Chitrid Fungus Chytrid Fungus and Term Paper

Raising awareness about the presence of the disease amongst amphibian owners is essential, so they do not dispose of unwanted pets and infect wild populations. It is also essential that hikers and casual outdoor observers do not move frogs from one area to another, for fear of spreading the illness. Signs of the sickness in the frogs include discolored, peeling, or rough skin; lethargy, and lack of appetite. However, people should be aware that many frogs initially show no sign of the illness. Additionally, campers and hikers should "clean and dry all equipment and wet or muddy footwear before and between visiting frog sites. This may include cleaning the tires of your vehicle before visiting known high-risk sites where threatened frog species may live" (Frog, 2008, DECC). Zoos should also be made aware of the need to carefully monitor their amphibians, particularly because captive populations can be treated for the disease.

More research is needed into the spread of the fungus. Unfortunately, awareness amongst pet owners alone will not be enough to stop the spread, given that it can also be transmitted via insects and birds.Research indicates that the rampant spread of the fungal illness since the 1990s may be linked to climate change. "These peaks and troughs" of the illness "correlate with the El Nino climate cycle, which creates warmer, wetter summers in Central and South America every three to eight years, due to shifts in trade winds and ocean currents" (Borrell 2009). Although this link between global warming and chytrid is still unproven, taking appropriate precautions to reduce, reuse, and recycle is an excellent idea for the environmentally conscious, under any circumstances.

References

Borrell, Brian. (2009). Is the frog-killing chytrid fungus fueled by climate fluctuations?

Scientific American. Retrieved July 27, 2010 at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=frog-killing-chytrid-fungus-climate-fluctuations

Frog Chytrid fungus. (2008). DECC. Retrieved July 27, 2010 at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/FrogChytridFungus.htm

Pessier, Allan. (2010). Chytrid fungus. Amphibian ark. Retrieved July 27, 2010 at http://www.amphibianark.org/chytrid.htm#CanAmphibiansRecover

Texas Department of Agriculture. (2010). Retrieved July 27, 2010 at http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/index/0,1911,1848_0_0_0,00.html

What is Chytrid fungus? (2010). Save a frog. . Retrieved July 27, 2010 at http://www.saveafrog.org/fungus.html.....