Chytridiomycosis infection

  • Fungal disease caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)
  • Bd is a fungus that lives in the gut of animals
  • Infects frogs, and has caused decline in over 500 amphibian species
  • Causes skin disease in the frogs, which is often fatal

Image: New Scientist

Natural history

  • Bd fungus does not survive in warm climates (> 30 degrees)
  • Warm host climate also reduces lethality

Idea

If we can heat frogs, maybe we can reduce the impact of this infection

Experiment setup

  • Frogs separated into two classes: shaded and unshaded (heated)
  • Artifical refugia placed into each mesocosm (replicate)
  • Measure infection load and mortality