Short-Term Exposure to Coal Combustion Waste Has Little Impact on the Skin Microbiome of Adult Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer).

ABSTRACT:

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Disruptions to the microbiome can impact host health as can exposure to environmental contaminants. However, few studies have addressed how environmental contaminants impact the microbiome. We explored this question for frogs that breed in wetlands contaminated with fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion that is enriched in trace elements. We found differences in the bacterial communities among a fly ash-contaminated site and several reference wetlands. We then experimentally assessed the impacts of fly ash on the skin microbiome of adult spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer). Frogs were exposed to fly ash in the laboratory for 12 h, the duration of a typical breeding event, and the skin microbiome was assessed after 5 days (experiment 1) or after 5 and 15 days (experim

SUBMITTER: Hughey MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4959156 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature