species at higher elevations tend to develop shorter limbs, shorter head, and shorter snout than species living at lower elevations. Our findings strongly suggest a link between ecological divergence and morphological diversity of terrestrial breeding frogs living in montane gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf von May
- Museum of Zoology & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.,Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Edgar Lehr
- Department of Biology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL, United States of America
| | - Daniel L Rabosky
- Museum of Zoology & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
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29
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Nowakowski AJ, Watling JI, Thompson ME, Brusch GA, Catenazzi A, Whitfield SM, Kurz DJ, Suárez-Mayorga Á, Aponte-Gutiérrez A, Donnelly MA, Todd BD. Thermal biology mediates responses of amphibians and reptiles to habitat modification. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:345-355. [PMID: 29314479 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Human activities often replace native forests with warmer, modified habitats that represent novel thermal environments for biodiversity. Reducing biodiversity loss hinges upon identifying which species are most sensitive to the environmental conditions that result from habitat modification. Drawing on case studies and a meta-analysis, we examined whether observed and modelled thermal traits, including heat tolerances, variation in body temperatures, and evaporative water loss, explained variation in sensitivity of ectotherms to habitat modification. Low heat tolerances of lizards and amphibians and high evaporative water loss of amphibians were associated with increased sensitivity to habitat modification, often explaining more variation than non-thermal traits. Heat tolerances alone explained 24-66% (mean = 38%) of the variation in species responses, and these trends were largely consistent across geographic locations and spatial scales. As habitat modification alters local microclimates, the thermal biology of species will likely play a key role in the reassembly of terrestrial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Justin Nowakowski
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - James I Watling
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH, 44118, USA
| | - Michelle E Thompson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - George A Brusch
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | | | | | - David J Kurz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ángela Suárez-Mayorga
- Genetic Conservation and Biodiversity Group, Institute of Genetics, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés Aponte-Gutiérrez
- Genetic Conservation and Biodiversity Group, Institute of Genetics, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maureen A Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Brian D Todd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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30
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Greenberg DA, Palen WJ, Mooers AØ. Amphibian species traits, evolutionary history and environment predict Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection patterns, but not extinction risk. Evol Appl 2017; 10:1130-1145. [PMID: 29151866 PMCID: PMC5680631 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (B. dendrobatidis) has emerged as a major agent of amphibian extinction, requiring conservation intervention for many susceptible species. Identifying susceptible species is challenging, but many aspects of species biology are predicted to influence the evolution of host resistance, tolerance, or avoidance strategies towards disease. In turn, we may expect species exhibiting these distinct strategies to differ in their ability to survive epizootic disease outbreaks. Here, we test for phylogenetic and trait-based patterns of B. dendrobatidis infection risk and infection intensity among 302 amphibian species by compiling a global data set of B. dendrobatidis infection surveys across 95 sites. We then use best-fit models that associate traits, taxonomy and environment with B. dendrobatidis infection risk and intensity to predict host disease mitigation strategies (tolerance, resistance, avoidance) for 122 Neotropical amphibian species that experienced epizootic B. dendrobatidis outbreaks, and noted species persistence or extinction from these events. Aspects of amphibian species life history, habitat use and climatic niche were consistently linked to variation in B. dendrobatidis infection patterns across sites around the world. However, predicted B. dendrobatidis infection risk and intensity based on site environment and species traits did not reveal a consistent pattern between the predicted host disease mitigation strategy and extinction outcome. This suggests that either tolerant or resistant species may have no advantage in ameliorating disease during epizootic events, or that other factors drive the persistence of amphibian populations during chytridiomycosis outbreaks. These results suggest that using a trait-based approach may allow us to identify species with resistance or tolerance to endemic B. dendrobatidis infections, but that this approach may be insufficient to ultimately identify species at risk of extinction from epizootics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan A. Greenberg
- Department of Biological Sciences and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary StudiesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
- Department of Biological Sciences and Earth to Ocean Research GroupSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
| | - Wendy J. Palen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Earth to Ocean Research GroupSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
| | - Arne Ø. Mooers
- Department of Biological Sciences and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary StudiesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
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31
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Catenazzi A, Ttito A, Diaz MI, Shepack A. Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n., a new species of Cusco Andes frog from the cloud forest of the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae). Zookeys 2017:65-81. [PMID: 29089838 PMCID: PMC5646672 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.685.12152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A new species of Bryophryne from the humid montane forest of the Department of Cusco, Peru, is described. Specimens were collected at 2795-2850 m a.s.l. in the Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llaqta, Quispillomayo valley, in the province of Paucartambo. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Bryophryne by having green coloration on dorsum, and blue flecks on flanks and ventral parts. Specimens are characterized by lacking a distinct tympanic annulus, tympanic membrane, and dentigerous processes of vomers, and by having dorsal skin shagreen, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, skin tuberculate on flanks, skin areolate on ventral surfaces of the body, and fingers and toes without lateral fringes or webbing. The new species has a snout-vent length of 14.2-16.9 mm in three males and 22.2-22.6 mm in two females, and is smaller than all other congeneric species except for B. abramalagae. Generic allocation is supported by low genetic distances of the 16S mitochondrial gene and morphological similarity with other species of Bryophryne, and geographic distribution. Bryophryne phuyuhampatusp. n. is only known from the type locality, a cloud forest along the Quispillomayo River in the upper Nusiniscato watershed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA.,Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Lima, Perú
| | - Alex Ttito
- Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Plaza de armas s/n (Paraninfo universitario), Cusco, Perú.,Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú, Urbanización Mariscal Gamarra A-61, Zona 2, Cusco, Perú
| | - M Isabel Diaz
- Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Plaza de armas s/n (Paraninfo universitario), Cusco, Perú.,Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú, Urbanización Mariscal Gamarra A-61, Zona 2, Cusco, Perú
| | - Alexander Shepack
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA
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32
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Epizootic to enzootic transition of a fungal disease in tropical Andean frogs: Are surviving species still susceptible? PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186478. [PMID: 29040327 PMCID: PMC5645123 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to catastrophic amphibian declines throughout the world. Amphibians differ in their vulnerability to chytridiomycosis; some species experience epizootics followed by collapse while others exhibit stable host/pathogen dynamics where most amphibian hosts survive in the presence of Bd (e.g., in the enzootic state). Little is known about the factors that drive the transition between the two disease states within a community, or whether populations of species that survived the initial epizootic are stable, yet this information is essential for conservation and theory. Our study focuses on a diverse Peruvian amphibian community that experienced a Bd-caused collapse. We explore host/Bd dynamics of eight surviving species a decade after the mass extinction by using population level disease metrics and Bd-susceptibility trials. We found that three of the eight species continue to be susceptible to Bd, and that their populations are declining. Only one species is growing in numbers and it was non-susceptible in our trials. Our study suggests that some species remain vulnerable to Bd and exhibit ongoing population declines in enzootic systems where Bd-host dynamics are assumed to be stable.
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33
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Vidal MA, Novoa-Muñoz F, Werner E, Torres C, Nova R. Modeling warming predicts a physiological threshold for the extinction of the living fossil frog Calyptocephalella gayi. J Therm Biol 2017; 69:110-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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34
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Infection increases vulnerability to climate change via effects on host thermal tolerance. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9349. [PMID: 28839273 PMCID: PMC5571046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09950-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Unprecedented global climate change and increasing rates of infectious disease emergence are occurring simultaneously. Infection with emerging pathogens may alter the thermal thresholds of hosts. However, the effects of fungal infection on host thermal limits have not been examined. Moreover, the influence of infections on the heat tolerance of hosts has rarely been investigated within the context of realistic thermal acclimation regimes and potential anthropogenic climate change. We tested for effects of fungal infection on host thermal tolerance in a model system: frogs infected with the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Infection reduced the critical thermal maxima (CTmax) of hosts by up to ~4 °C. Acclimation to realistic daily heat pulses enhanced thermal tolerance among infected individuals, but the magnitude of the parasitism effect usually exceeded the magnitude of the acclimation effect. In ectotherms, behaviors that elevate body temperature may decrease parasite performance or increase immune function, thereby reducing infection risk or the intensity of existing infections. However, increased heat sensitivity from infections may discourage these protective behaviors, even at temperatures below critical maxima, tipping the balance in favor of the parasite. We conclude that infectious disease could lead to increased uncertainty in estimates of species’ vulnerability to climate change.
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35
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Medina D, Hughey MC, Becker MH, Walke JB, Umile TP, Burzynski EA, Iannetta A, Minbiole KPC, Belden LK. Variation in Metabolite Profiles of Amphibian Skin Bacterial Communities Across Elevations in the Neotropics. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2017; 74:227-238. [PMID: 28105509 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-0933-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Both the structure and function of host-associated microbial communities are potentially impacted by environmental conditions, just as the outcomes of many free-living species interactions are context-dependent. Many amphibian populations have declined around the globe due to the fungal skin pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), but enivronmental conditions may influence disease dynamics. For instance, in Panamá, the most severe Bd outbreaks have occurred at high elevation sites. Some amphibian species harbor bacterial skin communities that can inhibit the growth of Bd, and therefore, there is interest in understanding whether environmental context could also alter these host-associated microbial communities in a way that might ultimately impact Bd dynamics. In a field survey in Panamá, we assessed skin bacterial communities (16S rRNA amplicon sequencing) and metabolite profiles (HPLC-UV/Vis) of Silverstoneia flotator from three high- and three low-elevation populations representing a range of environmental conditions. Across elevations, frogs had similar skin bacterial communities, although one lowland site appeared to differ. Interestingly, we found that bacterial richness decreased from west to east, coinciding with the direction of Bd spread through Panamá. Moreover, metabolite profiles suggested potential functional variation among frog populations and between elevations. While the frogs have similar bacterial community structure, the local environment might shape the metabolite profiles. Ultimately, host-associated community structure and function could be dependent on environmental conditions, which could ultimately influence host disease susceptibility across sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Medina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall (0406), Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Myra C Hughey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall (0406), Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Matthew H Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall (0406), Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Jenifer B Walke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall (0406), Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Thomas P Umile
- Department of Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | | | - Anthony Iannetta
- Department of Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | | | - Lisa K Belden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall (0406), Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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36
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Birnie-Gauvin K, Walton S, Palme CAD, Manouchehri BA, Venne S, Lennox RJ, Chapman JM, Bennett JR, Cooke SJ. Conservation physiology can inform threat assessment and recovery planning processes for threatened species. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Parrott JC, Shepack A, Burkart D, LaBumbard B, Scimè P, Baruch E, Catenazzi A. Survey of Pathogenic Chytrid Fungi (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans) in Salamanders from Three Mountain Ranges in Europe and the Americas. ECOHEALTH 2017; 14:296-302. [PMID: 27709310 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1188-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is a virulent fungal pathogen that infects salamanders. It is implicated in the recent collapse of several populations of fire salamanders in Europe. This pathogen seems much like that of its sister species, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the agent responsible for anuran extinctions and extirpations worldwide, and is considered to be an emerging global threat to salamander communities. Bsal thrives at temperatures found in many mountainous regions rich in salamander species; because of this, we have screened specimens of salamanders representing 17 species inhabiting mountain ranges in three continents: The Smoky Mountains, the Swiss Alps, and the Peruvian Andes. We screened 509 salamanders, with 192 representing New World salamanders that were never tested for Bsal previously. Bsal was not detected, and Bd was mostly present at low prevalence except for one site in the Andes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Curtis Parrott
- Zoology Department, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1125 Lincoln drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
| | - Alexander Shepack
- Zoology Department, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1125 Lincoln drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - David Burkart
- Zoology Department, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1125 Lincoln drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Brandon LaBumbard
- Zoology Department, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1125 Lincoln drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
- University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ethan Baruch
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Zoology Department, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1125 Lincoln drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
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Burkart D, Flechas SV, Vredenburg VT, Catenazzi A. Cutaneous bacteria, but not peptides, are associated with chytridiomycosis resistance in Peruvian marsupial frogs. Anim Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Burkart
- Department of Zoology Southern Illinois University Carbondale IL USA
| | - S. V. Flechas
- Department of Biological Sciences Universidad de los Andes Bogotá Colombia
| | - V. T. Vredenburg
- Department of Biology San Francisco State University San Francisco CA USA
| | - A. Catenazzi
- Department of Zoology Southern Illinois University Carbondale IL USA
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von May R, Catenazzi A, Corl A, Santa-Cruz R, Carnaval AC, Moritz C. Divergence of thermal physiological traits in terrestrial breeding frogs along a tropical elevational gradient. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3257-3267. [PMID: 28480023 PMCID: PMC5415528 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Critical thermal limits are thought to be correlated with the elevational distribution of species living in tropical montane regions, but with upper limits being relatively invariant compared to lower limits. To test this hypothesis, we examined the variation of thermal physiological traits in a group of terrestrial breeding frogs (Craugastoridae) distributed along a tropical elevational gradient. We measured the critical thermal maximum (CTmax; n = 22 species) and critical thermal minimum (CTmin; n = 14 species) of frogs captured between the Amazon floodplain (250 m asl) and the high Andes (3,800 m asl). After inferring a multilocus species tree, we conducted a phylogenetically informed test of whether body size, body mass, and elevation contributed to the observed variation in CTmax and CTmin along the gradient. We also tested whether CTmax and CTmin exhibit different rates of change given that critical thermal limits (and their plasticity) may have evolved differently in response to different temperature constraints along the gradient. Variation of critical thermal traits was significantly correlated with species’ elevational midpoint, their maximum and minimum elevations, as well as the maximum air temperature and the maximum operative temperature as measured across this gradient. Both thermal limits showed substantial variation, but CTmin exhibited relatively faster rates of change than CTmax, as observed in other taxa. Nonetheless, our findings call for caution in assuming inflexibility of upper thermal limits and underscore the value of collecting additional empirical data on species’ thermal physiology across elevational gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf von May
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Museum of Zoology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA.,Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | | | - Ammon Corl
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Roy Santa-Cruz
- Área de Herpetología Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (MUSA) Arequipa Perú
| | | | - Craig Moritz
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA.,Centre for Biodiversity Analysis and Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
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Romansic JM, Johnson JE, Wagner RS, Hill RH, Gaulke CA, Vredenburg VT, Blaustein AR. Complex interactive effects of water mold, herbicide, and the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on Pacific treefrog Hyliola regilla hosts. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2017; 123:227-238. [PMID: 28322209 DOI: 10.3354/dao03094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases pose a serious threat to global biodiversity. However, their ecological impacts are not independent of environmental conditions. For example, the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which has contributed to population declines and extinctions in many amphibian species, interacts with several environmental factors to influence its hosts, but potential interactions with other pathogens and environmental contaminants are understudied. We examined the combined effects of Bd, a water mold (Achlya sp.), and the herbicide Roundup® Regular (hereafter, Roundup®) on larval Pacific treefrog Hyliola regilla hosts. We employed a 2 wk, fully factorial laboratory experiment with 3 ecologically realistic levels (0, 1, and 2 mg l-1 of active ingredient) of field-formulated Roundup®, 2 Achlya treatments (present and absent), and 2 Bd treatments (present and absent). Our results were consistent with sublethal interactive effects involving all 3 experimental factors. When Roundup® was absent, the proportion of Bd-exposed larvae infected with Bd was elevated in the presence of Achlya, consistent with Achlya acting as a synergistic cofactor that facilitated the establishment of Bd infection. However, this Achlya effect became nonsignificant at 1 mg l-1 of the active ingredient of Roundup® and disappeared at the highest Roundup® concentration. In addition, Roundup® decreased Bd loads among Bd-exposed larvae. Our study suggests complex interactive effects of a water mold and a contaminant on Bd infection in amphibian hosts. Achlya and Roundup® were both correlated with altered patterns of Bd infection, but in different ways, and Roundup® appeared to remove the influence of Achlya on Bd.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Romansic
- Department of Integrative Biology, 3029 Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
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41
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Burrowes PA, De la Riva I. Unraveling the historical prevalence of the invasive chytrid fungus in the Bolivian Andes: implications in recent amphibian declines. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1390-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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42
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Seimon TA, Seimon A, Yager K, Reider K, Delgado A, Sowell P, Tupayachi A, Konecky B, McAloose D, Halloy S. Long-term monitoring of tropical alpine habitat change, Andean anurans, and chytrid fungus in the Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru: Results from a decade of study. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1527-1540. [PMID: 28261462 PMCID: PMC5330894 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cordillera Vilcanota in southern Peru is the second largest glacierized range in the tropics and home to one of the largest high‐alpine lakes, Sibinacocha (4,860 m). Here, Telmatobius marmoratus (marbled water frog), Rhinella spinulosa (Andean toad), and Pleurodema marmoratum (marbled four‐eyed frog) have expanded their range vertically within the past century to inhabit newly formed ponds created by ongoing deglaciation. These anuran populations, geographically among the highest (5,200–5,400 m) recorded globally, are being impacted by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and the disease it causes, chytridiomycosis. In this study, we report results from over a decade of monitoring these three anuran species, their habitat, and Bd infection status. Our observations reveal dynamic changes in habitat including ongoing rapid deglaciation (18.4 m/year widening of a corridor between retreating glaciers from 2005 to 2015), new pond formation, changes in vegetation in amphibian habitat, and widespread occurrence of Bd in amphibians in seven sites. Three of these sites have tested positive for Bd over a 9‐ to 12‐year period. In addition, we observed a widespread reduction in T. marmoratus encounters in the Vilcanota in 2008, 2009, and 2012, while encounters increased in 2013 and 2015. Despite the rapid and dynamic changes in habitat under a warming climate, continued presence of Bd in the environment for over a decade, and a reduction in one of three anuran species, we document that these anurans continue to breed and survive in this high Andean environment. High variability in anuran encounters across sites and plasticity in these populations across habitats, sites, and years are all factors that could favor repopulation postdecline. Preserving the connectivity of wetlands in the Cordillera Vilcanota is therefore essential in ensuring that anurans continue to breed and adapt as climate change continues to reshape the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracie A. Seimon
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyZoological Health ProgramBronxNYUSA
| | - Anton Seimon
- Department of Geography and PlanningAppalachian State UniversityBooneNCUSA
| | - Karina Yager
- School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNYUSA
| | - Kelsey Reider
- Department of Biological SciencesFlorida International UniversityMiamiFLUSA
| | - Amanda Delgado
- Museo de Historia NaturalUniversidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del CuscoCuscoPeru
| | | | | | - Bronwen Konecky
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Denise McAloose
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyZoological Health ProgramBronxNYUSA
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Nowakowski AJ, Watling JI, Whitfield SM, Todd BD, Kurz DJ, Donnelly MA. Tropical amphibians in shifting thermal landscapes under land-use and climate change. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:96-105. [PMID: 27254115 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Land-cover and climate change are both expected to alter species distributions and contribute to future biodiversity loss. However, the combined effects of land-cover and climate change on assemblages, especially at the landscape scale, remain understudied. Lowland tropical amphibians may be particularly susceptible to changes in land cover and climate warming because many species have narrow thermal safety margins resulting from air and body temperatures that are close to their critical thermal maxima (CTmax ). We examined how changing thermal landscapes may alter the area of thermally suitable habitat (TSH) for tropical amphibians. We measured microclimates in 6 land-cover types and CTmax of 16 frog species in lowland northeastern Costa Rica. We used a biophysical model to estimate core body temperatures of frogs exposed to habitat-specific microclimates while accounting for evaporative cooling and behavior. Thermally suitable habitat area was estimated as the portion of the landscape where species CTmax exceeded their habitat-specific maximum body temperatures. We projected changes in TSH area 80 years into the future as a function of land-cover change only, climate change only, and combinations of land-cover and climate-change scenarios representing low and moderate rates of change. Projected decreases in TSH area ranged from 16% under low emissions and reduced forest loss to 30% under moderate emissions and business-as-usual land-cover change. Under a moderate emissions scenario (A1B), climate change alone contributed to 1.7- to 4.5-fold greater losses in TSH area than land-cover change only, suggesting that future decreases in TSH from climate change may outpace structural habitat loss. Forest-restricted species had lower mean CTmax than species that occurred in altered habitats, indicating that thermal tolerances will likely shape assemblages in changing thermal landscapes. In the face of ongoing land-cover and climate change, it will be critical to consider changing thermal landscapes in strategies to conserve ectotherm species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Justin Nowakowski
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, U.S.A
| | - James I Watling
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH, 44118, U.S.A
| | - Steven M Whitfield
- Conservation and Research Department, Zoo Miami, Miami, FL, 33177, U.S.A
| | - Brian D Todd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A
| | - David J Kurz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A
| | - Maureen A Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, U.S.A
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44
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Wombwell EL, Garner TWJ, Cunningham AA, Quest R, Pritchard S, Rowcliffe JM, Griffiths RA. Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Amphibians Imported into the UK for the Pet Trade. ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:456-466. [PMID: 27317049 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1138-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that the global spread of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been facilitated by the international trade in amphibians. Bd was first detected in the UK in 2004, and has since been detected in multiple wild amphibian populations. Most amphibians imported into the UK for the pet trade from outside the European Union enter the country via Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC), where Bd-positive animals have been previously detected. Data on the volume, diversity and origin of imported amphibians were collected for 59 consignments arriving at HARC between November 2009 and June 2012, along with a surveillance study to investigate the prevalence of Bd in these animals. Forty-three amphibian genera were recorded, originating from 12 countries. It was estimated that 5000-7000 amphibians are imported through HARC into the UK annually for the pet trade. Bd was detected in consignments from the USA and Tanzania, in six genera, resulting in an overall prevalence of 3.6%. This suggests that imported amphibians are a source of Bd within the international pet trade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Louise Wombwell
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK.
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.
| | - Trenton W J Garner
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
| | - Robert Quest
- Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, City of London Corporation, Animal Health and Welfare Services, London, UK
| | - Susie Pritchard
- Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, City of London Corporation, Animal Health and Welfare Services, London, UK
| | - J Marcus Rowcliffe
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
| | - Richard A Griffiths
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
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45
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Nowakowski AJ, Whitfield SM, Eskew EA, Thompson ME, Rose JP, Caraballo BL, Kerby JL, Donnelly MA, Todd BD. Infection risk decreases with increasing mismatch in host and pathogen environmental tolerances. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:1051-61. [PMID: 27339786 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused the greatest known wildlife pandemic, infecting over 500 amphibian species. It remains unclear why some host species decline from disease-related mortality whereas others persist. We introduce a conceptual model that predicts that infection risk in ectotherms will decrease as the difference between host and pathogen environmental tolerances (i.e. tolerance mismatch) increases. We test this prediction using both local-scale data from Costa Rica and global analyses of over 11 000 Bd infection assays. We find that infection prevalence decreases with increasing thermal tolerance mismatch and with increasing host tolerance of habitat modification. The relationship between environmental tolerance mismatches and Bd infection prevalence is generalisable across multiple amphibian families and spatial scales, and the magnitude of the tolerance mismatch effect depends on environmental context. These findings may help explain patterns of amphibian declines driven by a global wildlife pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Justin Nowakowski
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | | | - Evan A Eskew
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Michelle E Thompson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Jonathan P Rose
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Benjamin L Caraballo
- Science Department, Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation, 410 E. 100 St., New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Jacob L Kerby
- Biology Department, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Maureen A Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Brian D Todd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Shepack A, von May R, Ttito A, Catenazzi A. A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae) from the foothills of the Andes in Manu National Park, southeastern Peru. Zookeys 2016:143-64. [PMID: 27408563 PMCID: PMC4926704 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.594.8295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new species of Pristimantis from the humid sub-montane forest of the Región Cusco in Peru. Pristimantispluvialissp. n. was collected in the Kosñipata and Entoro valleys at elevations from 740 to 1110 m a.s.l., near the borders of Manu National Park and within the Huachiperi Haramba Queros Conservation Concession. The new species can be distinguished from other members of the genus Pristimantis by its rostral tubercle, smooth dorsal skin, and by its advertisement call. Pristimantislacrimosus and Pristimantiswaoranii superficially most resemble the new species, but Pristimantispluvialissp. n. differs from both species by having a rostral tubercle (absent in Pristimantiswaoranii and variable in Pristimantislacrimosus) and larger size, from Pristimantislacrimosus by its call emitted at a lower frequency, and from Pristimantiswaoranii for its dorsal coloration with dark markings. Two other species have partially overlapping distributions and resemble the new species, Pristimantismendax and Pristimantisolivaceus, but they produce advertisement calls with much higher dominant frequencies than the advertisement call of the new species. Furthermore, Pristimantismendax differs from the new species by lacking a rostral tubercle and by having a sigmoid inner tarsal fold, whereas Pristimantisolivaceus differs by being smaller and by having dorsal skin shagreen with scattered tubercles. The new species has snout-vent length of 21.8–26.9 mm in males (n = 12) and 28.8 mm in a single female.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Shepack
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Rudolf von May
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Alex Ttito
- Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Cusco, Perú
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA; CORBIDI - Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Lima, Perú
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Prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) Populations in West Virginia, USA. J Wildl Dis 2016; 52:391-4. [PMID: 27124331 DOI: 10.7589/2015-02-052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) is a North American salamander species in decline throughout its range. Efforts to identify the causes of decline have included surveillance for the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which has been associated with global amphibian population losses. We evaluated the prevalence of Bd in 42 hellbenders at four sites in West Virginia, US, from June to September 2013, using standard swab protocols and real-time PCR. Overall prevalence of Bd was 52% (22/42; 37.7-66.6%; 95% confidence interval). Prevalence was highest in individuals with body weight ≥695 g (χ(2)=7.2487, df=1, P=0.007), and was higher in montane sampling sites than lowland sites (t=-2.4599, df=44, P=0.02). While increased prevalence in montane sampling sites was expected, increased prevalence in larger hellbenders was unexpected and hypothesized to be associated with greater surface area for infection or prolonged periods of exposure in older, larger hellbenders. Wild hellbenders have not been reported to display clinical disease associated with Bd; however, prevalence in the population is important information for evaluating reservoir status and risk to other species, and as a baseline for investigation in the face of an outbreak of clinical disease.
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48
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Catenazzi A, Ttito A. A new species of Psychrophrynella (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae) from the humid montane forests of Cusco, eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1807. [PMID: 26989637 PMCID: PMC4793343 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new species of Psychrophrynella from the humid montane forest of the Department Cusco in Peru. Specimens were collected at 2,670–3,165 m elevation in the Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llakta, Japumayo valley, near Comunidad Campesina de Japu, in the province of Paucartambo. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Psychrophrynella but P. bagrecito and P. usurpator by possessing a tubercle on the inner edge of the tarsus, and from these two species by its yellow ventral coloration on abdomen and limbs. Furthermore, the new species is like P. bagrecito and P. usurpator in having an advertisement call composed of multiple notes, whereas other species of Psychrophrynella whose calls are known have a pulsed call (P. teqta) or a short, tonal call composed of a single note. The new species has a snout-vent length of 16.1–24.1 mm in males and 23.3–27.7 mm in females. Like other recently described species in the genus, this new Psychrophrynella inhabits high-elevation forests in the tropical Andes and likely has a restricted geographic distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale IL, United States; Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Lima, Peru
| | - Alex Ttito
- Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad , Cusco , Peru
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49
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Warne RW, LaBumbard B, LaGrange S, Vredenburg VT, Catenazzi A. Co-Infection by Chytrid Fungus and Ranaviruses in Wild and Harvested Frogs in the Tropical Andes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0145864. [PMID: 26726999 PMCID: PMC4701007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While global amphibian declines are associated with the spread of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), undetected concurrent co-infection by other pathogens may be little recognized threats to amphibians. Emerging viruses in the genus Ranavirus (Rv) also cause die-offs of amphibians and other ectotherms, but the extent of their distribution globally, or how co-infections with Bd impact amphibians are poorly understood. We provide the first report of Bd and Rv co-infection in South America, and the first report of Rv infections in the amphibian biodiversity hotspot of the Peruvian Andes, where Bd is associated with extinctions. Using these data, we tested the hypothesis that Bd or Rv parasites facilitate co-infection, as assessed by parasite abundance or infection intensity within individual adult frogs. Co-infection occurred in 30% of stream-dwelling frogs; 65% were infected by Bd and 40% by Rv. Among terrestrial, direct-developing Pristimantis frogs 40% were infected by Bd, 35% by Rv, and 20% co-infected. In Telmatobius frogs harvested for the live-trade 49% were co-infected, 92% were infected by Bd, and 53% by Rv. Median Bd and Rv loads were similar in both wild (Bd = 101.2 Ze, Rv = 102.3 viral copies) and harvested frogs (Bd = 103.1 Ze, Rv = 102.7 viral copies). While neither parasite abundance nor infection intensity were associated with co-infection patterns in adults, these data did not include the most susceptible larval and metamorphic life stages. These findings suggest Rv distribution is global and that co-infection among these parasites may be common. These results raise conservation concerns, but greater testing is necessary to determine if parasite interactions increase amphibian vulnerability to secondary infections across differing life stages, and constitute a previously undetected threat to declining populations. Greater surveillance of parasite interactions may increase our capacity to contain and mitigate the impacts of these and other wildlife diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin W. Warne
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, 1125 Lincoln Dr., MC6501, Carbondale, IL, 62901, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brandon LaBumbard
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, 1125 Lincoln Dr., MC6501, Carbondale, IL, 62901, United States of America
| | - Seth LaGrange
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, 1125 Lincoln Dr., MC6501, Carbondale, IL, 62901, United States of America
| | - Vance T. Vredenburg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 94132, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, 1125 Lincoln Dr., MC6501, Carbondale, IL, 62901, United States of America
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Sinsch U, Schäfer AM. Density regulation in toad populations (Epidalea calamita, Bufotes viridis) by differential winter survival of juveniles. J Therm Biol 2016; 55:20-29. [PMID: 26724194 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The size of amphibian populations varies considerably between years, so that systematic trends in dynamics are difficult to detect. Informed conservation management of presumably declining populations requires the identification of the most sensitive life stage. In temperate-zone anurans there is growing evidence that juveniles hibernating for the first time suffer from substantial winter losses. In two syntopic toads (Epidalea calamita, Bufotes viridis) we monitored survival of such juveniles during four consecutive winters in the natural habitat and in four temperature treatments (3°, 5 °C, 10°/15 °C or 20 °C, natural light-dark cycle) in temperature-controlled chambers during winter. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that (1) winter mortality of juvenile toads which hibernate for the first time in their life is an important component of population dynamics, and that (2) mortality rates differed between the two species. Parameters quantified were size-dependent winter mortality and body condition of pre- and post-hibernating juveniles. Field data provided evidence for the important role of winter mortality of first-hibernators in population dynamics. Choice of hibernacula differed in E. calamita between small and medium-sized individuals and also between the two species suggesting distinct mortality risks. The inability of small E. calamita to reach frost-proof hibernacula by burrowing, and the exposure of small B. viridis to predators are the most probable causes of size-assortative winter mortality. In conclusion, E. calamita juveniles may benefit from rising average winter temperatures in the future by decreased risk of freezing to death, whereas predator-caused winter mortality of B. viridis juveniles will also depend on the effects of climate warming on predator phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Sinsch
- Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany.
| | - Alena M Schäfer
- Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
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