Publication
Low-load pathogen spillover predicts shifts in skin microbiome and survival of a terrestrial-breeding amphibian
Publisher:
The Royal Society
Date:
14-08-2019
DOI:
10.1098/RSPB.2019.1114
Abstract: Wildlife disease dynamics are strongly influenced by the structure of host communities and their symbiotic microbiota. Conspicuous hibian declines associated with the waterborne fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) have been observed in aquatic-breeding frogs globally. However, less attention has been given to cryptic terrestrial-breeding hibians that have also been declining in tropical regions. By experimentally manipulating multiple tropical hibian assemblages harbouring natural microbial communities, we tested whether Bd spillover from naturally infected aquatic-breeding frogs could lead to Bd lification and mortality in our focal terrestrial-breeding host: the pumpkin toadlet Brachycephalus pitanga . We also tested whether the strength of spillover could vary depending on skin bacterial transmission within host assemblages. Terrestrial-breeding toadlets acquired lethal spillover infections from neighbouring aquatic hosts and experienced dramatic but generally non-protective shifts in skin bacterial composition primarily attributable to their Bd infections. By contrast, aquatic-breeding hibians maintained mild Bd infections and higher survival, with shifts in bacterial microbiomes that were unrelated to Bd infections. Our results indicate that Bd spillover from even mildly infected aquatic-breeding hosts may lead to dysbiosis and mortality in terrestrial-breeding species, underscoring the need to further investigate recent population declines of terrestrial-breeding hibians in the tropics.