Data from: Amphibian species' traits, evolutionary history, and environment predict Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection patterns, but not extinction risk

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has emerged as a
major agent of amphibian extinction, requiring conservation intervention
for many susceptible species. Identifying susceptible species is
challenging, but many aspects of species’ biology are predicted to
influence the evolution of host resistance, tolerance, or avoidance
strategies towards disease. In turn, we may expect species exhibiting
these distinct strategies to differ in their ability to survive epizootic
disease outbreaks. Here we test for phylogenetic and trait-based patterns
of Bd infection risk and infection intensity among 302 amphibian species
by compiling a global dataset of Bd infection surveys across 95 sites. We
then use best-fit models that associate traits, taxonomy, and environment
with Bd infection risk and intensity to predict host disease mitigation
strategies (tolerance, resistance, avoidance) for 122 Neotropical
amphibian species that experienced epizootic Bd outbreaks, and noted
species’ persistence or extinction from these events. Aspects of amphibian
species’ life history, habitat use, and climatic niche were consistently
linked to variation in Bd infection patterns across sites around the
world. However, predicted Bd infection risk and intensity based on site
environment and species traits did not reveal a consistent pattern between
the predicted host disease mitigation strategy and extinction outcome.
This suggests that either tolerant or resistant species may have no
advantage in ameliorating disease during epizootic events, or that other
factors drive the persistence of amphibian populations during
chytridiomycosis outbreaks. These results suggest that using a trait-based
approach may allow us to identify species with resistance or tolerance to
endemic Bd infections, but that this approach may be insufficient to
ultimately identify species at risk of extinction from epizootics.