The role of introduced species and environmental change in the spread and impacts of an emerging global amphibian pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

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Emerging infectious diseases pose a serious threat to both biodiversity and human health. Understanding the reasons for disease emergence, identifying the vectors of spread and assessing factors that govern transmission and pathogenicity have now become urgent research priorities. First recognized in 1998, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis caused chytridiomycosis is an emerging disease that has been implicated in catastrophic declines of amphibians in Europe, North America, Central and South America, and Australia. Our pilot project in 2005 detected this disease on Vancouver Island. In addition, the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), which is believed to be an important vector of B. dendrobatidis dispersal, has been widely introduced in the province and is expanding its range. In western Canada there is potential impact on endangered and threatened amphibians such as the Northern Leopard Frog, Oregon Spotted Frog, and Western Toad. Little is known aboutthe potential impact of the disease Canada-wide. We will examine how natural biotic and abiotic factors, contaminants and habitat change, interact to influence transmission and chytridiomycosis progression using factorial mesocosm experiments, field surveys, genetic approaches and modeling. Our collaborators Mr. B. Pauli, Environment Canada, Dr. H. Schwantje, Wildlife Health Program, and Dr. P. Govindarajulu, Ecosystems Branch, BC Ministry of the Environment will utilize the information from our research to plan recovery for endangered amphibians and to institute landscape level management strategies to prevent/mitigate amphibian disease outbreaks. Dr. TWJ Garner at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London and Dr. M Fisher at the Dept. of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London are part of theinternational effort to understand disease driven global amphibian declines and will provide us with the technical assistance necessary to examine ecological and genetic drivers for the emergence and spread of chytridiomycosis. Our project will contribute much needed research into the dynamics and management of rapidly emerging infectious diseases in wildlife.