We documented a mass mortality event involving 2000+ sub-adult (almost fully grown) Ranid frogs at a brackish lagoon on Samothraki Island (Greece) just a few days ago (the Lagoon is called Koufki Lagoon, adjacent to Agios Andreas Lagoon SW of Kamariotissa port). Most dead and many living frogs were concentrated at areas of the lagoon that had slightly lower salinity - and water salinity may be rising (due to rapid drying). We have bio-samples and water samples and measurements. What we are interested in, is if anyone has seen this kind of event before in any kind of fresh or brackish waterbody? Any bibliographic support would be much appreciated.
Dear Stamatis,
I have not experience in these kind of mass mortalities. However, I send you some papers potentially interesting on the topic...
All the best,
Is it possible that it is because of the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis fungus that has been found in other places in Thrace?
I would rule out Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis as temperatures in that brackish waterbody are probably way above the temperatures Bd can handle. But as I am already mentioning temperature: Salinity looks obvious but if that happened during a very hot summer temperatures could have suprassed the CTMax of the species, especially because adult and subadult frogs have lower thermal tolerances than tadpoles. Here is some lit: Article Testing the Climate Variability Hypothesis in thermal tolera...
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