Fungus fighter
Scientists have found a bacterium that appears to repel the deadly chytrid fungus blamed for the rapid decline in populations of amphibians around the world. Laboratory experiments show that Pedobacter cryoconitis – found on the skin of red-backed salamanders – wards off the chytridiomycosis fungus threatening amphibians. Of two bacteria tested so far, one (Pedobacter cryoconitis) speeded the recovery of infected animals while the other (Pseudomonas reactans) has tended to slow the process, at least on the salamanders.
“Just because on the Petri plate you find a species of bacteria that is anti-chytrid doesn’t mean it’s going to be anti-chytrid on the amphibian. So we’re going to have to do some tests to make sure which ones are actually most affective on the organism.”
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