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Widespread Co-occurrence of Virulent Pathogens Within California Amphibian Communities

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Abstract

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, ranaviruses, and trematodes (Ribeiroia ondatrae and echinostomes) are highly virulent pathogens known to infect amphibians, yet the extent to which they co-occur within amphibian communities remains poorly understood. Using field surveillance of 85 wetlands in the East Bay region of California, USA, we found that 68% of wetlands had ≥2 pathogens and 36% had ≥3 pathogens. Wetlands with high pathogen species richness also tended to cluster spatially. Our results underscore the need for greater integration of multiple pathogens and their interactions into amphibian disease research and conservation efforts.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the grants from NSF (DEB-0553768, MRI-0923419) and a fellowship from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. We thank S. Paull, J. McFarland, K. Lunde, and K. Gietzen for assistance in the field surveys and I. Buller, E. Kellermans, and B. LaFonte for conducting amphibian necropsies. J. Rohr and several anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge support and property access from D. Bell of East Bay Regional Parks, D. Rocha of Santa Clara County Parks, M. Hamilton of the UC Reserve System, J. Smith of East Bay Municipal Utility District, S. Abbors of Midpeninsula Open Space, and K. Fleming of the California State Parks System.

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Author notes

  1. Jason T. Hoverman

    Present address: Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Jason T. Hoverman, Joseph R. Mihaljevic, Katherine L. D. Richgels & Pieter T. J. Johnson

  2. Biology Department, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark Street, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA

    Jacob L. Kerby

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  1. Jason T. Hoverman
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  2. Joseph R. Mihaljevic
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  3. Katherine L. D. Richgels
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  4. Jacob L. Kerby
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  5. Pieter T. J. Johnson
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Correspondence to Jason T. Hoverman.

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Hoverman, J.T., Mihaljevic, J.R., Richgels, K.L.D. et al. Widespread Co-occurrence of Virulent Pathogens Within California Amphibian Communities. EcoHealth 9, 288–292 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0778-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0778-2

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