Amphibian biodiversity is in rapid global decline, due in part to the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Susceptibility to Bd and chytridiomycosis varies between species and populations. Skin peptides and symbiotic skin bacteria appear to be important mechanisms of Bd resistance. However, not much is known about...
In a population of the European common toad Bufo bufo from a rural pond in the region of Lake Glubokoe Regional Reserve in Moscow province, Russia, unexplained mass mortality events involving larvae and metamorphs have been observed over a monitoring period of >20 yr. We tested toads from this and...