italian amphibians

ITALIAN AMPHIBIANS
Population dynamics, emergent pathologies and conservation of Italian amphibians
Amphibians are the vertebrate group more exposed to the risk of extinction, mainly at cause of
habitat destruction, introduction of aliens species and emerging diseases, such as the parasite
funghi belonging to the genus Batrachochytrium. Our researches are conducted in some Italian
National Parcks and aim to perform the screening for presence and prevalence of these parasite
funghi by means of molecular techniques (RT-PCR). Concerning the fungus Batrachochytrium
salamandrivorans, a parasite that causes mortality and local extinction in salamander species, this
is first study realized in Italy. Moreover, researches on the amphibian populations distribution and
habitat preferences are made in the framework of the site/occupancy statistical modelling, which
accounts for the species observability in different habitat types. The findings will be used by the
Cinque Terre Park Authority for implementing concrete conservation strategies for amphibian
populations.
Keywords:
Population
salamandrivorans
dynamics,
Batrachochytrium
DISTAV personnel:
ACADEMICS: Sebastiano Salvidio, Elena Grasselli
Grants:
Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre
dendrobatidis,
Batrachochytrium