mc Kravitz
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2022
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 5
- Points
- 3
- Location
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Country
- United States
I have been doing a meta analysis of published literature on salamander chytrid diseases. It is a fungal infection that is often fatal.
I crossed referenced my findings with published data on acid rain and soil pH data.
I believe I may have found a correlation between soil pH and the occurrence of chytrid diseases.
I also believe localized solutions might easily and inexpensively be conducted by concerned citizens.
The reasoning is simple as I outline below:
Salamanders have virtually no natural immunity to deadly types of fungus.
Fungi and amphibians have existed on this planet for 365 million years together. Why is it only now that this pandemic of fungi disease has emerged?
The answer is that salamanders didn't develop an immunity simply because they didn't need one.
They developed a symbiotic relationship with certain types of bacteria. These bacteria live on their skin and inhibit the growth of and may even destroy fungi.
Biologist have and continue to discover and classify bacterial types that protect salamanders from fungi.
In the meantime soil scientist have and are conducting research into the effect of soil pH on the growth of fungi and bacteria. They have no clue that their research might help save salamanders.
Their research has shown that fungi flourish in a low pH environment and conversely bacteria flourishes in a higher pH environment.
Acid rain has and continues to have caused a reduction in the pH value of soil around the globe.
That's all the pieces of the puzzle you need to find solutions.
Neutralize the effects of acid rain and save the salamanders.
Case in point: My home is surrounded by trees and there is an amphibian breeding pond on my property.
The salamander population on my property has declined noticeably over the last 20 years
I get my water from a well. The pH of my well water is around 9.
I though that I was in an ideal location to grow ginseng plants so I planter several hundred seeds in a wooded area about five years ago.
Ginseng is also highly susceptible to fungus infection. So much so that commercial growers spray their crops with fungicide as often as once a week.
I never spray my plants.
The only ginseng plants that survive on my property are ones that get sprayed with my sprinkler water which comes directly from my well.
I believe that it is likely that the water pH of 9 is helping neutralize the acidic nature of my soil and saving the ginseng.
To determine if this may also be true for salamanders, I went on a salamander hunt on the approximately two acres of woodland I own.
I only found two red backed salamanders and they were near my house and the over spray of my sprinklers hit the spot they were found.
I plan on setting up some large sprinklers and spraying areas on my wooded property and see if I can increase the salamander population.
If I am correct, it should not be costly to treat the soil in salamander habitats.
Farmers purchase lime for as low as $25.00 per ton which covers a minimum of one acre and adequately raises the pH of their fields.
If anyone wants links to the research papers I mention feel free to request them.
I crossed referenced my findings with published data on acid rain and soil pH data.
I believe I may have found a correlation between soil pH and the occurrence of chytrid diseases.
I also believe localized solutions might easily and inexpensively be conducted by concerned citizens.
The reasoning is simple as I outline below:
Salamanders have virtually no natural immunity to deadly types of fungus.
Fungi and amphibians have existed on this planet for 365 million years together. Why is it only now that this pandemic of fungi disease has emerged?
The answer is that salamanders didn't develop an immunity simply because they didn't need one.
They developed a symbiotic relationship with certain types of bacteria. These bacteria live on their skin and inhibit the growth of and may even destroy fungi.
Biologist have and continue to discover and classify bacterial types that protect salamanders from fungi.
In the meantime soil scientist have and are conducting research into the effect of soil pH on the growth of fungi and bacteria. They have no clue that their research might help save salamanders.
Their research has shown that fungi flourish in a low pH environment and conversely bacteria flourishes in a higher pH environment.
Acid rain has and continues to have caused a reduction in the pH value of soil around the globe.
That's all the pieces of the puzzle you need to find solutions.
Neutralize the effects of acid rain and save the salamanders.
Case in point: My home is surrounded by trees and there is an amphibian breeding pond on my property.
The salamander population on my property has declined noticeably over the last 20 years
I get my water from a well. The pH of my well water is around 9.
I though that I was in an ideal location to grow ginseng plants so I planter several hundred seeds in a wooded area about five years ago.
Ginseng is also highly susceptible to fungus infection. So much so that commercial growers spray their crops with fungicide as often as once a week.
I never spray my plants.
The only ginseng plants that survive on my property are ones that get sprayed with my sprinkler water which comes directly from my well.
I believe that it is likely that the water pH of 9 is helping neutralize the acidic nature of my soil and saving the ginseng.
To determine if this may also be true for salamanders, I went on a salamander hunt on the approximately two acres of woodland I own.
I only found two red backed salamanders and they were near my house and the over spray of my sprinklers hit the spot they were found.
I plan on setting up some large sprinklers and spraying areas on my wooded property and see if I can increase the salamander population.
If I am correct, it should not be costly to treat the soil in salamander habitats.
Farmers purchase lime for as low as $25.00 per ton which covers a minimum of one acre and adequately raises the pH of their fields.
If anyone wants links to the research papers I mention feel free to request them.