COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Genetic and Demographic Determinants of Population Responses to Emerging Infectious Disease

这项建议研究了经历合孢子菌病不同阶段的两栖动物的遗传组成和人口学特征。合孢子菌病是一种由杀死两栖动物的真菌树枝巴氏杆菌引起的传染病。旋毛菌病已导致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里安地区疫情的前沿，并直接比较接触病原体前后的人口。这项研究将测量主要组织相容性复合体(MHC)的免疫基因在不同暴露于这种疾病的青蛙种群和物种中的变异性，并将这些遗传发现与对衰退和恢复的种群人口统计学分析相结合。这些数据使我们能够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对新大陆两栖动物生物多样性构成严重威胁的传染病的免疫力中所起作用的重要数据。该项目的结果将对保护工作具有重要意义，并使研究人员能够考虑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长期保持适应性进化潜力。研究成果将用于通过媒体和教育项目进行推广，以提高人们对使用科学保护生物多样性的认识。最后，该项目包括一个重要的培训部分，为本科生、毕业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.