Fungal isolate diversity and Bd-inhibition on Colorado boreal toads. Fungal isolates on CO boreal toads

Fungal emerging infectious diseases (EID's) are devastating to biodiversity worldwide. In particular, the fungal skin pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes an ongoing crisis in amphibian conservation, including in the locally endangered Colorado Boreal toad. Although researchers have a comparatively good understanding of the bacteria living on boreal toad skin and how it can combat Bd, we have less information from fungal community members. Thus, our study aimed to determine (1) the diversity of cultivable fungi from boreal toad skin, as these are most relevant to developing anti-Bd therapies, (2) which of these isolates are Bd-inhibitory, and (3) how Bd affects these isolates in terms of growth and morphology.