The Effects of Salinity on the Cutaneous Microbiome and Bd Infection of the Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jenifer Walke
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 10:45 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change and infectious diseases are leading causes of amphibian population decline around the world. Changes in precipitation and salinity have reduced habitat availability and altered physiological performances for amphibian survival. The salt refugee hypothesis however, proposes that amphibians have stronger abilities to defend against pathogens in higher saline environments. Along the coast of California, Monterey County is a known breeding ground for endangered amphibian species living in these conditions. The prevalence and intensity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and the composition of skin microbial communities will be evaluated on the model study species, the Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla) to test the salt refugee hypothesis. We hypothesize amphibians in higher salinity will have lower Bd rates and more bacterial diversity. Ten skin swab samples will be collected at 20 sites in Monterey across a salinity gradient (0.5 ppt- 30 ppt). DNA will be extracted for the molecular quantification of Bd and the skin microbiome. Bd prevalence and intensity will be assessed with quantitative PCR, while bacterial community composition will be evaluated by amplifying the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina Miseq platform. Statistical analyses, including Adonis method, Kruskal-Wallis test, and PERMANOVA test, will evaluate the interaction between Bd presence/absence, salinity, and microbial diversity. Spearman rank correlation and Mantel test will explore correlations between Bd infection intensity, salinity, and bacterial community structure. These results will provide valuable insight for amphibian conservation efforts where environmental conditions continue to change.
Recommended Citation
Kim, Hannah Eunhae, "The Effects of Salinity on the Cutaneous Microbiome and Bd Infection of the Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla)" (2024). 2024 Symposium. 15.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/15
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
The Effects of Salinity on the Cutaneous Microbiome and Bd Infection of the Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla)
PUB NCR
Anthropogenic climate change and infectious diseases are leading causes of amphibian population decline around the world. Changes in precipitation and salinity have reduced habitat availability and altered physiological performances for amphibian survival. The salt refugee hypothesis however, proposes that amphibians have stronger abilities to defend against pathogens in higher saline environments. Along the coast of California, Monterey County is a known breeding ground for endangered amphibian species living in these conditions. The prevalence and intensity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and the composition of skin microbial communities will be evaluated on the model study species, the Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla) to test the salt refugee hypothesis. We hypothesize amphibians in higher salinity will have lower Bd rates and more bacterial diversity. Ten skin swab samples will be collected at 20 sites in Monterey across a salinity gradient (0.5 ppt- 30 ppt). DNA will be extracted for the molecular quantification of Bd and the skin microbiome. Bd prevalence and intensity will be assessed with quantitative PCR, while bacterial community composition will be evaluated by amplifying the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina Miseq platform. Statistical analyses, including Adonis method, Kruskal-Wallis test, and PERMANOVA test, will evaluate the interaction between Bd presence/absence, salinity, and microbial diversity. Spearman rank correlation and Mantel test will explore correlations between Bd infection intensity, salinity, and bacterial community structure. These results will provide valuable insight for amphibian conservation efforts where environmental conditions continue to change.
