The Influence of Annual Birth Pulses on Disease Transmissibility in Amphibian Populations.

The dynamics of infectious disease in amphibians with multiple routes of transmissibility is a complex interconnected system. Depending on the population level and age stages (larvae, juveniles, and adults), infection spreads in a variety of ways. Due to seasonal reproductive behaviors, the population density of larvae rises at a certain time of year. We developed compartmental models using ordinary differential equations and difference equations to observe the effects of annual birth pulses on transmission dynamics of a fungal pathogen (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Bsal) on a North American salamander population. Model simulations and analyses offer insights into control strategies aimed at reducing transmission and preventing epidemic outbreaks.