Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

01 Jun, 01 AM - 30 Sep, 10 AM

Amphibians face many threats worldwide including habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and overexploitation, but these threats tend to be concentrated in areas that are heavily impacted by human activities. Recently, a fungal disease known as chytridiomycosis has driven catastrophic population declines and extinctions even in relatively undisturbed parts of the globe. In remote and federally protected alpine ecosystems of California, this disease is currently decimating native amphibians, driving some species closer to extinction every year. My research focuses on the ecology of this disease-causing fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), and the factors that allow it to be so deadly. One possibility is that the survival and reproduction of the fungus does not depend entirely on amphibians. To assess this possibility, I am investigating whether the fungus persists in alpine lakes years after it eliminates all amphibian hosts. Knowing whether the fungus persists will broaden our understanding of how it causes extinctions, and provide insight into how to prevent these extinctions from happening.

Visit #24527 @Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Approved

Under Project # 23363 | Research

The legacy of an emerging disease: post-epizootic pathogen persistence in alpine lakes

graduate_student - University of Colorado

Reservation Members(s)

Maxwell Joseph Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011 (122 days)

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Dorm 1 Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011
Q1 1 Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011
Q2 1 Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011
Q3 1 Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011
Q8 1 Jun 1 - Sep 30, 2011