Infection patterns of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, on anuran assemblages in agro-ecosystems from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Infection patterns of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, on anuran assemblages in agro-ecosystems from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is linked to extinctions and declines o...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Agostini, Maria Gabriela, Burrowes, Patricia A.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/60620
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/60620
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS
HYPSIBOAS PULCHELLUS
LAND-USE CHANGE
LEPTODACTYLUS LATRANS
PSEUDIS MINUTA
RHINELLA FERNANDEZAE
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:Infection patterns of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, on anuran assemblages in agro-ecosystems from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is linked to extinctions and declines of amphibians. Additionally, in the context of amphibian decline, the habitat loss related to agricultural landscapes is likely the single most important human activity affecting lowland amphibian populations. To assess the impact of anthropogenic land use on anuran response to Bd, infection patterns in several ponds from cultivated (CA) and uncultivated areas (UCA) were studied. Four anuran species (Rhinella fernandezae [Bufonidae]; juvenile and adult of Leptodactylus latrans [Leptodactylidae]; and the hylids Hypsiboas pulchellus and Pseudis minuta) were monitored and tissue samples were collected for Bd diagnosis and quantification. All species tested positive for Bd, but anurans inhabiting the UCA were twice more likely to be infected than those in the CA. Prevalence and infection level were significantly higher in the UCA, suggesting that vulnerability to Bd is associated with land use in agroecosystems. At the assemblage-level, the infection patterns also differed among species, and those with aquatic habitats (L. latrans and P. minuta) had high prevalence and infection levels of Bd. Juvenile stages of L. latrans had higher prevalence and infection level than adults in both study areas. This work contributes to our understanding of anthropogenic effects on host-pathogen relationships, particularly on the effect of Bd on anuran assemblages under different levels of agricultural impact.