A study simulating climate conditions reveals that drought can reduce a deadly fungus in amphibians, but increases the risk of infection.
- cbioclimamidia
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
Por: Gabriela Andrietta
A study conducted in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest showed that drought, while reducing the presence of a lethal fungus in small amphibians, can increase the risk of infection by altering the behavior and microbiome of these animals. The research, which included the participation of Prof. Dr. Célio Haddad, Dr. Shannon Buttimer, and Dr. Guilherme Becker (Pennsylvania State University), was published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology and included the participation of researchers from UNESP, affiliated with the Center for Research in Biodiversity and Climate Change (CBioClima).
The study investigated the effects of drought on the pitanga frog (Brachycephalus pitanga), a species endemic to the Atlantic Forest. The field experiment was conducted in Serra do Mar State Park – Santa Virgínia Center (SP), where researchers simulated drought by covering part of the area with translucent tarps to block rain for two months.
The results showed that, during the simulated drought, the load of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)—one of the main causes of global amphibian decline—decreased. However, the animals began to concentrate in the few available wetlands, facilitating transmission of the pathogen between individuals. Furthermore, the composition of the amphibians' skin microbiota was altered, reducing the presence of bacteria with potential defenses against Bd.
These seemingly contradictory effects—a reduction in the pathogen, but increased transmission and loss of microbial protection—show that the impact of drought is not straightforward. Although the fungus requires moisture to thrive, drought can alter animal behavior and the health of the skin microbiota, influencing the dynamics of infection. In this sense, the research investigates how extreme weather events, increasingly frequent due to climate change, can affect the balance between pathogens and host species. According to the article, the results help explain recent episodes of mass amphibian mortality in the Atlantic Forest, such as the case recorded with the species Brachycephalus rotenbergae during the 2019 drought.
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