There are still forest remnants scattered across one of Ecuador’s most populated cities, Guayaquil. Together with UEES University, we went into these urban forests to search for amphibian populations and measure the prevalence of the chytrid fungus in the city. 

Spoiler alert (!), we found chytrid fungus thriving in highly disturbed ecosystems. The smaller the forest patch, the less complex and less diverse the amphibian community. Those smaller patches also showed higher infection rates. Could this be a case of the dilution effect? We explore that question in detail in our paper (In Press).

We climbed and explored the canopy and subcanopy of Ecuador’s forests to look at bromeliads and the amphibians that live in them. These plants collect rainwater high above the ground, creating tiny aquatic worlds. We wanted to know if they might also be helping the chytrid fungus survive in places where conditions may be too dry or warm for it. 

We found the fungus in both canopy and subcanopy bromeliads, with higher prevalence in the canopy. Bigger bromeliads up there may store more water and attract more amphibians, giving the pathogen more chances to spread. This vertical perspective on Bd ecology shows how hidden reservoirs in the treetops could be sustaining infections, even when the environment seems unfavorable. (Submitted for publication)