Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution and Pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Boreal Toads from the Grand Teton Area of Western Wyoming

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
EcoHealth Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. Bd has been implicated in recent declines of boreal toads, Bufo boreas boreas, in Colorado but populations of boreal toads in western Wyoming have high prevalence of Bd without suffering catastrophic mortality. In a field and laboratory study, we investigated the prevalence of Bd in boreal toads from the Grand Teton ecosystem (GRTE) in Wyoming and tested the pathogenicity of Bd to these toads in several environments. The pathogen was present in breeding adults at all 10 sites sampled, with a mean prevalence of 67%. In an experiment with juvenile toadlets housed individually in wet environments, 106 zoospores of Bd isolated from GRTE caused lethal disease in all Wyoming and Colorado animals within 35 days. Survival time was longer in toadlets from Wyoming than Colorado and in toadlets spending more time in dry sites. In a second trial involving Colorado toadlets exposed to 35% fewer Bd zoospores, infection peaked and subsided over 68 days with no lethal chytridiomycosis in any treatment. However, compared with drier aquaria with dry refuges, Bd infection intensity was 41% higher in more humid aquaria and 81% higher without dry refuges available. Our findings suggest that although widely infected in nature, Wyoming toads may escape chytridiomycosis due to a slight advantage in innate resistance or because their native habitat hinders Bd growth or provides more opportunities to reduce pathogen loads behaviorally than in Colorado.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams MJ, Galvan S, Reinitz D, Cole RC, Pyare S, Hahr M, et al. (2007) Incidence of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibian populations along the northwest coast of North America. Herpetological Review 38:430-431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allison PD (1995) Survival Analysis Using SAS: A Practical Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Annis SL, Dastoor FP, Ziel H, Daszak P, Longcore JE (2004) A DNA-Based assay identifies Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibians. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 40:420-428.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger L, Speare R, Daszak P, Green DE, Cunningham AA, Goggin CL, et al. (1998) Chytridiomycosis causes amphibian mortality associated with population declines in the rain forests of Australia and Central America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 95:9031–9036.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger L, Speare R, Hyatt A (1999) Chytrid fungi and amphibian declines: overview, implications and future directions. In: Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs. Campbell A (editor), Environment Australia, Canberra, Australia, pp 23–33

  • Carey C, Bruzgul JE, Livo LJ, Walling ML, Kuehl KA, Dixon BF, et al. (2006) Experimental exposures of boreal toads (Bufo boreas) to a pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). EcoHealth 3:5-21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corn PS (2003) Endangered toads in the Rockies. In: Ecological and earth sciences in mountain areas. Taylor L, Martin K, Hik D, Ryall A (editors), The Banff Centre, Banff, AB, pp 43-51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corn PS (2007) Amphibians and disease: implications for conservation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Yellowstone Science 15:11-16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daszak P, Scott DE, Kilpatrick AM, Faggioni C, Gibbons JW, Porter D (2005) Amphibian population declines at Savannah River site are linked to climate, not chytridiomycosis. Ecology 86:3232-3237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daszak P, Strieby A, Cunningham AA, Longcore JE, Brown CC, Porter D (2004) Experimental evidence that the bullfrog (Rana catesbiana) is a potential carrier of chytridiomycosis, an emerging fungal disease of amphibians. Herpetological Journal 14:201-207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fellers GM, Green DE, Longcore JE (2001) Oral chytridiomycosis in the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). Copeia 4:945-953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goebel AM, Ranker TA, Corn PS, Olmstead RG (2009) Mitochondrial DNA evolution in the Anaxyrus boreas species group. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50:209-225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris RN, James TY, Lauer A, Simon MA, Patel A (2006) Amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is inhibited by the cutaneous bacteria of amphibian species. EcoHealth 3:53-56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hossack BR, Corn PS (2008) Wildfire effects on water temperature and selection of breeding sites by the boreal toad (Bufo boreas) in seasonal wetlands. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 3:46-54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kluger MJ (1979) Fever in ectotherms: evolutionary implications. American Zoologist 19:295-304.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kriger KM, Hero J-M (2006) Survivorship in wild frogs infected with chytridiomycosis. EcoHealth 3:171-177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kriger KM, Hero J-M (2007) The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is non-randomly distributed across amphibian breeding habitats. Diversity and Distributions 13:781-788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lips KR, Brem R, Brenes R, Reeve JD, Alford RA, Voyles J, et al. (2006) Emerging infectious disease and the loss of biodiversity in a neotropical amphibian community. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 103:3165-3170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Longcore JE, Berger L (2000) Recognizing, isolating, and culturing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis from amphibians. Proceedings of “Getting the Jump! on Amphibian Disease.” Cairns, Australia. http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/phtm/PHTM/frogs/GJLong2.htm. Accessed 1 Feb 2008

  • Longcore JR, Longcore JE, Pessier AP, Halteman WA (2007) Chytridiomycosis widespread in anurans of northeastern United States. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:435-444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Longcore JE, Pessier AP, Nichols DK (1999) Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis gen et sp nov, a chytrid pathogenic to amphibians. Mycologia 91:219-227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald K, Alford RA (1999) A review of declining frogs in northern Queensland. In: Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs. Campbell A (editor), Environment Australia, Canberra, Australia, pp 14–22

  • Muths E, Corn PS (1997) Basking by adult boreal toads (Bufo boreas boreas) during the breeding season. Journal of Herpetology 31:426-428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muths E, Corn PS, Pessier AP, Green DE (2003) Evidence for disease-related amphibian decline in Colorado. Biological Conservation 110:357–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muths E, Pilliod DS, Livo LJ (2008) Distribution and environmental limitations of an amphibian pathogen in the Rocky Mountains, USA. Biological Conservation 141:1484-1492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nichols DK, Lamirande EW, Pessier AP, Longcore JE (2001) Experimental transmission of cutaneous chytridiomycosis in dendrobatid frogs. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 37:1-11.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olson D, Ronnenberg K (2008) Global Bd mapping project: Update—17 January 2008. http://www.parcplace.org/bdmap2008update.html. Accessed 6 Feb 2008.

  • Ouellet M, Mikaelian I, Pauli BD, Rodriguez J, Green DM (2005) Historical evidence of widespread chytrid infection in North American amphibian populations. Conservation Biology 19:1431-1440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patla DA, Peterson CR (2004) Amphibian and reptile inventory and monitoring Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, 2000–2003: final report. Idaho State University, Pocatello

  • Piotrowski JS, Annis SL, Longcore JE (2004) Physiology of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a chytrid pathogen of amphibians. Mycologia 96:9-15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Retallick R, McCallum H, Speare R (2004) Endemic infection of the amphibian chytrid fungus in a frog community post-decline. PLoS Biology 2:1-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherff-Norris KL, Livo LJ, Pessier A, Fetkavich C, Jones M, Kombert M, et al. (2002) Native aquatic species restoration facility: boreal toad husbandry manual. Colorado Division of Wildlife

  • Skerratt LF, Berger L, Speare R, Cashins S, McDonald KR, Phillott AD, et al. (2007) Spread of chytridiomycosis has caused the rapid global decline and extinction of frogs. EcoHealth 4:125-134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spear S, Maxon N, Wolff S, Corn PS (2005) Incidence and effects of chytrid fungus on boreal toads (Bufo b. boreas) in Grand Teton National Park. USGS—NPS Final Report, Moose, WY

  • Voyles J, Berger L, Young S, Speare R, Webb R, Warner J, et al. (2007) Electrolyte depletion and osmotic balance in amphibians with chytridiomycosis. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 77:113-118.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodhams DC, Alford RA, Marantelli G (2003) Emerging disease of amphibians cured by elevated body temperature. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 55:65-67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodhams DC, Ardipradja K, Alford RA, Marantelli G, Reinert LK, Rollins-Smith LA (2007) Resistance to chytridiomycosis varies among amphibian species and is correlated with skin peptide defenses. Animal Conservation 10:409-417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young MK, Allison GT, Foster K (2007) Observations of boreal toads (Bufo boreas boreas) and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in south-central Wyoming and north-central Colorado. Herpetological Review 38:146-150.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Debra Patla for providing the locations of breeding sites and field assistance, and Hank Harlowe for logistical help and his expertise in local boreal toad ecology. Erin Muths, Jason Jones, Aaron Inouye, Blake Hossack, and Andrew Lilley also helped in the field. Susan Wolff helped obtain project funding. Joyce Longcore provided advice on chytrid culture. We thank the Colorado Division of Wildlife for providing us with animals from the John W. Mumma Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility. This project was funded by USGS Park-Oriented Biological Support (#77-NRMS), the University of Wyoming-National Park Service Research Station, and the Office of Research at Idaho State University. All lab and field protocols were approved by the ISU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, 650 Memorial Dr., Pocatello, ID, 83209-8007, USA

    Peter J. Murphy, Sophie St-Hilaire, Sarah Bruer & Charles R. Peterson

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Missoula, MT, 59801, USA

    Paul Stephen Corn

Authors
  1. Peter J. Murphy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sophie St-Hilaire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sarah Bruer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paul Stephen Corn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Charles R. Peterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter J. Murphy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Murphy, P.J., St-Hilaire, S., Bruer, S. et al. Distribution and Pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Boreal Toads from the Grand Teton Area of Western Wyoming. EcoHealth 6, 109–120 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-009-0230-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-009-0230-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation