Does environment affect the diversity of microbes found on frog skin?

Many frog populations are currently threatened due to a variety of reasons, but a prevalent reason is due to a fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, that attacks amphibian skin. Current studies suggest that possible resistance of chytrid fungus in certain frog populations can be attributed to the bacterial and fungal diversity found on the mucus of frog skin. In this study, I looked at whether various environmental factors can be correlated to a higher micro-biodiversity by swabbing individual frogs that were found in a variety of habitats. I swabbed 39 frog individuals in five different locations around Monteverde. I then grew fungal and bacterial colonies on agar plates to examine the biodiversity of the microbes on frog skin in respect to location, area which frog was found, and distance from water. My data shows that there was no significant difference between any of the environmental factors such as overall location of frog, the distance the frog was to the nearest source of water, and habitat that the frog was found on. The data did show significant differences in quantity of biodiversity of both bacteria and fungi in various species; and a significant increase for bacterial diversity in one species of frog that agrees with a past study. The data suggests that species may play a more prominent role in determining how much fungal and bacterial diversity is found on an individual rather than the location that the individual is in. Varias poblaciones de ranas se encuentran amenazadas debido a una variedad de factores, pero la predominante es la enfermedad fúngica quitridiomicosis, que afecta la piel de los anfibios. Se ha sugerido que la posible resistencia ante esta infección en ciertas poblaciones de ranas se relaciona a la diversidad de otros hongos y bacterias encontradas naturalmente en el mucus de la piel de las ranas. Evalué si factores medioambientales pueden correlacionarse con la micro diversidad de la piel de las ranas, recolectando isopados de ranas encontradas en distintos hábitats. Muestreé 39 ranas en cinco sitios de Monteverde. Luego cultivé hongos y bacterias en medios con agar para examinar la biodiversidad microbiana de cada rana en cada sitio, así como área en donde encontré a cada individuo. Mis datos muestran que no hay diferencias entre ninguno de los factores ambientales, distancia a cuerpos de agua, ni con el hábitat en donde encontré a cada rana. Mis datos muestran diferencias en la cantidad tanto de bacterias como hongos en varias especies. La especie de rana de la que se trate determina la diversidad de hongos y bacterias encontradas, y no tanto el sitio en el que ese individuo estaba.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1206/thumbnail.jp