November
19, 2018, Uppsala
University
The
parasitic fungus Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis causes lethal infections in amphibians. Species and
environment affect which frogs are infected by parasitic fungus. This is a
green toad. Credit: Uppsala University
An
aquatic parasitic fungus causes lethal infections in amphibians and is thought
to be one of the reasons for a global decline in toad and frog populations. A
new study by researchers from Uppsala University shows a wide variation among
different species in the number of infections and that the surrounding
environment has an impact.
The study
was performed in Skåne, which is home to twelve amphibian species. The
common frog, common toad, moor frog, European fire-bellied toad, European green
toad and the natterjack toad were included in the study. The number of
infections varied widely among the species. The common toad and common frog had
the lowest proportion of infections, while the European green toad, the
natterjack toad and the fire-bellied toad had the highest. In addition to the
differences in the proportions of infected amphibians across the species,
the infection rate was also affected by the environment in the ponds
and surrounding landscape where the frogs and toads live. The proportion of
infected individuals increased if the pH value in the pond was high and decreased if
there was forest and many nearby ponds in the surrounding countryside.
Earlier
studies have shown that the parasitic fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is sensitive to temperature and pH.
Because the number of infected individuals was higher in ponds with higher pH
values, the results suggest that the fungus is happiest in such environments.
Likewise, forests can affect the prevalence of the fungus because it is
relatively colder in wooded areas than in more open country. Some amphibian species
avoid colder areas and ponds with specific pH values, which also affects the
prevalence.
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