Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Oviedo-Principality of Asturias-CSIC, Mieres, Spain.
Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Parque Nacional Sierra de Guadarrama, Rascafría, Spain.
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 17;11(1):22438. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01973-1.
Microplastics (MPs), a new class of pollutants that pose a threat to aquatic biodiversity, are of increasing global concern. In tandem, the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causing the disease chytridiomycosis is emerging worldwide as a major stressor to amphibians. We here assess whether synergies exist between this infectious disease and MP pollution by mimicking natural contact of a highly susceptible species (midwife toads, Alytes obstetricans) with a Bd-infected reservoir species (fire salamanders, Salamandra salamandra) in the presence and absence of MPs. We found that MP ingestion increases the burden of infection by Bd in a dose-dependent manner. However, MPs accumulated to a greater extent in amphibians that were not exposed to Bd, likely due to Bd-damaged tadpole mouthparts interfering with MP ingestion. Our experimental approach showed compelling interactions between two emergent processes, chytridiomycosis and MP pollution, necessitating further research into potential synergies between these biotic and abiotic threats to amphibians.
微塑料（MPs）是一种新型污染物，对水生生物多样性构成威胁，引起了全球越来越多的关注。与此同时，两栖动物壶菌真菌（Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis，Bd）引起的壶菌病也在全球范围内成为两栖动物的主要胁迫因素。我们通过模拟高度易感物种（蟾蜍，Alytes obstetricans）与 Bd 感染的储备物种（火蝾螈，Salamandra salamandra）在存在和不存在 MPs 情况下的自然接触，评估了这种传染病和 MP 污染之间是否存在协同作用。我们发现，MP 摄入以剂量依赖的方式增加了 Bd 的感染负担。然而，在未接触 Bd 的两栖动物中，MPs 的积累程度更高，这可能是由于 Bd 损伤的蝌蚪口器干扰了 MP 的摄入。我们的实验方法表明，两种新兴过程（壶菌病和 MP 污染）之间存在强烈的相互作用，需要进一步研究这些生物和非生物因素对两栖动物的潜在协同作用。
