Authors
Douglas C Woodhams, Ross A Alford
Publication date
2005/10
Journal
Conservation Biology
Volume
19
Issue
5
Pages
1449-1459
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Inc.
Description
In the wet tropics of Queensland, Australia, eight species of stream‐dwelling frogs have experienced population declines. Some declines were associated with an emerging infectious disease of amphibians (chytridiomycosis) caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. We examined the spatial and temporal pattern of infection prevalence in a sample of frog populations. Infected adults and tadpoles of all species were found, and infections occurred at every site. Infection prevalence varied among species and was always < 10.0% in adults but ranged from 0.75 to 76.0% in tadpoles. In this system tadpoles and adults of some species may act as disease reservoirs, experiencing avirulent infections, whereas other hosts (declining species) experience virulent infections. Infection prevalence was higher during the cool, dry winter season (May to September) and at high elevations (600–800 m), suggesting …
Total citations
Scholar articles
DC Woodhams, RA Alford - Conservation Biology, 2005