Institution
Zoo Miami
Archive•Miami, Florida, United States•
About: Zoo Miami is a archive organization based out in Miami, Florida, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Chytridiomycosis. The organization has 14 authors who have published 35 publications receiving 1004 citations. The organization is also known as: Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens.
Topics: Population, Chytridiomycosis, Biodiversity, Ectotherm, Chytridiomycota
Papers
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University of Melbourne1, Australian National University2, Ghent University3, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile4, University of Pamplona5, University of Puerto Rico6, State University of Campinas7, Florida International University8, Spanish National Research Council9, Imperial College London10, University of Los Andes11, Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute12, Zoological Society of London13, North-West University14, Smithsonian Institution15, Universidad San Francisco de Quito16, Colorado State University17, Museum für Naturkunde18, Massey University19, University of Maryland, College Park20, University of Florida21, University of the Republic22, Cornell University23, Georgia Institute of Technology24, National Autonomous University of Mexico25, University of Pittsburgh26, Instituto Politécnico Nacional27, Andrés Bello National University28, University of Nevada, Reno29, Zoo Miami30, Natural History Museum31
TL;DR: A global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic demonstrates its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century and represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.
Abstract: Anthropogenic trade and development have broken down dispersal barriers, facilitating the spread of diseases that threaten Earth's biodiversity. We present a global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic, one of the most impactful examples of disease spread, and demonstrate its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century, including 90 presumed extinctions. The effects of chytridiomycosis have been greatest in large-bodied, range-restricted anurans in wet climates in the Americas and Australia. Declines peaked in the 1980s, and only 12% of declined species show signs of recovery, whereas 39% are experiencing ongoing decline. There is risk of further chytridiomycosis outbreaks in new areas. The chytridiomycosis panzootic represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.
680 citations
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TL;DR: Vouchers are used to confirm interceptions and introductions of all known non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 through 2010, provide a list of these species along with their invasion pathways and current ecological status, and provide a species account for each newly confirmed species.
Abstract: We follow a biological invasion model that consists of a series of five consecutive obligatory stages, concluding with stages 4a and 5 (i.e., widespread = invasive species). The State of Florida is infamous for having the most introduced (stages 2–5) amphibians and reptiles in the United States. However, there is disagreement regarding their numbers as well as identification in some cases. Unverified claims of species being introduced (stage 2), or established (stages 3–5) without evidence (i.e., a voucher specimen or photograph) are prevalent in the literature. It is crucial to provide data on all known non-indigenous herpetofaunal species via vouchers to help keep numbers of species consistent, accurately identify species, document when and where a particular species is found, and identify the invasion pathway and current invasion stage of each species. In this study, we use vouchers to confirm interceptions and introductions of all known non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 through 2010, provide a list of these species along with their invasion pathways and current ecological status (i.e., invasion stage), and provide a species account for each newly confirmed species. We include species that were previously reported in the literature but lacking an associated voucher and provide greater details on previously reported species and those species whose invasion stage has been upgraded to established (stages 3–5). Based on nearly two decades of field work along with examination of museum records and literature, we confirm three intercepted and 137 introduced amphibian and reptile taxa in Florida. Of these, 56 are established (i.e., reproducing; stages 3–5), including three frogs, four turtles, one crocodilian, 43 lizards, and five snakes. Of 149 total independent introduction pathways (i.e., including a different pathway one time only for each taxon) for the 140 total non-indigenous taxa above, two (1.34%) are related to the biological control pathway, four (2.68%) to the zoo pathway, 18 (12.08%) to the cargo pathway, and 125 (83.89%) to the pet trade pathway. Florida now ranks as having the largest number of established non-indigenous herpetofaunal species in the entire world. Despite current state laws that make it illegal to release any non-indigenous animal in Florida without first obtaining a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, enforcement is difficult, and no person has ever been prosecuted for the establishment of a non-indigenous animal species in Florida. Because current state and federal laws have not been effective in curtailing the ever-increasing number of illegal introductions, laws need to be modified and made enforceable. At the very least, those responsible for introductions should be held accountable for compensation to clean up (= extermination) of those species for which they are responsible. Lastly, we strongly support the creation of an Early Detection and Rapid Response program to quickly identify newly found introduced species for eradication attempts. This paper will also serve as a baseline to document future introductions.
133 citations
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TL;DR: Low heat tolerances of lizards and amphibians and high evaporative water loss of amphibians were associated with increased sensitivity to habitat modification, and these trends were largely consistent across geographic locations and spatial scales.
Abstract: Human activities often replace native forests with warmer, modified habitats that represent novel thermal environments for biodiversity. Reducing biodiversity loss hinges upon identifying which species are most sensitive to the environmental conditions that result from habitat modification. Drawing on case studies and a meta-analysis, we examined whether observed and modelled thermal traits, including heat tolerances, variation in body temperatures, and evaporative water loss, explained variation in sensitivity of ectotherms to habitat modification. Low heat tolerances of lizards and amphibians and high evaporative water loss of amphibians were associated with increased sensitivity to habitat modification, often explaining more variation than non-thermal traits. Heat tolerances alone explained 24-66% (mean = 38%) of the variation in species responses, and these trends were largely consistent across geographic locations and spatial scales. As habitat modification alters local microclimates, the thermal biology of species will likely play a key role in the reassembly of terrestrial communities.
102 citations
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TL;DR: Examination of how changing thermal landscapes may alter the area of thermally suitable habitat (TSH) for tropical amphibians in lowland northeastern Costa Rica suggested that future decreases in TSH from climate change may outpace structural habitat loss.
Abstract: Land-cover and climate change are both expected to alter species distributions and contribute to future biodiversity loss. However, the combined effects of land-cover and climate change on assemblages, especially at the landscape scale, remain understudied. Lowland tropical amphibians may be particularly susceptible to changes in land cover and climate warming because many species have narrow thermal safety margins resulting from air and body temperatures that are close to their critical thermal maxima (CTmax ). We examined how changing thermal landscapes may alter the area of thermally suitable habitat (TSH) for tropical amphibians. We measured microclimates in 6 land-cover types and CTmax of 16 frog species in lowland northeastern Costa Rica. We used a biophysical model to estimate core body temperatures of frogs exposed to habitat-specific microclimates while accounting for evaporative cooling and behavior. Thermally suitable habitat area was estimated as the portion of the landscape where species CTmax exceeded their habitat-specific maximum body temperatures. We projected changes in TSH area 80 years into the future as a function of land-cover change only, climate change only, and combinations of land-cover and climate-change scenarios representing low and moderate rates of change. Projected decreases in TSH area ranged from 16% under low emissions and reduced forest loss to 30% under moderate emissions and business-as-usual land-cover change. Under a moderate emissions scenario (A1B), climate change alone contributed to 1.7- to 4.5-fold greater losses in TSH area than land-cover change only, suggesting that future decreases in TSH from climate change may outpace structural habitat loss. Forest-restricted species had lower mean CTmax than species that occurred in altered habitats, indicating that thermal tolerances will likely shape assemblages in changing thermal landscapes. In the face of ongoing land-cover and climate change, it will be critical to consider changing thermal landscapes in strategies to conserve ectotherm species.
78 citations
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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute1, University of Massachusetts Boston2, University of Colorado Boulder3, University of Alabama4, University of Costa Rica5, Seoul National University6, Liberty University7, Virginia Tech8, University of Porto9, Sao Paulo State University10, James Madison University11, Vanderbilt University12, Vassar College13, Tufts University14, University of South Dakota15, University of Copenhagen16, North-West University17, Hiroshima University18, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology19, University of Florida20, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo21, University of British Columbia22, Austral University of Chile23, Ruppin Academic Center24, University of Antananarivo25, National Autonomous University of Mexico26, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover27, Oklahoma State University–Stillwater28, Eastern Washington University29, Zoo Miami30, Cornell University31, Braunschweig University of Technology32
TL;DR: It is concluded that temporal and spatial characteristics of the host’s macro-environment mediate microbial diversity in amphibian skin bacterial communities, and more diverse skin microbiomes in environments with colder winters and less stable thermal conditions are found.
Abstract: Animal-associated microbiomes are integral to host health, yet key biotic and abiotic factors that shape host-associated microbial communities at the global scale remain poorly understood. We investigated global patterns in amphibian skin bacterial communities, incorporating samples from 2,349 individuals representing 205 amphibian species across a broad biogeographic range. We analysed how biotic and abiotic factors correlate with skin microbial communities using multiple statistical approaches. Global amphibian skin bacterial richness was consistently correlated with temperature-associated factors. We found more diverse skin microbiomes in environments with colder winters and less stable thermal conditions compared with environments with warm winters and less annual temperature variation. We used bioinformatically predicted bacterial growth rates, dormancy genes and antibiotic synthesis genes, as well as inferred bacterial thermal growth optima to propose mechanistic hypotheses that may explain the observed patterns. We conclude that temporal and spatial characteristics of the host's macro-environment mediate microbial diversity.
63 citations
Authors
Showing all 15 results
Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
Steven M. Whitfield | 17 | 28 | 1384 |
Christine L. Miller | 6 | 8 | 153 |
Gwen E. Myers | 5 | 6 | 40 |
Molly C. McGuire | 5 | 9 | 68 |
Frank Ridgley | 4 | 11 | 72 |
Dustin Smith | 4 | 10 | 136 |
Ronald N. Sampsell | 2 | 2 | 10 |
Gerald N. Esra | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Terry Webb | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Jackie Shaw | 1 | 1 | 32 |
Joseph T. Svoke | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Adam G Stern | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Marisa Bezjian | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Zhimin He | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Rodney W. Schnellbacher | 0 | 2 | 0 |