An analysis of prevalence of chytrid fungus in an amphibian assemblage in Middle Tennessee

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious, fungal disease largely seen in amphibians, which is caused by the highly virulent, zoosporic, pathogenic, single-celled fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). It is known to cause epidermal hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, skin ulcerations, and fatalities by asystolic cardiac arrest either from shifts in electrolytes or increased acidity in the blood plasma. Previous research has demonstrated that urban water bodies have a higher prevalence of chytrid fungus than rural water bodies. Researchers have also found that chytrid is more prevalent in open canopy habitats than closed canopy habitats. Furthermore, it is implicated in global population declines and local extinctions in which one-third of extant amphibian species are currently threatened with extinction. This suggests that there is a need for further research into the prevalence of Bd and the environmental conditions in which it thrives. I sampled 72 amphibians from four urban and four rural watercourses situated in Davidson and Sumner County in Middle Tennessee. All of the 72 captured amphibians were swabbed for the presence of Bd. DNA was extracted using Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kits and assayed by PCR in triplicate. Four of out of the 72 sampled amphibians tested positive for the presence of Bd. This project provides empirical evidence for the presence of Bd in Middle Tennessee, which will aid wildlife and land managers in making adaptive conservation decisions that will better protect amphibians in this region from the foremost threat to amphibian diversity.