Study: Fungi cause the extinction of 12 species of snakes
Over the past half century, deadly fungi have succeeded in eliminating large numbers of frogs and salamanders around the world, leading to the extinction of at least 500 species of amphibians, making these fungi the cause of biological destruction of the world.
A recent study shed light on the decline of amphibians, and it became clear that their loss caused huge losses in snake species that feed on frogs.
According to the results published in the scientific journal Science, starting in 2004, the total number and diversity of snakes decreased significantly.
Elise Zipkin, study co-researcher and quantitative biologist at Michigan State University, explained that at least 12 species of snakes have disappeared in Panama, which is located in South America alone, and this will of course have an impact on the environment and the feeding network in general.
The disappearance of so many snakes and amphibians is negatively impacting birds and mammals, and over time this impact will trickle down to humans, says Julianne Ray, co-author and assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Kelly Zamudio, professor of ecology and coordinator of herbiology at Cornell University, explained that over the course of more than 13 years, a decline in the number of snakes in Panama was observed, where there were 30 different species, but after the fungal invasion, only 21 species were observed, and in smaller quantities than before.
She added that in 2005, the Panamanian National Park, in cooperation with scientists from the University of Maryland, collected data on the foods eaten by the various types of snakes spread there after the amphibians were affected by the deadly fungus known as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.
The results then revealed that some types of snakes, such as the “Argus spiral sucker,” which is characterized by its sharp head and wide eyes, began to feed on snail eggs instead of the snails themselves.
She explained that the fungus caused the death of many frogs and the accumulation of their bodies. Over the years, amphibians decreased by 75% in Panama, and huge species of them became extinct in the national park only.
She pointed out that the loss of amphibians and its impact on snakes leads to a negative movement in the food chain, and this has led to the growth of a large number of algae, the impact of which will appear in the coming years on the water purity.
Source: websites