Abstract
Relatively few studies of amphibian diseases have employed standard ecological experimental designs. We discuss what constitutes a well-designed ecological experiment and encourage their use in disease studies. We illustrate how well-designed experiments can be used to determine the effects of pathogens on amphibians and we illustrate how ancillary information, including that collected using molecular tools, can be used to enhance the value of such experiments.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Paul Bradley, Jing Chen, Yun Soo Chung, Alex Flecker, Steph Gervasi, Barbara Han, and Catherine Searle for reading earlier versions of the manuscript and for their constructive comments.
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Blaustein, A.R., Alford, R.A. & Harris, R.N. The Value of Well-Designed Experiments in Studying Diseases with Special Reference to Amphibians. EcoHealth 6, 373–377 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-009-0266-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-009-0266-5