Unravelling the invasion history of alpine newts and the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

生物入侵是全球生物多样性下降的主要驱动因素之一，并可能产生有害的经济和社会影响。全球化和贸易推动了入侵物种向新地区的传播，许多物种的引入是人类有意或无意促成的。两栖动物通过许多不同的途径在它们的原生范围之外站稳了脚，从偶然的宠物逃跑到为了控制害虫而有意引入。在英国，非本地两栖动物比本地物种要多，其中最大的潜在威胁是入侵的高山蝾螈——阿尔卑斯鱼龙。这些尾虫是壶菌壶菌（Batrachochytrium dendroatidis, Bd）的媒介，壶菌是致命的两栖动物传染病壶菌病的病原体。到目前为止，所有取样的高山蝾螈种群都检测出Bd阳性，有人推测这些入侵的两栖动物是将这种病原体带到英国的原因。为了确定高山蝾螈是否将Bd引入了英国本土两栖动物种群，该项目将利用地理分析和基因组学来描述入侵历史，并将其模式与英国Bd的系统地理学进行比较。该项目还将确定人类活动是否在蝾螈扩散中起作用。

Biological invasions are one of the primary drivers of global biodiversity decline, and can have detrimental economic and societal impacts. The spread of invasive species to novel regions is fuelled by globalisation and trade, with many introductions being both deliberatively and accidentally facilitated by humans. Amphibians have become established outside of their native range through a number of different routes, from accidental pet escapes to intentional introductions for pest control. In the UK, there are more non-native amphibians than native species, with the greatest potential threat posed by the invasive alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris. These urodeles act as a vector for the chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the deadly amphibian infectious disease, chytridiomycosis. All populations of alpine newts sampled to date have tested positive for Bd, and there is speculation that these invasive amphibians are responsible for bringing this pathogen to the UK. In order to ascertain whether alpine newts introduced Bd to native UK amphibian populations, this project will utilise geographic profiling and genomics to describe invasion history, comparing the pattern with phylogeography of Bd in Britain. The project will also determine whether human activities play a role in newt dispersal.