Terrestrial Dispersal and Potential Environmental Transmission of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis).
Dispersal and exposure to amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) is not confined to the aquatic habitat, but little is known about pathways that facilitate exposure to wild terrestrial amphibians that do not typically enter bodies of water. We explored the possible spread of Bd from an aquatic reservoir to terrestrial substrates by the emergence of recently metamorphosed infected amphibians and potential deposition of Bd-positive residue on riparian vegetation in Cusuco National Park, Honduras (CNP). Amphibians and their respective leaf perches were both sampled for Bd presence and the pathogen was detected on 76.1% (35/46) of leaves where a Bd-positive frog had rested. Although the viability of Bd detected on these leaves cannot be discerned from our quantitative PCR results, the cool air temperature, closed canopy, and high humidity of this cloud forest environment in CNP is expected to encourage pathogen persistence. High prevalence of infection (88.5%) detected in the recently metamorphosed amphibians and frequent shedding of Bd-positive residue on foliage demonstrates a pathway of Bd dispersal between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. This pathway provides the opportunity for environmental transmission of Bd among and between amphibian species without direct physical contact or exposure to an aquatic habitat.
One Health Research Group, College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Operation Wallacea, Wallacea House, Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, PE23 4EX United Kingdom.
Jonathan E
JE
Kolby
Operation Wallacea, Wallacea House, Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, PE23 4EX United Kingdom; Sustainability Studies Program, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, New Jersey, United States of America.
Sara D
SD
Ramirez
One Health Research Group, College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Lee
L
Berger
School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Kathryn L
KL
Richards-Hrdlicka
Operation Wallacea, Wallacea House, Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, PE23 4EX United Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, Brussels, 1000 Belgium.
Merlijn
M
Jocque
One Health Research Group, College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Lee F
LF
Skerratt
D000663:Amphibians / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D008411:Chytridiomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017753:Ecosystem; D006721:Honduras; D013696:Temperature