Disease in a dynamic landscape: Host behavior and wildfire reduce amphibian chytrid infection

摘要: Disturbances are often expected to magnify effects of disease, but these may depend on the ecol- ogy, behavior, and life history both hosts pathogens. In many ecosystems, wildfire is dominant natural disturbance thus could directly or indirectly affect dynamics diseases. To determine how probability infection by aquatic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) varies relative habitat use individuals, wildfire, host characteristics, we sampled 404 boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) across Glacier National Park, Montana (USA). Bd causes chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease linked with widespread amphibian declines, including toad. Probability was similar for females combined group males juveniles. However, only 9% terrestrial were infected compared >30% toads, captured in recently burned areas half as likely be unburned areas. We suspect large differences reflect choices individuals that pathogen exposure persistence, especially forests where warm, arid conditions limit growth. Our results show dis- turbances such resulting diverse habitats can influence land- scapes, potentially maintaining local refuges behaviors facilitate evolution resistance.