Local temperature and precipitation effects on chytrid fungus infection in Montserrat frogs and toads
Faculty Mentor
Jenifer Walke
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 9:00 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 11:00 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused global amphibian declines in more than 500 species. Because Bd growth is influenced by environmental conditions, particularly temperature and moisture, understanding if and how local climate variables affect infection dynamics could help us predict how the disease will spread under climate change. This study examines the relationship between environmental conditions and Bd infection in amphibians on Montserrat, specifically whether average temperature and precipitation correlate with Bd infection in the whistling frog Eleutherodactylus johnstonei and the invasive cane toad Rhinella marina. Amphibians were captured by hand and skin-swabbed at two sites in the past, and multiple in the final sampling. Environmental data, including temperature and precipitation, will be obtained from the NOAA National Data Buoy Center (Station 42060) and averaged across three temporal windows: the day of sampling, the week prior, and the month of sampling. Correlation analyses will be conducted to assess relationships between environmental variables and Bd presence or infection intensity, both across and within species. Analyses are in progress to clarify how local environmental conditions may influence Bd dynamics and disease risk in Montserrat amphibians.
Recommended Citation
Close, Christopher, "Local temperature and precipitation effects on chytrid fungus infection in Montserrat frogs and toads" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 26.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p1_2026/26
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Local temperature and precipitation effects on chytrid fungus infection in Montserrat frogs and toads
PUB NCR
The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused global amphibian declines in more than 500 species. Because Bd growth is influenced by environmental conditions, particularly temperature and moisture, understanding if and how local climate variables affect infection dynamics could help us predict how the disease will spread under climate change. This study examines the relationship between environmental conditions and Bd infection in amphibians on Montserrat, specifically whether average temperature and precipitation correlate with Bd infection in the whistling frog Eleutherodactylus johnstonei and the invasive cane toad Rhinella marina. Amphibians were captured by hand and skin-swabbed at two sites in the past, and multiple in the final sampling. Environmental data, including temperature and precipitation, will be obtained from the NOAA National Data Buoy Center (Station 42060) and averaged across three temporal windows: the day of sampling, the week prior, and the month of sampling. Correlation analyses will be conducted to assess relationships between environmental variables and Bd presence or infection intensity, both across and within species. Analyses are in progress to clarify how local environmental conditions may influence Bd dynamics and disease risk in Montserrat amphibians.
