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Ranavirus Amplification in Low-Diversity Amphibian Communities
Joe-Felix Bienentreu1, Danna M Schock2, Amy L Greer3
1Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
|February 28, 2022
Summary
Amphibian populations face threats from emerging infectious diseases like ranaviruses (RV). Higher species richness amplifies RV prevalence and infection intensity in amphibian communities, underscoring the importance of host diversity in disease dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Epidemiology
- Wildlife Disease
Background:
- Emerging infectious diseases pose significant threats to biodiversity, particularly impacting amphibian populations.
- Understanding the dynamics of multi-host pathogens, such as ranaviruses (RV), in natural communities is crucial for conservation.
- Knowledge gaps exist regarding the specific factors influencing host-pathogen interactions in amphibians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on ranavirus (RV) prevalence and viral loads in low-diversity amphibian communities.
- To assess the impact of species identity, species richness, and abundance on RV dynamics.
- To determine the role of environmental factors like conductivity and pH in RV transmission.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a two-year field study across 18 sites in north-western Canada.
- Monitored amphibian communities comprising up to three species: wood frog (Rana sylvatica), boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata), and Canadian toad (Anaxyrus hemiophrys).
- Assessed ranavirus (RV) prevalence and viral loads in relation to species richness, abundance, and abiotic factors (conductivity, pH).
Main Results:
- Ranavirus (RV) prevalence nearly doubled with each additional species in the amphibian community.
- Infection intensity in infected wood frogs and boreal chorus frogs significantly increased with higher species richness.
- No significant effects of host abundance or abiotic factors on RV prevalence or viral loads were observed.
Conclusions:
- Species richness is a key driver of ranavirus (RV) amplification and infection intensity in amphibian communities.
- Host identity and species richness are critical factors for understanding multi-host pathogen dynamics.
- Comprehensive studies incorporating host-pathogen interactions are essential for predicting and managing wildlife diseases.
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