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Amphibians After Disease-Induced Declines: Genetic Insights Into Population Recoveries
M Delia Basanta1,2, Allison Q Byrne3, Erica Bree Rosenblum3
1Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA.
Molecular Ecology
|June 19, 2026
Summary
Amphibian populations recovering from the infectious disease chytridiomycosis show genetic bottlenecks but varied recovery patterns. Gene flow aids some species
Area of Science:
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Infectious diseases like chytridiomycosis (Bd) cause severe amphibian declines, reducing genetic diversity and increasing extinction risk.
- Small, isolated populations are particularly vulnerable to genetic drift and inbreeding following disease-induced bottlenecks.
- Despite pathogenic presence, some amphibian populations exhibit signs of recovery, prompting investigation into underlying genetic mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genomic patterns associated with recovery in three Panamanian amphibian species (Colostethus panamansis, Lithobates warszewitschii, Sachatamia albomaculata) following chytridiomycosis-related declines.
- To examine how differing life history traits and dispersal capacities influence the genetic signatures of population recovery.
- To assess effective population sizes, population structures, and genome-wide and immune-specific genetic diversity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a frog-specific genomic capture assay.
- Analyzed effective population sizes, population structures, and genetic diversity (genome-wide and immune-specific).
- Compared genetic recovery patterns across three species with distinct life history traits and dispersal abilities.
Main Results:
- All three species exhibited recent genetic bottlenecks and low effective population sizes, consistent with past disease impacts.
- Distinct patterns of gene flow and immune genetic diversity were observed among the species.
- Evidence suggests gene flow contributes to recovery by introducing novel genetic variation in some species.
Conclusions:
- Population recovery from infectious diseases is characterized by varied genetic signatures influenced by species-specific traits.
- Gene flow appears to be a significant factor in demographic and adaptive recovery for certain amphibian species.
- Understanding these genetic recovery patterns is crucial for effective conservation strategies against emerging infectious diseases.
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