Authors
Ben C Scheele, David A Hunter, Sam C Banks, Jennifer C Pierson, Lee F Skerratt, Rebecca Webb, Don A Driscoll
Publication date
2016/11
Journal
Journal of Animal Ecology
Volume
85
Issue
6
Pages
1453-1460
Description
- Pathogen emergence can drive major changes in host population demography, with implications for population dynamics and sensitivity to environmental fluctuations. The amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, caused by infection with the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is implicated in the severe decline of over 200 amphibian species. In species that have declined but not become extinct, Bd persists and can cause substantial ongoing mortality. High rates of mortality associated with Bd may drive major changes in host demography, but this process is poorly understood.
- Here, we compared population age structure of Bd‐infected populations, Bd‐free populations and museum specimens collected prior to Bd emergence for the endangered Australian frog, Litoria verreauxii alpina (alpine tree frog). We then used population simulations to investigate how pathogen‐associated demographic …
Scholar articles
BC Scheele, DA Hunter, SC Banks, JC Pierson… - Journal of Animal Ecology, 2016