Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders
Abstract The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), is a significant conservation threat to salamander biodiversity in Europe, although its potential to affect North American species is poorly understood. We tested the susceptibility of two genera (Eurycea and Pseudotrit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12675 |
| _version_ | 1818034276282662912 |
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| author | Edward Davis Carter Debra L. Miller Anna C. Peterson William B. Sutton Joseph Patrick W. Cusaac Jennifer A. Spatz Louise Rollins‐Smith Laura Reinert Markese Bohanon Lori A. Williams Andrea Upchurch Matthew J. Gray |
| author_facet | Edward Davis Carter Debra L. Miller Anna C. Peterson William B. Sutton Joseph Patrick W. Cusaac Jennifer A. Spatz Louise Rollins‐Smith Laura Reinert Markese Bohanon Lori A. Williams Andrea Upchurch Matthew J. Gray |
| author_sort | Edward Davis Carter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), is a significant conservation threat to salamander biodiversity in Europe, although its potential to affect North American species is poorly understood. We tested the susceptibility of two genera (Eurycea and Pseudotriton) and three populations of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) to Bsal. All species became infected with Bsal and two (Pseudotriton ruber and Eurycea wilderae) developed chytridiomycosis. We also documented that susceptibility of E. wilderae differed among populations. Regardless of susceptibility, all species reduced feeding when exposed to Bsal at the highest zoospore dose, and P. ruber and one population of E. wilderae used cover objects less. Our results indicate that Bsal invasion in eastern North America could have significant negative impacts on endemic lungless salamander populations. Future conservation efforts should include surveillance for Bsal in the wild and in captivity, and championing legislation that requires and subsidizes pathogen‐free trade of amphibians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:36:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66de690ceeed4a8da03d00c7c1562a2d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:36:35Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-66de690ceeed4a8da03d00c7c1562a2d2022-12-22T01:58:54ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2020-01-01131n/an/a10.1111/conl.12675Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamandersEdward Davis Carter0Debra L. Miller1Anna C. Peterson2William B. Sutton3Joseph Patrick W. Cusaac4Jennifer A. Spatz5Louise Rollins‐Smith6Laura Reinert7Markese Bohanon8Lori A. Williams9Andrea Upchurch10Matthew J. Gray11Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Tennessee State University Nashville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeDepartment of Pathology Microbiology & Immunology Vanderbilt University Nashville TennesseeDepartment of Pathology Microbiology & Immunology Vanderbilt University Nashville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeNorth Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Raleigh North CarolinaTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Nashville TennesseeCenter for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville TennesseeAbstract The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), is a significant conservation threat to salamander biodiversity in Europe, although its potential to affect North American species is poorly understood. We tested the susceptibility of two genera (Eurycea and Pseudotriton) and three populations of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) to Bsal. All species became infected with Bsal and two (Pseudotriton ruber and Eurycea wilderae) developed chytridiomycosis. We also documented that susceptibility of E. wilderae differed among populations. Regardless of susceptibility, all species reduced feeding when exposed to Bsal at the highest zoospore dose, and P. ruber and one population of E. wilderae used cover objects less. Our results indicate that Bsal invasion in eastern North America could have significant negative impacts on endemic lungless salamander populations. Future conservation efforts should include surveillance for Bsal in the wild and in captivity, and championing legislation that requires and subsidizes pathogen‐free trade of amphibians.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12675amphibianbiodiversitychytridconservationdiseasefungus |
| spellingShingle | Edward Davis Carter Debra L. Miller Anna C. Peterson William B. Sutton Joseph Patrick W. Cusaac Jennifer A. Spatz Louise Rollins‐Smith Laura Reinert Markese Bohanon Lori A. Williams Andrea Upchurch Matthew J. Gray Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders Conservation Letters amphibian biodiversity chytrid conservation disease fungus |
| title | Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| title_full | Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| title_fullStr | Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| title_short | Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| title_sort | conservation risk of batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders |
| topic | amphibian biodiversity chytrid conservation disease fungus |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12675 |
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