Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2014KY231B

Does logging and surface mining increase the vulnerability of stream-associated salamanders to chytrid fungus infection?

Institute: Kentucky
Year Established: 2014 Start Date: 2014-03-01 End Date: 2015-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,163

Principal Investigators: John Cox

Project Summary: We propose to comparatively characterize the prevalence and infection intensity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) for one of the most common species of salamander (Desmognathus monticola) within three different watershed disturbance treatments; surface mined, logged, and intact forest. Data gathered from this study will represent not only the first investigation of chytrid infection in the amphibian-rich mixed-mesophytic forest ecosystem of eastern Kentucky, but may inform us as to how the two most common resource extractive practices (mining and logging) can alter habitat conditions in ways that could enhance Bd-infection of aquatic salamander species.