Frog Fungus Fallout: The Surprising Key to Survival Scientists at University College London and their collaborators have finally solved the long standing ecological enigma surrounding the deadly chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).
This fungus has decimated amphibian populations worldwide, leaving researchers perplexed as to why some species recover while others collapse. The answer lies in the timing of an amphibian's immune development.
Researchers discovered that tadpoles developing powerful immune defenses before undergoing metamorphosis are better equipped to fend off the fungus when they mature into adults.