Seasonal and plant specific vulnerability of amphibian tadpoles to the invasion of a novel cyanobacteria

Maerz, John C.; Wilde, Susan B.; Terrell, Vanessa K.; Haram, Brigette N.; Trimmer, R. Clay; Nunez, Chelsea; Cork, Erin; Pessier, Allan P.; Lannoo, Sue; Lannoo, Michael J.; Diamond, Sara

doi:10.1007/s10530-018-1861-6

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The vulnerability of biodiversity is defined in several terms (Mendoza‐Ponce et al., 2020 ): (a) Exposure is defined as the degree, duration, and extent to which a system or a part of it is in contact with harm; (b) sensitivity is recognized as the susceptibility of an element to be harmed; (c) adaptive capacity refers to the ability to adjust to current or future conditions (IPCC, 2014 ; Mendoza‐Ponce et al., 2020 ). Mostly, the vulnerability is measured by habitat loss or fragmentation under climate change, land‐cover/use‐change, species invasion, and other anthropogenic interference (LeMoine et al., 2020 ; Maerz et al., 2019 ; Penaluna et al., 2015 ). Another direct metrics is to measure the impact of species loss (Chua et al., 2019 ; Pool et al., 2014 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China

Deng

Huang

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China

Deng

Huang

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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“…hydrillicola feeding trials have confirmed neuropathy and mortality in a wide variety of taxa, including amphibians, reptiles, and fish, as well as secondary disease transfer through the food chain. Thus, the disease is now referred to as vacuolar myelinopathy (VM) (21)(22)(23)(24).…”

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confidence: 99%

Hunting the eagle killer: A cyanobacterial neurotoxin causes vacuolar myelinopathy

Breinlinger

Phillips

Haram

et al. 2021

Science

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Vacuolar myelinopathy is a fatal neurological disease that was initially discovered during a mysterious mass mortality of bald eagles in Arkansas in the United States. The cause of this wildlife disease has eluded scientists for decades while its occurrence has continued to spread throughout freshwater reservoirs in the southeastern United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that vacuolar myelinopathy is induced by consumption of the epiphytic cyanobacterial species Aetokthonos hydrillicola growing on aquatic vegetation, primarily the invasive Hydrilla verticillata. Here, we describe the identification, biosynthetic gene cluster, and biological activity of aetokthonotoxin, a pentabrominated biindole alkaloid that is produced by the cyanobacterium A. hydrillicola. We identify this cyanobacterial neurotoxin as the causal agent of vacuolar myelinopathy and discuss environmental factors—especially bromide availability—that promote toxin production.

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Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Amphibians and Reptiles are Under‐Reported and Under‐Represented

Tornabene,

Smalling,

Hossack

2024

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a persistent and increasing problem globally, yet we still have limited knowledge about how they affect wildlife. Although semi‐aquatic and aquatic amphibians and reptiles have experienced large declines and occupy environments where HABs are increasingly problematic, their vulnerability to HABs remains unclear. To inform monitoring, management, and future research, we conducted a literature review, synthesized the studies, and report on the mortality events describing effects of cyanotoxins from HABs on freshwater herpetofauna. Our review identified 37 unique studies and 71 endpoints (no‐observed‐effect and lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations) involving 11 amphibian and 3 reptile species worldwide. Responses varied widely among studies, species, and exposure concentrations used in experiments. Concentrations causing lethal and sublethal effects in laboratory experiments were generally 1 to 100 µg/L, which contains the mean value of reported HAB events but is 70 times less than the maximum cyanotoxin concentrations reported in the environment. However, one species of amphibian was tolerant to concentrations of 10,000 µg/L, demonstrating potentially immense differences in sensitivities. Most studies focused on microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR), which can increase systemic inflammation and harm the digestive system, reproductive organs, liver, kidneys, and development. The few studies on other cyanotoxins illustrated that effects resembled those of MC‐LR at similar concentrations, but more research is needed to describe effects of other cyanotoxins and mixtures of cyanotoxins that commonly occur in the environment. All experimental studies were on larval and adult amphibians; there were no such studies on reptiles. Experimental work with reptiles and adult amphibians is needed to clarify thresholds of tolerance. Only nine mortality events were reported, mostly for reptiles. Given that amphibians likely decay faster than reptiles, which have tissues that resist decomposition, mass amphibian mortality events from HABs have likely been under‐reported. We propose that future efforts should be focused on seven major areas, to enhance our understanding of effects and monitoring of HABs on herpetofauna that fill important roles in freshwater and terrestrial environments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1–14. Published 2024. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

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Seasonal and plant specific vulnerability of amphibian tadpoles to the invasion of a novel cyanobacteria

Cited by 8 publications

References 19 publications

Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China

Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China

Hunting the eagle killer: A cyanobacterial neurotoxin causes vacuolar myelinopathy

Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Amphibians and Reptiles are Under‐Reported and Under‐Represented

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