Invasion of the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on California Islands.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), an amphibian fungal pathogen, has infected >500 species and caused extinctions or declines in >200 species worldwide. Despite over a decade of research, little is known about its invasion biology. To better understand this, we conducted a museum specimen survey (1910-1997) of Bd in amphibians on 11 California islands and found a pattern consistent with the emergence of Bd epizootics on the mainland, suggesting that geographic isolation did not prevent Bd invasion. We propose that suitable habitat, host diversity, and human visitation overcome isolation from the mainland and play a role in Bd invasion.
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, La Kretz Hall, Suite 300, 619 Charles E Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.|Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building #3160, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.|Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
Tiffany A
TA
Yap
Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
Lauren
L
Gillespie
Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
Silas
S
Ellison
Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, AA 4976, Colombia.
Sandra V
SV
Flechas
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building #3160, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Michelle S
MS
Koo
Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
Ari E
AE
Martinez
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building #3160, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. vancev@sfsu.edu.|Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA. vancev@sfsu.edu.
Vance T
VT
Vredenburg
D000663:Amphibians / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D008411:Chytridiomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D062312:Islands; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology*
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; California islands; amphibian pathogen; chytridiomycosis; emerging infectious disease