Prevalence of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in the Australian Alps

Over the past three decades, many amphibian species along the eastern ranges of Australia have been declining at an alarming rate. The Australian Alps region has been no exception, with all endemic frog species declining to a level warranting listing as nationally threatened. There is considerable evidence implicating a disease (chytridiomycosis) as the cause of these declines. This disease is caused by infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), which is believed to have been introduced into the Australian environment a few decades ago. We screened for amphibian chytrid fungus infection in two frog species across the Australian Alps; the common eastern froglet (Crinia signifiera), and the alpine tree frog (Litoria verreauxii alpina). We were particularly interested in identifying the extent to which the common eastern froglet, a species that has not declined in recent years, is a reservoir host for the amphibian chytrid fungus in the Australian Alps. We were also interested in identifying rates of infection in populations of the alpine tree frog, a subspecies that has disappeared from much of its historic range, to infer the likely susceptibility of this subspecies to this pathogen. This study found that