In adult humans, symbiotic microbes outnumber human cells ten to one. The composition of these microbial communities can influence whether individuals are lean or obese and the likelihood that pathogens are able to successfully establish themselves in the body. Amphibians also possess a diverse symbiotic microbiota, and these bacterial symbionts may limit infection by pathogens, such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) that has decimated many natural amphibian populations. This research will examine links between three critical diversity components of the symbiotic microbial communities that reside on amphibian skin: taxonomic diversity (number and relative abundance of species), genetic diversity (which genes are turned on), and functional diversity (disease resistance). Using focused field surveys and manipulative experiments, three objectives will be addressed: (1) establish the range of taxonomic, genetic, and functional diversity within the microbial community on five species of host amphibians in Panama, (2) examine how the presence of a pathogen (Bd) impacts diversity components, and (3) examine the relationship between microbial diversity and resistance to disease. As all animals host symbiotic microbes, these results will have broad applicability to other systems, including humans. In addition, new statistical methods for these complex datasets will be developed, which will rapidly expand the ability to integrate these diversity components in a wide array of systems.
Undergraduate students will be trained in research. In addition, in Panama, a partnership with the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project (PARC) will be established. A PARC intern will be supported to work with school groups to stress the importance of conservation, beneficial microbes and biodiversity. The partnership with PARC will extend to working with them on novel probiotic solutions, based on antifungal skin bacteria, that will allow successful reintroductions of threatened frogs, thereby helping to restore biodiversity to the Neotropics.
