Abstract Detail

Poster Session

Jenkinson, Thomas [1], Betancourt-Román, Clarisse M. [1], Belasen, Anat [1], Isenhart, Lindsay G. [1], Marino, John A. [1], James, Timothy [1].

Temporal patterns of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in the native amphibian community of the Edwin S. George Biological Reserve, Livingston County, Michigan.

Chytridiomycosis of amphibians, caused by the chytrid pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is the emerging infectious disease implicated in the recent population declines of amphibians worldwide. While overall prevalence of Bd infection in Eastern North America is thought to be lower than prevalence associated with regions of recent disease introduction, our understanding of the infection dynamics of Bd in the Great Lakes region of remains incomplete. We present results from an extensive Bd survey in 2013 in a native southeast Michigan amphibian community on the Edwin S. George Biological Reserve, Livingston County, Michigan. We determined infection prevalence across a temporal sampling of native amphibians spanning the spring and summer months. Adult and metamorphic amphibians were collected and swabbed for pathogen detection by PCR. Examination of this first year of collected data suggests an overall low prevalence of infection across the study area (1.7% total infected animals). Infection prevalence appeared lowest at the beginning of the post-winter breeding season and late summer months. Infection levels rose modestly through out the rest of the summer and peaked as species completed their breeding cycles. This temporal oscillation suggests a dynamic of low pre-breeding infection prevalence with most of the population having recovered when host densities are low, and retransmission occurring each spring through a very few infected individuals or species bringing the pathogen to spring breeding ponds. Our observed levels of infection prevalence also support a hypothesis of host-parasite equilibrium in virulence and immunity in this region resulting from long-term coevolutionary history, instead of a recent introduction event.

1 - University of Michigan, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 830 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

Keywords:
Chytridiomycota
Fungal Pathogens
Amphibians
Disease Ecology
Molecular Biology.

Presentation Type: Offered Paper - Poster
Session: P7
Location: Lincoln Room/Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Date: Monday, June 9th, 2014
Time: 8:00 PM
Number: P7008
Abstract ID:201
Candidate for Awards:Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award