Hypothesize some possible ways the fungus could have traveled to the fungus-free area.?
Passage from…
Outbreak: Rapid Appearance of Fungus Devastates Frogs, Salamanders in Panama
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105788
“Chytridiomycosis (infectious disease caused by a fungus) is an alarming model system for disease-driven extinction of a high proportion of an entire class of vertebrates,” the scientists write in PNAS. “It is no longer correct to speak of global amphibian declines, but more appropriately of global amphibian extinctions.”
“We anticipated the eastward movement of the fungus, and chose a fungus-free study site near a previously infected area,” she said. “Indeed, the fungus found its way there, and when it did, it quickly caused local amphibian extinctions and devastated frog and salamander biodiversity.”
Hypothesize some possible ways the fungus could have traveled to the fungus-free area.
Air. Water. Soil. Garbage.
Airborne particles can be moved about by breezes, storms, or by animals, peoples or objects moving from one place to another.
Water borne particles go where ever the water goes. If there are no obvious lakes, streams, rivers or runoff, look for underground water sources such as wells and aquifers.
People and animals move dirt from place to place. Some times deliberately, sometimes by accident. Water and wind and move dirt too.
Any sort of dumping of trash, refuse or garbage can breed or transport all manner of nasties. Especially when rats, roaches, and birds get at the molding, rotting garbage and either carry it from place to place or excrete it as they travel.
Mrs.Avants’ 3rd Period Biology Class: Infectious Diseases
