Landscape Setting and Risk of Ranavirus Mortality Events

Gahl, Megan; Calhoun, Aram

From Abstract, 'Examination of the relationship between Ranavirus mortality events and HCP in other remote settings may prove instructive for substantiating conservation implications of this work because the amphibian species present in ANP wetlands and Ranavirus mortality events are widespread.' Following from abstract: 'Amphibian mortality events in relatively pristine and protected settings cause particular concern because they may be linked to larger scale, off-site factors that interact with local landscape features. We used logistic regression and model selection criterion (QAICc) to identify landscape features key to predicting disease incidence in Acadia National Park (ANP), Maine, USA. High catchment position was the most important landscape feature associated with larval mortality events in ANP wetlands, and was present in all competing models. No spatial autocorrelation of disease events was observed, suggesting that within our study area, epizootics are not clustered and landscape and within-pond stressors may be more influential in mortality occurrence than vector movement. However, our model may be a considerable underestimate of in-field infection rates because it was based on die-off event incidences and did not include infected reservoirs or vectors. This study provides the first clear connection between landscape position and Ranavirus mortality events. Conservation and disease containment efforts in ANP should be directed toward higher catchment position and headwater wetlands such as vernal pools.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Swallowtail/Eagle Lake Carriage Road/Gorge Trail Beaver Pond/Bills Winterberry/Richs Brook/Gorge Trail/Macs Wetland/Schooner Head Wetland/Bubble Pond/Long Pond Fire Road/Western Mountain Road/The Leech/Seal Cove Road/

Landscape Setting and Risk of Ranavirus Mortality Events

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