Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i>.

ABSTRACT: Free-living eukaryotic microbes may reduce animal diseases. We evaluated the dynamics by which micrograzers (primarily protozoa) apply top-down control on the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) a devastating, panzootic pathogen of amphibians. Although micrograzers consumed zoospores (∼3 μm), the dispersal stage of chytrids, not all species grew monoxenically on zoospores. However, the ubiquitous ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis, which likely co-occurs with Bd, grew at near its maximum rate (r = 1.7 d^-1). A functional response (ingestion vs. prey abundance) for T. pyriformis, measured using spore-surrogates (microspheres) revealed maximum ingestion (I _max ) of 1.63 × 10³ zoospores d^-1,

SUBMITTER: Farthing HN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7858660 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature