Supporting Graduate Student Research

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Grant recipient Arik Hartmann, collecting an oral swab from a young Florida softshell turtle held by UF undergraduate Cory McKinstry. Photo by Javier Lobon-Rovira
Grant recipient Arik Hartmann, collecting an oral swab from a young Florida softshell turtle held by UF undergraduate Cory McKinstry. – Javier Lobon-Rovira

Small Grant Program History

For the past 3 years, we have awarded small grants to graduate students pursuing research on reptile or amphibian conservation in the southeastern United States. In total, we have distributed $26,000 to support 13 different student projects. Students have represented several different universities, including University of Central Florida, University of Georgia, Appalachian State University, and Virginia Tech. Funded projects have addressed a range of conservation issues, focusing on both common and imperiled species to answer important questions.

One of the 2022 projects was conducted by Jenna Palmisano, who examined the effects of invasive lung parasites on Pygmy Rattlesnake populations. – Jenna Palmisano
One of the 2022 projects was conducted by Jenna Palmisano, who examined the effects of invasive lung parasites on Pygmy Rattlesnake populations. – Jenna Palmisano

The Importance of Grant Funding

Graduate students do an incredible amount of hard work while pursuing their degrees. They often split time between taking classes, teaching, and trying to finish their own research projects. All of this on a rapid timeline that leaves little room for dealing with the realities of implementing complicated research projects. It can be especially challenging to implement the fieldwork portions of projects on a condensed timeline. For example, during my MS research, I was supposed to sample amphibian larvae in ephemeral wetlands. My first field season was characterized by dry wetlands during most of the time that I was in the field, while the second field season was one of the wettest on record. Working around such challenges is part of the graduate student experience.

Finding funding as a graduate student can also be challenging as many grants operate on timelines not relevant to student research. Depending on the specific program that students are enrolled in, there may or may not be extra funding available to help students pursue their research. Small funding amounts can go a long way to ensuring that students have enough resources to finish field or lab work on time. Graduate students will go on to pursue many different career paths, drawing on the experience gained while in school to build successful careers in natural resources and conservation.

Grant recipient Timothy Calhoun found this juvenile Bog Turtle while conducting fieldwork for his project. – Timothy Calhoun
Grant recipient Timothy Calhoun found this juvenile Bog Turtle while conducting fieldwork for his project. – Timothy Calhoun

2023 Project Reports

During the 2023 funding cycle, we awarded grants to 5 students who conducted fieldwork over the past year. Reports for these projects are now available on our website, and I provide a brief introduction to each project below.

 

Examining gene flow in Four-toed Salamanders

Bryce Wade (University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory) examined how Four-toed Salamander populations were connected using genetic techniques. His initial results indicate that there are several landscape factors that influence the connectivity of Four-toed Salamander populations in Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee. These results highlight how new genetic techniques can be used to understand landscape-level processes and ultimately inform conservation and management decisions.

Close-up of an adult female Four-toed Salamander on a mirrored surface.
An adult female Four-toed Salamander. – Bryce Wade

Using eDNA to survey for Georgia Blind Cave Salamanders

Gretchen Hilt (Southeastern Louisiana University) examined how eDNA can be used as a tool to monitor the hard to detect Georgia Blind Cave Salamander (Eurycea wallacei). She collected water samples from aquatic systems and caves that could support populations of these secretive salamanders. Preliminary lab work suggested that eDNA from Georgia Blind Cave Salamanders could be detected from water samples exposed to salamanders. Providing effective methods to monitor such species is a critical aspect of implementing effective conservation programs.

Gretchen Hilt smiling behind the glass that a collected Georgia Blind Cave Salamander is on.
A Georgia Blind Cave Salamander (Eurycea wallacei) collected in Marianna, FL. – Eric Maxwell

Monitoring post-release performance of head-started Gopher Frogs

Kiersten Nelson (University of Georgia) used radio telemetry to examine the movement and performance of head-started Gopher Frogs released at different times of the year. Her preliminary results suggest that frogs released in the summer tend to move more and over longer distances than frogs released in the winter. She also demonstrated that juvenile Gopher Frogs would occupy artificial burrows. The results of this work will be used to inform ongoing head-starting efforts for Gopher Frogs.

A juvenile headstarted gopher frog fitted with a transmitter belt. – Kiersten Nelson

Understanding how snake skin microbiome affects Snake Fungal Disease infection

Lauren Fuchs (George Mason University) sampled snakes in Virginia and Maryland for ophidiomycosis (Snake Fungal Disease) and examined how habitat, landscape, and skin microbiome impacted disease prevalence. Studies have found that ophidiomycosis is widespread, but it remains unclear what factors impact infection rates and the severity of infection. By examining factors that influence disease, it may highlight important management techniques that can be used to limit the impacts of infection.

Snakes with skin lesions consistent with ophidiomycosis infection. – Lauren Fuchs

Testing for long-term changes in Appalachian salamander body size

Charlie Holguin (Virginia Tech) used historical and new survey data to examine how climate change has impacted body size in plethodontid salamanders in southwestern Virginia. For many species of salamanders, we lack a basic understanding of life history traits that can ultimately help us understand population viability and risk to various environmental stressors. Making informed conservation decisions requires understanding the mechanisms through which global change is impacting salamander populations.

Charlie Holguin with a common snapping turtle.

2024 Grant Cycle

We are currently accepting applications for the 2024 grant cycle. Applications are due by 5:00 pm on November 22. More information can be found here.