Future potential distribution of the emerging amphibian chytrid fungus under anthropogenic climate change

Rödder, Dennis; Kielgast, Jos; Lötters, Stefan

doi:10.3354/dao02197

Cited by 61 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…In Europe, chytridiomycosis seems to influence the dynamics of amphibian populations only locally, although Bd is probably widespread all over the continent (Garner et al 2005, Rödder et al 2010, Ohst et al 2011. High numbers of infected amphibians were detected on the Iberian Peninsula (Bosch & Martínez-Solano 2006, Walker et al 2010, in Switzerland (Garner et al 2005, Schmidt et al 2009), Italy (Federici et al 2008), and on Sardinia (Bovero et al 2008, Bielby et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Germany: distribution, prevalences, and prediction of high risk areas

Ohst¹,

Gräser²,

Plötner³

2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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In Germany, the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) was detected in 11 indigenous frog species, 4 newt species, and 1 salamander species in 64 out of the 181 locations (35%) investigated. Among the 3450 samples collected between 2003 and 2011, 284 (8.2%) were positive for Bd infections. The highest prevalences were observed in Alytes obstetricans (17.8% of individuals, 20% of populations), followed by Ichthyosaura alpestris (14.7%, 22.2%), Bombina variegata (13.9%, 38.5%), and water frogs comprising 2 species, Pelophylax lessonae and P. ridibundus, and their hybrid form P. esculentus (13.5%, 29.0%). Bd is widespread; areas of higher prevalence were detected in eastern, southeastern, western, and southwestern Germany. Our data indicate that drift fencing of amphibians is not a risk factor for the anthropogenic spread of Bd. Although chytridiomycosis outbreaks have never been observed in Germany, it cannot be excluded that Bd infections affect the dynamics of local amphibian populations. Among the questions still to be answered is whether juveniles are more susceptible to Bd infections than adults. Further work, especially long-term observations including capture-mark-recapture studies, is required to clarify the impact Bd has on amphibians in Germany and Central Europe. KEY WORDS: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis · Chytridiomycosis · Germany · Distribution · Prevalence · Amphibian fencing Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 107: [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] 2013 2005, Schmidt et al. 2009), Italy (Federici et al. 2008, and on Sardinia (Bovero et al. 2008, Bielby et al. 2009). Epidemiological data from the northern and eastern parts of Europe, however, are scarce.In Germany, the first field record of Bd was obtained from the water frog hybrid Pelophylax esculentus, which was sampled in the state of Brandenburg, northeastern Germany (Mutschmann et al. 2000). Further records originated from P. esculentus, found in 2003 near Neuwied (Rhineland-Palatinate), Triturus alpestris (2001 and 2003) collected in southern Germany (Swabian Alb), and Salamandra salamandra (2001 and 2002) kept in an outdoor terrarium (Mutschmann 2007). Preliminary prevalence data ob tained from all indigenous German amphibian species except S. atra indicate that Bd is widespread in Germany and is able to infect all species (Ohst et al. 2011). Chytridiomycosis outbreaks, however, have never been observed; therefore the role Bd plays in population declines in Germany, as in the whole of Central Europe, is not yet clear. We therefore as a first step estimated species-, population-, and locality-specific prevalence rates of Bd infections in Germany. Based on 3450 tissue samples from 181 localities, we aimed to explore the spatial patterns of Bd infections and detect areas of increased Bd prevalences in Germany as a basis for risk assessment and conservation management.Despite the role Bd plays in the dynamics of am phibian populations, destruction,...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Germany: distribution, prevalences, and prediction of high risk areas

Ohst¹,

Gräser²,

Plötner³

2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…Bd is widely considered one of the principal drivers of the global decline of amphibians [13], the most threatened vertebrate taxon on the Earth [14]. There have been several SDMs for Bd that use environmental predictors to explain Bd occurrence patterns [15][16][17][18]. Although these studies are useful for predicting Bd risk and making relevant management strategies, they mostly focus on FN predictors, or only limited PP factors, such as human population density at a continental scale [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although these studies are useful for predicting Bd risk and making relevant management strategies, they mostly focus on FN predictors, or only limited PP factors, such as human population density at a continental scale [15]. Earlier studies have postulated that the distribution and abundance of Bd is affected by climate [15,17,19,20], elevation [21], vegetation [22,23], host species richness [22,24], exotic species introductions [25], frog leg trade [26], human movement [27] and the human footprint index [28]. Consequently, it is important to consider these plausible drivers concurrently because, if these factors are looked at independently, it could give the impression that particular factors are driving the distribution of Bd when in fact the causal driver might be another correlated factor.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We constructed our global SDM using the MaxEnt model, one of the highest performing methods for modelling species' distributions [30], which was widely used as a robust approach to explore Bd potential distributions [15][16][17]. We simultaneously evaluated 22 variables probably affecting the FN of Bd and five variables that probably affected PP (see the electronic supplementary material, table S1) and their independent relative contributions of FN and PP to the global distribution of Bd.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate, vegetation, introduced hosts and trade shape a global wildlife pandemic

2013

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Global factors, such as climate change, international trade and introductions of exotic species are often elicited as contributors to the unprecedented rate of disease emergence, but few studies have partitioned these factors for global pandemics. Although contemporary correlative species distribution models (SDMs) can be useful for predicting the spatial patterns of emerging diseases, they focus mainly on the fundamental niche (FN) predictors (i.e. abiotic climate and habitat factors), neglecting dispersal and propagule pressure predictors (PP, number of non-native individuals released into a region). Using a validated, predictive and global SDM, we show that both FN and PP accounted for significant, unique variation to the distribution of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen implicated in the declines and extinctions of over 200 amphibian species worldwide. Bd was associated positively with vegetation, total trade and introduced amphibian hosts, nonlinearly with annual temperature range and non-significantly with amphibian leg trade or amphibian species richness. These findings provide a rare example where both FN and PP factors are predictive of a global pandemic. Our model should help guide management of this deadly pathogen and the development of other globally predictive models for species invasions and pathogen emergence influenced by FN and PP factors.

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“…Among the ecosystems of Chile, the temperate forest is considered a hotspot of biodiversity and conservation priority (Conservation International; www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/ chilean_forests/ Pages/default.aspx). The Chilean temperate forest, however, also includes a region that is 1 of 11 in the New World thought to be optimal for the presence of Bd: the ecological conditions of this region coincide with the environmental conditions suitable for the fungus (Ron 2005, Rödder et al 2010.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New records of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Chilean frogs

Bourke¹,

Ohst²,

Gräser³

et al. 2011

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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We used molecular techniques to examine 11 species of frogs in 6 localities in southern Chile to ascertain the incidence of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). We detected the fungus in 2 localities (Coñaripe and Raúl Marín Balmaceda) in 3 species: Batrachyla leptopus, Pleurodema thaul and Rhinoderma darwinii. Our findings expand the list of Bd hosts to include B. leptopus and P. thaul and extend the spatial distribution in Chile to include the southernmost Bd record at Raúl Marín Balmaceda.

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Future potential distribution of the emerging amphibian chytrid fungus under anthropogenic climate change

Cited by 61 publications

References 48 publications

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Germany: distribution, prevalences, and prediction of high risk areas

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Germany: distribution, prevalences, and prediction of high risk areas

Climate, vegetation, introduced hosts and trade shape a global wildlife pandemic

New records of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Chilean frogs

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