Factors related to the distribution and prevalence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Rana cascadae and other amphibians in the Klamath Mountains

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the disease chytridiomycosis, has been associated with declines and extinctions of montane amphibians worldwide. To gain insight into factors affecting its distribution and prevalence we focus on the amphibian community of the Klamath Mountains in northwest California. The Cascades frog (Rana cascadae), one of the most common amphibians in these mountains, experienced increased mortality as a result of Bd exposure in laboratory trials and has experienced recent, dramatic declines in other parts of California. We surveyed 112 sites in the Klamaths, all of which supported R. cascadae between 1999 and 2002, for amphibians and Bd to (1) determine the distribution of Bd, (2) evaluate changes in the distribution of R. cascadae, and (3) assess associations between potential biotic and abiotic drivers and Bd infection. Bd was widely distributed in the Klamath Mountains – we detected the pathogen at 64% of sites. R. cascadae was found at 79% of sites, and was often infected with Bd. These results suggest that Bd has not caused dramatic declines in R. cascadae in the Klamaths in recent years. Subadult R. cascadae had a higher Bd prevalence than other R. cascadae life stages (subadults: 36%, adults: 25%, metamorphs: 4%, larvae: 1%), and while the probability of infection decreased over the season for adults, it did not for subadults, suggesting that subadults may be more vulnerable to chytridiomycosis than other R. cascadae life stages. Bd prevalence in R. cascadae was highest early in the season at high-elevation sites, which may indicate that populations inhabiting high elevation sites may have a greater risk of being affected by chytridiomycosis. Three other common amphibian species also tested positive for Bd: Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla), western toad (Anaxyrus boreas), and rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa).     

Vegetational changes associated with recreational use and fire suppression in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon: Some management implications

Construction and use of trails and campsites, grazing by recreational packstock, and suppression of fires have altered the vegetation of the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area in northeastern Oregon, USA. The amount and type of alteration has varied among vegetation types and with the kind of activity. Changes attributed to intensive recreational use are localised but severe, particularly in more densely forested areas. Suppression of fires has produced subtle but widespread changes. Current attempts to minimise these changes are often inadequate due to the lack of ecological information and the difficulties of implementing regulations. Management suggestions are offered.     

Relating microarthropod community structure and diversity to soil fertility manipulations in temperate grassland

We aimed to identify patterns of diversity in a below-ground community of microarthropods (mites and Collembola) after 15 months of a nutrient (calcium and nitrogen) manipulation experiment, located at the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Soil Biodiversity Site in Scotland, UK. We found that microarthropod densities increased with elevated soil fertility, but we detected no concurrent change in the diversity of soil microarthropods (mites and Collembola combined). That microarthropod density increased concurrently with improvements in soil fertility and plant productivity suggests that soil microarthropod communities are predominately regulated by bottom-up forces, driven by increased energy transfer via plant inputs to soil, providing increased food resources for fauna. However, that we found no concurrent change in the diversity of soil microarthropods provides little support for the idea that the diversity of soil fauna is positively related to their population density, primary productivity or improvements in soil conditions resulting from nutrient manipulations. However, we did find that microarthropod communities of more fertile sites contained a greater proportion of predators suggesting that more energy was transferred to higher trophic levels under elevated soil fertility. Our findings suggest that unlike plant communities, soil faunal diversity may not be strongly regulated by competition in productive situations, since competitive exclusion might not occur due to increased predation. Whilst we conclude that soil microarthropod diversity at our study site has not been affected by the nutrient additions to date, in the longer term we predict that changes in community composition and diversity could arise, most likely through top-down regulation of the soil food web.     

Thiamin deficiency in cats and dogs associated with feeding meat preserved with sulphur dioxide

Thiamin deficiency was diagnosed in cats and dogs being fed fresh minced meat, which contained sulphur dioxide as a preservative and less than 0.5 mg/kg thiamin. Thiamin in the meat and in added dietary ingredients, including a supplementary vitamin mixture, was destroyed by the sulphur dioxide.