Measuring resistance versus tolerance to infection of barred frogs to the devastating chytrid fungal disease to improve management outcomes

Theme: Biodiversity and conservation science, Ecology genetics and evolution, Environmental management, Zoology and wildlife biology

Description: 

 Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate Class. A major contributor to the hundreds of frog declines and extinctions globally is the fungal skin disease, chytridiomycosis (pronounced ‘ki-tri-di-o-my-co-sis’). Many frog species are continuing to decline in the wild because the causative fungus is now endemic and cannot be eradicated.

However, some species and populations have started to stabilise and even recover, although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Animals can often defend themselves against infection, and their defences involve two distinct but complementary mechanisms: tolerance and resistance. Tolerance measures the animal host’s ability to limit detrimental effects from a given infection, whereas resistance is the ability to limit the intensity of that infection. Unlike resistance, tolerance does not affect pathogen fitness, and hence should not promote antagonistic counteradaptation over evolutionary timescales.

The aim of this project is to quantify measures of resistance and tolerance across host types and infection stages using the devastating amphibian chytrid fungal disease as a model. This work will help to elucidate the relative importance of resistance and tolerance in defence against chytridiomycosis, which will inform management strategies for amphibian conservation globally.

The project will involve laboratory work with captive frogs such as the endangered Fleay’s barred frog (Mixophyes fleayi) to compare frog fitness with infection burden.

Additional Information: 

This project is part of a more extensive research program funded by an Australian Research Council DECRA Project grant and involves a diverse network of collaborators.

Contact: Dr Laura Grogan