Chytridiomycosis and Seasonal Mortality of Tropical Stream‐Associated Frogs 15 Years after Introduction of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
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Authors: | ANDREA D PHILLOTT LAURA F GROGAN SCOTT D CASHINS KEITH R MCDONALD LEE BERGER LEE F SKERRATT |
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Institution: | 1. One Health Research Group, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, , Townsville, Queensland, 4811 Australia;2. Environment Protection Agency, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, , Atherton, Queensland, 4883 Australia |
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Abstract: | Assessing the effects of diseases on wildlife populations can be difficult in the absence of observed mortalities, but it is crucial for threat assessment and conservation. We performed an intensive capture‐mark‐recapture study across seasons and years to investigate the effect of chytridiomycosis on demographics in 2 populations of the threatened common mist frog (Litoria rheocola) in the lowland wet tropics of Queensland, Australia. Infection prevalence was the best predictor for apparent survival probability in adult males and varied widely with season (0–65%). Infection prevalence was highest in winter months when monthly survival probabilities were low (approximately 70%). Populations at both sites exhibited very low annual survival probabilities (12–15%) but high recruitment (71–91%), which resulted in population growth rates that fluctuated seasonally. Our results suggest that even in the absence of observed mortalities and continued declines, and despite host–pathogen co‐existence for multiple host generations over almost 2 decades, chytridiomycosis continues to have substantial seasonally fluctuating population‐level effects on amphibian survival, which necessitates increased recruitment for population persistence. Similarly infected populations may thus be under continued threat from chytridiomycosis which may render them vulnerable to other threatening processes, particularly those affecting recruitment success. Quitridiomicosis y Mortalidad Estacional de Ranas Asociadas a Arroyos Tropicales Quince Años Después de la Introducción de Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisvsp |
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Keywords: | amphibian declines Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis endemic mark‐recapture population growth recruitment survival Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis crecimiento poblacional declinaciones de anfibios endé mico marcaje‐recaptura reclutamiento supervivencia |
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