Application of the Survey Protocol for Chytridiomycosis to Queensland, Australia
Vol. 92: 117–129, 2010 DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS Published online November 25, 2010 doi: 10.3354/dao02272 Dis Aquat Org Contribution to DAO Special 4 ‘Chytridiomycosis: an emerging disease’ Application of the survey protocol for chytridiomycosis to Queensland, Australia Lee F. Skerratt1,*, Keith R. McDonald2, Harry B. Hines3, Lee Berger1, Diana Mendez1, Andrea D. Phillott1, Scott D. Cashins1, Kris A. Murray4, Richard Speare1 1Amphibian Disease Ecology Group, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia 2Amphibian Disease Ecology Group, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 975, Atherton, Queensland 4883, Australia 3Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 64, Bellbowrie, Queensland 4070, Australia 4The Ecology Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia ABSTRACT: Spread of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes chytridiomycosis, has resulted in the extinction of frogs, but the distribution of Bd is incom- pletely known. We trialled the survey protocol for Bd by attempting to systematically map its distrib- ution in Queensland, Australia. Bd was easily detected in known infected areas, such as the Wet Tropics and South East Queensland. It was not detected in bioregions adjacent to, but inland from or to the north of, infected regions: Einasleigh Uplands and Cape York adjacent to the infected Wet Tropics; and Brigalow Belt South adjacent to the infected South East Queensland bioregion. These regions where Bd was not detected have bordered infected regions for between 15 yr (in northern Queensland) and 30 yr (in southern Queensland), and so they define the geographical limits of Bd with regard to the long-term environmental conditions in Queensland.
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