Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s00248-022-02130-5
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Environmental and anthropogenic factors shape the skin bacterial communities of a semi-arid amphibian species
Author Bates, K.A.; Friesen, J. ORCID logo ; Loyau, A.; Butler, H.; Vredenburg, V.T.; Laufer, J.; Chatzinotas, A.; Schmeller, D.S.
Source Titel Microbial Ecology
Year 2023
Department UMB; UBZ; iDiv
Volume 86
Issue 2
Page From 1393
Page To 1404
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00248-022-02130-5/MediaObjects/248_2022_2130_MOESM1_ESM.xlsx
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00248-022-02130-5/MediaObjects/248_2022_2130_MOESM2_ESM.pdf
Keywords Ranavirus; Amphibian; Skin microbiome; Habitat disturbance; Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Toad
Abstract The amphibian skin microbiome is important in maintaining host health, but is vulnerable to perturbation from changes in biotic and abiotic conditions. Anthropogenic habitat disturbance and emerging infectious diseases are both potential disrupters of the skin microbiome, in addition to being major drivers of amphibian decline globally. We investigated how host environment (hydrology, habitat disturbance), pathogen presence, and host biology (life stage) impact the skin microbiome of wild Dhofar toads (Duttaphrynus dhufarensis) in Oman. We detected ranavirus (but not Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) across all sampling sites, constituting the first report of this pathogen in Oman, with reduced prevalence in disturbed sites. We show that skin microbiome beta diversity is driven by host life stage, water source, and habitat disturbance, but not ranavirus infection. Finally, although trends in bacterial diversity and differential abundance were evident in disturbed versus undisturbed sites, bacterial co-occurrence patterns determined through network analyses revealed high site specificity. Our results therefore provide support for amphibian skin microbiome diversity and taxa abundance being associated with habitat disturbance, with bacterial co-occurrence (and likely broader aspects of microbial community ecology) being largely site specific.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26888
Bates, K.A., Friesen, J., Loyau, A., Butler, H., Vredenburg, V.T., Laufer, J., Chatzinotas, A., Schmeller, D.S. (2023):
Environmental and anthropogenic factors shape the skin bacterial communities of a semi-arid amphibian species
Microb. Ecol. 86 (2), 1393 - 1404 10.1007/s00248-022-02130-5