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An assessment of the correlation between amphibian populations, chytridiomycete communities, and the ecological integrity of the habitat
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Title
An assessment of the correlation between amphibian populations, chytridiomycete communities, and the ecological integrity of the habitat
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ETD_2307
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.000052106
Language
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eng
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theses
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Topic
Ecology and Evolution
Subject
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(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Amphibians--Habitat
Subject
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(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Habitat (Ecology)
Abstract
The pathogenic chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has been implicated in amphibian declines worldwide. Thus far, little is known about the chytridiomycete (zoosporic fungi) communities and the prevalence of B. dendrobatidis in New Jersey. The New Jersey Pinelands are an ideal location to look for Bd as they are a unique ecosystem, representing an important overlap in the geographic range of many southern
and northern species and are experiencing habitat degradation caused by continued development.
In this study 6 sites have been identified using the Pinelands Commission's Comprehensive Management Plan, 3 sites of high ecological integrity (pristine) and 3 sites of low integrity (impacted). Using current accepted methods, anurans at these sites were collected, swabbed, and processed using PCR to identify the presence of Bd on their epidermis. Despite expectations, Bd was not found at any site on either anurans or free living in the water, debris, or mud. If Bd had been identified relative abundance of infection as well as species and life-stage of amphibian would have been compared within and between sites.
After the presence of Bd was refuted, our work changed to look at general zoosporic fungi (chytrid) communities within the Pinelands and how ecological degradation was altering abundance. Since pollution and nutrient enrichment can alter ecosystems and diversity, we wanted to investigate how fungal abundance changes
between pristine and degraded water bodies. Through abundance surveys and molecular analyses, PCR, DGGE, and molecular sequencing, we found that not only was abundance significantly different between sites, zoosporic fungi species were different and sites of differing ecological integrity were dominated by different fungi.
Zoosporic fungi from pristine and degraded sites were then subjected to lab manipulations to observe how changing environmental parameters increased or decreased abundance. pH appeared to be the driving factor in fungi abundance; increasing pH in pristine sites showed a significant decrease in population and decreasing pH found a significant increase in zoosporic fungi in impacted sites. These studies show the potential importance of zoosporic fungi as bioindicators of pollution and the drastic effect pollution has on ecosystems and biodiversity.
and northern species and are experiencing habitat degradation caused by continued development.
In this study 6 sites have been identified using the Pinelands Commission's Comprehensive Management Plan, 3 sites of high ecological integrity (pristine) and 3 sites of low integrity (impacted). Using current accepted methods, anurans at these sites were collected, swabbed, and processed using PCR to identify the presence of Bd on their epidermis. Despite expectations, Bd was not found at any site on either anurans or free living in the water, debris, or mud. If Bd had been identified relative abundance of infection as well as species and life-stage of amphibian would have been compared within and between sites.
After the presence of Bd was refuted, our work changed to look at general zoosporic fungi (chytrid) communities within the Pinelands and how ecological degradation was altering abundance. Since pollution and nutrient enrichment can alter ecosystems and diversity, we wanted to investigate how fungal abundance changes
between pristine and degraded water bodies. Through abundance surveys and molecular analyses, PCR, DGGE, and molecular sequencing, we found that not only was abundance significantly different between sites, zoosporic fungi species were different and sites of differing ecological integrity were dominated by different fungi.
Zoosporic fungi from pristine and degraded sites were then subjected to lab manipulations to observe how changing environmental parameters increased or decreased abundance. pH appeared to be the driving factor in fungi abundance; increasing pH in pristine sites showed a significant decrease in population and decreasing pH found a significant increase in zoosporic fungi in impacted sites. These studies show the potential importance of zoosporic fungi as bioindicators of pollution and the drastic effect pollution has on ecosystems and biodiversity.
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electronic resource
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viii, 57 p. : ill.
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M.S.
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Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-57)
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by Karena V. DiLeo
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DiLeo
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Karena V.
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1984-
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Karena V. DiLeo
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Lockwood
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Julie
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chair
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Julie Lockwood
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Dighton
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John
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John Dighton
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Morin
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Peter
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Peter Morin
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White
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Jim
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Jim White
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Rutgers University
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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2010
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2010-01
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xx
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Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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doi:10.7282/T3HH6K7C
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ETD graduate
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Rights
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
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Copyright protected
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Open
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Permission or license
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DiLeo
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Karena
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2009-12-15 18:50:29
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Karena DiLeo
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Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Author Agreement License
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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