24/02/2005 - Queensland's
James Cook University (JCU) will use $1.6
million from the Australian Government's
Natural Heritage Trust to help find out
why the deadly amphibian chytrid fungus
has been found in 45 native frog species.
Amphibian chytrid fungus causes the infectious
amphibian disease, chytridiomycosis. The
fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)
invades the surface layers of the frog's
skin.
It is not yet known exactly how this kills
the frog but the fungus may release toxins
that are absorbed through the skin, or -
given that frogs drink and breathe through
their skins - it may directly affect water
uptake and respiration.
Australian Minister for the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell said
much is still unknown about the fungus and
the disease in the wild, including reasons
for the death of frogs, how the fungus survives
in the absence of frog populations, and
how it spreads.
"The fungus has caused the extinction
of the sharp-snouted day frog and is the
most likely cause for the extinction of
five other Australian frog species including
the unique gastric brooding frogs,"
Senator Campbell said.
"The fungus has also been linked to
the decline of at least four other species
- the waterfall frog, common mist frog,
spotted tree frog and lace-lid tree frog.
"The worldwide spread of the disease
is of extreme concern, with chytrid fungus
recorded in Africa, the Americas, Europe,
New Zealand and Oceania. In Australia it
has been recorded along the east coast from
Cooktown, Queensland, to central Victoria,
South Australia, Tasmania and southwest
Western Australia.
"Even more worrying, research shows
that in Queensland, Victoria and Western
Australia the apparent rate of spread has
been about 100 kilometres per year.
"The Australian Government is committed
to tackling chytrid fungus, and has listed
fungus as a 'Key Threatening Process' under
Federal Environment laws. A draft Threat
Abatement Plan has established a framework
to better direct resources to managing the
disease."
Associate Professor Ross Alford from the
School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University,
said JCU would study a range of habitats
in Queensland's Wet Tropics and at selected
sites in New South Wales, focusing on species
such as the Australian Lace-lid, Waterfall
Frog and Green and Golden Bell Frog.
James Cook University is a world leader
in the field of amphibian ecology and amphibian
chytrid epidemiology and pathogenesis. Associate
Professor Ross Alford was among the first
scientists to recognise and document the
extent of amphibian declines in Australia
and the interaction between frogs and the
amphibian chytrid fungus.
