Does the life stage matters? Occurrence patterns of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in different tadpoles communities

• Grant number: 19/20895-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: January 26, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Applied Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Vinícius de Avelar São Pedro
• Grantee: Fernanda Paiva Silva Pinto
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências da Natureza (CCN). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Campus de Lagoa do Sino. Buri , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates, and several factors has already been associated with population declines and even species extinctions. However, the most important factors are habitat loss and chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd is widely distributed around the world and has been considered as responsible for the highest loss of biodiversity ever attributed to a disease. Even though there are many studies about Bd infection dynamics in adults, we lack information on factors that drive different occurrence patterns of Bd in tadpole communities until now. Furthermore, there are no studies that have assessed whether Bd infections can vary between different tadpole ecological guilds and even according to different characteristics of their microhabitats. Thus, we aim to characterize Bd occurrence patterns in larval anurans communities distributed in different microhabitats, investigating the possible relationship between infection prevalence and vegetation density, and specific characteristics from different microhabitats. Another goal is to test for differences of Bd infection rates and tadpole ecological guilds. We hypothesize that there is a positive relationship between Bd infection prevalence in tadpoles and vegetation density; that tadpoles from permanents ponds and benthic tadpoles shows higher infection rates; and that specific characteristics of microhabitat influences on the variation of Bd infection prevalence. (AU)