On my visit to the reserve, I plan to collect toe clips and skin swabs from adult and subadult frogs. Skin swabs will be used to determine infection loads on individuals and prevalence at the reserve. Toe clips will be used to determine host susceptibility genotypes and to culture the fungal pathogen, Bd. From the Bd cultures, we can compare the infection loads on the frogs Bd was isolated from and virulence genotypes. The goal of this project is to determine the genetic basis for this difference in susceptibility and resulting disease dynamics in both the host and pathogen across California, by visiting several UC Reserves. I will be bringing 1-2 undergraduate field assistants to help collect samples with the aim of them creating independent projects using these samples, in addition to my dissertation project. We will be capturing frogs during the day and at night.

Approved