Challenging a host–pathogen paradigm: Susceptibility to chytridiomycosis is decoupled from genetic erosion

Smith, Donal; O’Brien, David; Hall, Jeanette; Sergeant, Chris; Brookes, Lola; Harrison, Xavier A.; Garner, Trenton W. J.; Jehle, Robert

doi:10.1111/jeb.13987

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Our research shows that the difference in exposure alone affects the growth of amphibians, which could have further consequences. Reduced juvenile growth dynamics at direct solar exposure sites may negatively affect the overwintering of toads because smaller specimens have a lower survival rate during hibernation (Sinsch & Schäfer, 2016), and they are also more susceptible to diseases (Smith et al, 2022). Thus, differences in the canopy cover shift the recruitment probability of the young generation into the reproductive population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Among the trees: shade promotes the growth and higher survival of juvenile toads

Kaczmarski,

Dylewski,

Maliński

et al. 2023

Dendrobiology

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getation, including trees, significantly shapes microhabitats for amphibians due to the leaf litter input, providing stable shelter, creating a microclimate or indirectly through trophic interactions. It is known that some species can survive in a highly modified urban environment. Species associated with open space can find stable habitats in urban and human-transformed areas, but is the impact of shading (presence of canopy cover) significant in their case? We focus on the effect of solar exposure on the growth rate of juvenile green toads Bufotes viridis in fruit and canopy manipulation treatments. The main aim of the study was to examine the selected habitat traits promoting post-metamorphic growth of the green toad in semi-open enclosures. We investigated differences between exposure/land cover variants, i.e., sunny site (open area with direct solar exposure) and shadow site (shady site with a tree canopy cover). Using imitation fruits and real cherry plum Prunus cerasifera fruits (non-native tree species), we checked whether amphibian growth is related to the additional structure that fruit lying on the ground created (a more heterogeneous surface structure) or to a trophic character (additional food source due to attracting invertebrates). We conducted a 40-day rearing experiment in three variants with two replications in semi-open enclosures with 20 juvenile toads each. We found differences in snout-vent length and body mass index investigated due to site exposure during post-metamorphic growth. The survival rate of juvenile toads in the shaded site was higher than in sunny sites. We demonstrated a positive effect of the tree’s shade, regardless of the fleshy fruit’s presence on the ground. Toads benefit from developing at sites with reduced solar exposure (i.e., with a tree canopy), resulting in intensive growth and higher survival rate. Thus, there is an opportunity for planners and urban authorities to manage habitats for amphibian conservation purposes by creating a shaded zone, even for open habitat species, especially in transformed areas such as cities. Our results indicate that the beneficial effect of the lying fruit on the growth of juveniles is limited to specific conditions, and understanding this requires further research.

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