Alpine salamanders at risk? The current status of an emerging fungal pathogen

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Philipp Böning - , Universität Trier (Autor:in)
  • Stefan Lötters - , Universität Trier (Autor:in)
  • Benedetta Barzaghi - , Università degli Studi di Milano (Autor:in)
  • Marvin Bock - , Universität Trier (Autor:in)
  • Bobby Bok - , St. Michael College (Autor:in)
  • Lucio Bonato - , Università degli studi di Padova, National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) (Autor:in)
  • Gentile Francesco Ficetola - , Università degli Studi di Milano (Autor:in)
  • Florian Glaser - , Technisches Büro für Biologie (Autor:in)
  • Josline Griese - (Autor:in)
  • Markus Grabher - , UMG Umweltbüro Grabher (Autor:in)
  • Camille Leroux - , Sorbonne Université, Auddicé Biodiversité– ZAC du Chevalement, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Autor:in)
  • Gopikrishna Munimanda - , University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Autor:in)
  • Raoul Manenti - , Università degli Studi di Milano (Autor:in)
  • Gerda Ludwig - , Amphibienwerkstatt (Autor:in)
  • Doris Preininger - , Vienna Zoo (Autor:in)
  • Mark Oliver Rödel - , Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science (Autor:in)
  • Sebastian Seibold - , Professur für Forstzoologie, Technische Universität Dresden, Nationalpark Berchtesgaden, Technische Universität München (Autor:in)
  • Steve Smith - , University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Autor:in)
  • Laura Tiemann - , Technische Universität München (Autor:in)
  • Jürgen Thein - , Büro für Faunistik und Umweltbildung (Autor:in)
  • Michael Veith - , Universität Trier (Autor:in)
  • Amadeus Plewnia - , Universität Trier (Autor:in)

Abstract

Amphibians globally suffer from emerging infectious diseases like chytridiomycosis caused by the continuously spreading chytrid fungi. One is Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) and its disease – the ‘salamander plague’ – which is lethal to several caudate taxa. Recently introduced into Western Europe, long distance dispersal of Bsal, likely through human mediation, has been reported. Herein we study if Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra and S. lanzai) are yet affected by the salamander plague in the wild. Members of the genus Salamandra are highly susceptible to Bsal leading to the lethal disease. Moreover, ecological modelling has shown that the Alps and Dinarides, where Alpine salamanders occur, are generally suitable for Bsal. We analysed skin swabs of 818 individuals of Alpine salamanders and syntopic amphibians at 40 sites between 2017 to 2022. Further, we compiled those with published data from 319 individuals from 13 sites concluding that Bsal infections were not detected. Our results suggest that the salamander plague so far is absent from the geographic ranges of Alpine salamanders. That means that there is still a chance to timely implement surveillance strategies. Among others, we recommend prevention measures, citizen science approaches, and ex situ conservation breeding of endemic salamandrid lineages.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummere0298591
FachzeitschriftPloS one
Jahrgang19
Ausgabenummer5 MAY
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Mai 2024
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 38758948
ORCID /0000-0002-7968-4489/work/162348867

Schlagworte

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Schlagwörter

  • Batrachochytrium/genetics, Animals, Europe/epidemiology, Chytridiomycota, Communicable Diseases, Emerging/microbiology, Mycoses/veterinary, Urodela/microbiology, Salamandra/microbiology