Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused the mass decline of hundreds of species globally; posing a serious threat to biodiversity, ecosystem health and stability. Most of the research on this topic has focused on Bd and amphibian interactions because these have caused severe devastation in this taxonomic group, but Bd has been found in other non-amphibian hosts (e.g. crayfish and soil nematodes) as well. Understanding the parasite host interaction between Bd and its non-amphibian hosts is essential for understanding the dynamics in the wild, developing applicable epidemiological models, and functional management plans. In this experiment, we examined the intimate interaction between soil nematodes (e.g. Caenorhabditis elegans) and Bd. We exposed soil nematodes to Bd on agar dishes with no other food resources and maintained these organisms for several weeks, photographing each adult nematode daily to document the infection dynamic.
Results/Conclusions
Bd exposure did not alter adult nematode length throughout the infection (X21 = 0.43, p = 0.51). Over time Bd infection caused the vulva to bulge (X21 = 5.18, p = 0.02). It appears that eventually Bd zoosporangia emerge from the nematode body through the vulva, which is the only distinct break in the nematode cuticle. Additionally, Bd infection reduced nematode movement over time (X21 = 8.95, p = 0.003). These results indicate that Bd impacts both nematode survival and mobility. Bd may impact nematode survival in the wild, but further research is required to understand the full extent of these infection dynamics.