Amphibian Conservation Education Project: Bridging the Gap between Citizen Scientists and Bench Scientists
What is the Amphibian Crisis?What is the Amphibian Crisis?
Over 6,000 species of frogs, toads, newts, Over 6,000 species of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders & caecilians in the worldsalamanders & caecilians in the world
First comprehensive assessment of amphibian First comprehensive assessment of amphibian populations conducted in 2004 by IUCNpopulations conducted in 2004 by IUCN
Concluded that 2,000-3,000 are threatened with Concluded that 2,000-3,000 are threatened with extinctionextinction
Why are they Why are they disappearing?disappearing?
Habitat loss Habitat loss PollutionPollution Climate changeClimate change DiseasesDiseases Invasive Invasive speciesspecies Over collectionOver collection
Chytrid FugusChytrid Fugus
First detected in an African Clawed Frog, First detected in an African Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevisXenopus laevis in 1938 in 1938
African Clawed Frogs were transported African Clawed Frogs were transported all over the world for use in human all over the world for use in human pregnancy testingpregnancy testing
Fungus attacks the skin and affects Fungus attacks the skin and affects amphibians ability to amphibians ability to
“ “breathe” through their skinbreathe” through their skin
Why should people care?Why should people care?
Act as exterminatorsAct as exterminators Vital role in Vital role in
ecosystemecosystem Indicators of Indicators of
environmental healthenvironmental health Aid in medical Aid in medical
research and the research and the pharmaceutical pharmaceutical industryindustry
Cultural importance Cultural importance
Gastric-Brooding Toad
Rheobatrachus silus
Benefits of Amphibian Benefits of Amphibian Conservation Education ProjectConservation Education Project
• Aid herpetologists with labor and time Aid herpetologists with labor and time intensive surveysintensive surveys
• Develop community stewardship Develop community stewardship through teachers and studentsthrough teachers and students
• Creates awareness of ecological Creates awareness of ecological concerns amphibians faceconcerns amphibians face
• Develop inquiry skills and apply skills Develop inquiry skills and apply skills to scienceto science
Field Field WorkWork
• Participants collect:Participants collect:• Habitat descriptionHabitat description
• Water quality dataWater quality data
• GPS coordinatesGPS coordinates
• Pictures of the Pictures of the specimen specimen
• Swab samples to Swab samples to test for chytridtest for chytrid
Making it relevant Making it relevant Omaha’s Zoo partnered with The Biofinity ProjectOmaha’s Zoo partnered with The Biofinity Project
Biofinity was able to quickly configure a user friendly Biofinity was able to quickly configure a user friendly data repository for the Zoodata repository for the Zoo
Allows data and pictures to be easily uploaded, Allows data and pictures to be easily uploaded, stored and visually analyzedstored and visually analyzed
Allows students and herpetologists to track where Allows students and herpetologists to track where amphibian species and Chytrid fungus are being amphibian species and Chytrid fungus are being found throughout the statefound throughout the state
Amphibian Database “Administrators” are able to Amphibian Database “Administrators” are able to verify and edit data verify and edit data
Amphibian DatabaseAmphibian Database
Biofinity created data fields specific to Biofinity created data fields specific to amphibian projectamphibian project
Amphibian DatabaseAmphibian Database
Google Maps allows students and Google Maps allows students and herpetologists to visually analyze dataherpetologists to visually analyze data
Amphibian DatabaseAmphibian Database
Students are able to upload pictures of Students are able to upload pictures of amphibiansamphibians Allows herpetologists to confirm species Allows herpetologists to confirm species
sightingssightings
Project FutureProject Future
Continue training participantsContinue training participants Introduce database to herpetologists and Introduce database to herpetologists and
gain feedbackgain feedback Possibly create different querying methods Possibly create different querying methods
for usersfor users Tool to search for amphibians that test positive Tool to search for amphibians that test positive
for Chytrid fungusfor Chytrid fungus
The ConnectionThe Connection
Through partnerships, OHDZ will Through partnerships, OHDZ will profoundly impact amphibian educationprofoundly impact amphibian education
OHDZ is creating partnerships with one OHDZ is creating partnerships with one common goal; to preserve these species common goal; to preserve these species so that future generations can so that future generations can “Appreciate the Little Things”“Appreciate the Little Things”
ResourcesResources
www.omahazoo.comwww.omahazoo.com biofinity.unl.edu/biofinity/HDZ/amphibian/biofinity.unl.edu/biofinity/HDZ/amphibian/ www.saveafrog.orgwww.saveafrog.org www.globalamphibians.orgwww.globalamphibians.org www.amphibians.orgwww.amphibians.org www.amphibiaweb.orgwww.amphibiaweb.org
ReferencesReferences
IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe. 2008. An Analysis IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe. 2008. An Analysis of Amphibians on the 2008 IUCN Red List of Amphibians on the 2008 IUCN Red List <www.iucnredlist.org/amphibians>. Downloaded on 8 September <www.iucnredlist.org/amphibians>. Downloaded on 8 September 2010.2010.