Bd Prevalence in the Local Crayfish Population
Undergraduate
Description
Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and are essential for the overall health of ecosystems, affecting everything from water quality to the health of the organisms. Although many fungi play beneficial roles in nature, some fungi such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) can cause disease in the members of the ecosystem. This chytrid fungus continues to be a major contributor to global amphibian declines and lowers the quality of life of many other creatures (e.g., crayfish). As potential carriers of Bd, crayfish are a possible mobile microhabitat to move and persist the presence of Bd in aquatic ecosystems. This project investigated the Bd prevalence on crayfish populations (Cambarus robustus) adjacent to a population of newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) which have been documented to carry Bd. Surprisingly, none of the crayfish sampled over three different surveys (n=60) revealed signs of Bd infection when assessed with pathogen specific real-time PCR (qPCR), while the resident newt population (n=20) had 95% infection rates. Improving our understanding of how this pathogen is moving naturally within an ecosystem and how it is impacting the broader community will aid future conservation efforts.
Bd Prevalence in the Local Crayfish Population
Oral - Basic
Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and are essential for the overall health of ecosystems, affecting everything from water quality to the health of the organisms. Although many fungi play beneficial roles in nature, some fungi such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) can cause disease in the members of the ecosystem. This chytrid fungus continues to be a major contributor to global amphibian declines and lowers the quality of life of many other creatures (e.g., crayfish). As potential carriers of Bd, crayfish are a possible mobile microhabitat to move and persist the presence of Bd in aquatic ecosystems. This project investigated the Bd prevalence on crayfish populations (Cambarus robustus) adjacent to a population of newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) which have been documented to carry Bd. Surprisingly, none of the crayfish sampled over three different surveys (n=60) revealed signs of Bd infection when assessed with pathogen specific real-time PCR (qPCR), while the resident newt population (n=20) had 95% infection rates. Improving our understanding of how this pathogen is moving naturally within an ecosystem and how it is impacting the broader community will aid future conservation efforts.
