Fungal Pathogens Impacts on Amphibian Biodiversity

A Presentation for the NHSM Herp Club* – Open to All

Ecological challenges in a globalized world: patterns and impacts of biodiversity loss across multiple scales

Emerging fungal diseases have devastating effects on population abundance and species diversity in amphibians, bats, coral reefs, plants, and snakes. I will describe the effects of
chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the emergence of two amphibian fungal pathogens, Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and Bsal (B. salamandrivorans), on amphibian populations,
species, and their ecosystems. Bd is broadly distributed geographically and has a broad host range, but responses of amphibian species and populations vary. Bd has been found on all
continents, but its history, and its effects on native amphibian populations are poorly known for most areas and for most species. I will describe how we can use knowledge from decades of
research on Bd to predict impacts from Bsal. Increasing numbers of emerging fungal pathogens requires international collaboration, multidisciplinary research, and a portfolio of conservation
measures to protect global biodiversity.

Dr. Karen Lips is Professor of Biology at the University of Maryland. She has a B.S. in Zoology from the University of South Florida, and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Miami. She is an ecologist who studies how global change (e.g., wildlife disease, climate change, land use) affects biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles in Latin America and the US. A primary focus of her research is determining the ecological and environmental factors that influence amphibian species’ response to disease, and how that information might be used in conservation and recovery plans. She is interested in how the loss of biodiversity affects communities and ecosystems, and how human activities contribute to the spread of disease and loss of biodiversity.  Dr. Lips is interested in increasing engagement on environmental issues, promoting scientific leadership, and fostering international scientific collaborations.