Collaborative Research: Genetic and Demographic Determinants of Population Responses to Emerging Infectious Disease

壶菌病是一种由两栖类杀伤真菌水蛭壶菌引起的传染病，本文研究了经历壶菌病不同阶段的两栖动物的遗传组成和人口统计学。壶菌病已造成中美洲两栖动物种群的广泛下降和灭绝。该项目将确定巴拿马达连地区的流行波前沿，并直接比较接触病原体前后的人口。本研究将测量主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）的免疫基因在不同种群和种类的青蛙中暴露于这种疾病的差异，并将这些遗传发现与种群减少和恢复的人口统计学分析结合起来。这些数据有助于了解导致这种野生动物疾病的遗传和人口因素。该项目产生了关于遗传和人口因素在对一种严重威胁新世界两栖动物生物多样性的传染病的免疫方面的作用的重要数据。该项目的研究结果将对保护工作具有重要意义，并使研究人员能够在保护研究和圈养繁殖计划、自然抗性检测和圈养种群管理中考虑适应性进化潜力的长期维持。研究成果将通过媒体和教育项目进行推广，以提高人们在生物多样性保护中使用科学的意识。最后，该项目包括一个重要的培训组成部分，为本科生、研究生和博士后提供国际研究机会，并特别努力为代表性不足的学生提供机会。

This proposal examines the genetic composition and demography of amphibians experiencing different stages of chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease caused by the amphibian-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Chytridiomycosis has caused widespread declines and extinctions of amphibian populations in Central America. This project will identify the front of the epidemic wave in the Darien region of Panama, and directly compare populations before and after exposure to the pathogen. This study will measure variability in immunological genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) across populations and species of frogs with varying exposure to this disease, and combine these genetic findings with a population demographic analysis of declines and recovery. These data permit an understanding of the genetic and demographic factors contributing to this wildlife disease.This project generates important data on the roles of genetic and demographic factors in immunity to an infectious disease that is a serious threat to New World amphibian biodiversity. Results of this project will be important in conservation efforts and allow researchers to take into account long-term maintenance of adaptive evolutionary potential in conservation research and captive breeding programs, detection of natural resistance, and management of captive stocks. The research results will be used in outreach through media and educational programs, to increase awareness of the use of science in biodiversity conservation. Finally, this project includes a significant training component that makes international research opportunities available to undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs, and makes special efforts to provide opportunities to under-represented students.