Low -load pathogen spillover predicts shifts in skin microbiome and survival of a terrestrial-breeding amphibian

Author(s):Show less -

Becker, C. Guilherme ^[1] ; Bletz, Molly C. ^[2] ; Greenspan, Sasha E. ^[1] ; Rodriguez, David ^[3] ; Lambertini, Carolina ^[4] ; Jenkinson, Thomas S. ^[5] ; Guimaraes, Jr., Paulo R. ^[6] ; Assis, Ana Paula A. ^[6] ; Geffers, Robert ^[7] ; Jarek, Michael ^[7] ; Toledo, Luis Felipe ^[4] ; Vences, Miguel ^[8] ; Haddad, Celio F. B. ^{[9, 10]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Alabama, Dept Biol Sci, Tuscaloosa, AL 35847 - USA

^[2] Univ Massachusetts, Dept Biol, Boston, MA 02125 - USA

^[3] Texas State Univ, Dept Biol, San Marcos, TX 78666 - USA

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Anim Biol, BR-13083865 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Environm Sci Policy & Management, Berkeley, CA 94720 - USA

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[7] Helmholtz Ctr Infect Res, Dept Genome Analyt, D-38124 Braunschweig, LS - Germany

^[8] Braunschweig Univ Technol, Zool Inst, Div Evolutionary Biol, D-38106 Braunschweig, LS - Germany

^[9] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[10] Univ Estadual Paulista, Aquaculture Ctr CAUNESP, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; v. 286, n. 1908 JUL 31 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Wildlife disease dynamics are strongly influenced by the structure of host communities and their symbiotic microbiota. Conspicuous amphibian declines associated with the waterborne fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) have been observed in aquatic-breeding frogs globally. However, less attention has been given to cryptic terrestrial-breeding amphibians that have also been declining in tropical regions. By experimentally manipulating multiple tropical amphibian assemblages harbouring natural microbial communities, we tested whether Bd spillover from naturally infected aquatic-breeding frogs could lead to Bd amplification and mortality in our focal terrestrial-breeding host: the pumpkin toadlet Brachycephalus pitanga. We also tested whether the strength of spillover could vary depending on skin bacterial transmission within host assemblages. Terrestrial-breeding toadlets acquired lethal spillover infections from neighbouring aquatic hosts and experienced dramatic but generally non protective shifts in skin bacterial composition primarily attributable to their Bd infections. By contrast, aquatic-bleeding amphibians maintained mild Bd infections and higher survival, with shifts in bacterial microbiomes that were unrelated to Bd infections. Our results indicate that Bd spillover from even mildly infected aquatic-breeding hosts may lead to dysbiosis and mortality in terrestrial-breeding species, underscoring the need to further investigate recent population declines of terrestrial-breeding amphibians in the tropics. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/25358-3 - The chytrid fungus: from its origins to its consequences
• Grantee: Luis Felipe de Toledo Ramos Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/50741-7 - Diversity and conservation of Brazilian amphibians
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants