Presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis at the Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park, Minnesota, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Publisher

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

Source Publication

Herpetological Review

Source ISSN

0018-084X

Abstract

The disease caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), chytridiomycosis, is one of several factors driving the global decline of amphibian populations (Blaustein and Kiesecker 2002; Lips et al, 2006; Muths et al, 2003).  Bd has been found in amphibians at sites across North America including Minnesota, USA (Ouellet et al, 2005; Woodhams et al, 2008). The prevalence of Bd in wild anuran populations in Minnesota is unknown, and motivated the work described herein.

We investigated the occurrence of Bd at the University of Minnesota’s Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories in Itasca State Park, site of the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Our research objectives were to: 1) verify if Bd is present in the park; 2) determine which anuran species are affected by the fungus; and 3) test if there are differences in infection rate among species.

Comments

Herpetological Review, Vol. 40, No. 1 (2009): 48-50. Publisher link.

PubMed Central link.

Tony Gamble was affiliated with University of Minnesota at time of publication.

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