S.N.A.P.S Class Critique

S.N.A.P.S

Alexis Avalos

STUDENT NETWORK FOR AMPHIBIAN PATHOGEN SURVEILLANCE

Amphibian conservation through education and student surveillance of emerging pathogens

LOGOS

STUDENT NETWORK FOR AMPHIBIAN PATHOGEN SURVEILLANCE

STUDENT NETWORK FOR AMPHIBIAN PATHOGEN SURVEILLANCE

Amphibian conservation through education and student surveillance of emerging pathogens

Amphibian conservation through education and student surveillance of emerging pathogens

SUMMARY The logo is inspired from SNAPS’s mission of looking out for emerging pathogens in amphibians, hence the pathogen like icon inside the letter P. The circles are also a metaphor for the connection between students and learning about amphibian conservation. The logo works well for documents, and has many variations which will allow for many options for branding.

COLORS

FONTS

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C: 0% M: 0% Y: 0% K: 100% R: 35 G: 31 B: 32

Aa

Paralucent-Medium

Ubuntu-Regular

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Student

Network for Amphibian Pathogen Surveillance

Conserve

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Surveil

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Learn

WHAT IS SNAPS?

We are a network of scientists and educators committed to the conservation of amphibians against the threat of emerging pathogens, with an initial focus on Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). This deadly pathogen threatens North American salamanders but is yet to be detected here. Early detection of Bsal will improve the efficacy of conservation actions, and to this end, we are coordinating, facilitating and empowering students to surveil for Bsal. We are embedding this Bsal surveillance into undergraduate curriculum where students learn about Bsal through the lens of various academic disciplines and then actively contribute by sampling for Bsal among their local amphibians. Our model is mutually beneficial: salamanders serve as an opportunity for active and experiential learning among students, who in turn benefit salamanders through the surveillance and early detection of a potentially devastating pathogen. To meet our dual goals of early detection of Bsal and engaged student learning, we are developing curricula that can be adopted in participating courses, with accompanying protocols, supplies, and other support. Meanwhile, other courses may not have the opportunity for field sampling but can also participate by adopting our in-class curriculum.

Students learn best when they are actively engaged in a real-world issue that challenges them to apply their course content. We are leveraging this timely conservation crisis for student learning, while simultaneously leveraging students’ passion, time, and energy for Bsal surveillance. With the participation of educational institutions across a wide geographic and taxonomic range, we are developing an ongoing and studentpowered effort for the early detection of Bsal in North America.

MISSION

Our mission is to coordinate, facilitate and empower student learning and surveillance of emerging amphibian pathogens in North America.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework of SNAPS highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship between students and salamanders: salamanders serve as an opportunity for active and experiential learning among students, who in turn benefit salamanders through the surveillance and early detection of Bsal.

SNAPS is a partnership between U.S. Geological Survey, Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, amphibiandisease.org and the Bsal Surveillance Working Group, part of the Bsal Task Force (salamanderfungus.org).

VISION

Our vision is the conservation of amphibians through active student learning that powers the early detection of emerging pathogens in North America.

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Sampling Design Guidelines Objectives: These guidelines are based on the dual aims of detecting Bsal and estimating Bd prevalence at sites throughout North America.

Species selection o Some species have been assigned to vulnerability categories based on lab susceptibility trials1 (see Table 1). Designations may change with future research.

• HIGHLY VULNERABLE: infection with signs of chytridiomycosis, high mortality • VULNERABLE: infection with signs of chytridiomycosis, limited or no mortality • CARRIER: infection, no mortality • RESISTANT: no infection, no mortality o Target species in the top 3 categories (HIGHLY VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE, CARRIER). o Table 2 lists the species in the top 3 vulnerability categories that are expected to be most appropriate for student sampling (easy to find in large numbers). o Avoid sampling species assigned to the RESISTANT category. o In cases where tested species cannot be sampled, taxonomically similar species can be targeted. o Some frog species are categorized as Bsal CARRIERS and may be sampled. o Considering that HIGHLY VULNERABLE species may experience rapid die-offs in response to Bsal introduction, we recommend coordination within the network to ensure that HIGHLY VULNERABLE and VULNERABLE/CARRIER species are represented in sampling for each year. o Only post-metamorphic individuals should be sampled.

Site selection o Habitat characteristics will be recorded for each site sampled, so we define ‘site’ as an area with uniform habitat characteristics. o Select sites where you are most likely to encounter high numbers of animals in the highest Bsal vulnerability categories (HIGHLY VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE, CARRIER). o Prioritize areas with human activity over more remote sites. o Keep sites consistent among years. o For site selection guidance at a broad geographic scale, Richgels et al. (2016) ranked U.S. counties based on the estimated severity of consequences of Bsal introduction. Ranks were based on mean annual air temperature and mean air temperature of the warmest month, scaled against the thermal optimum (15 °C) and thermal maximum (25 °C) for in vitro growth of Bsal, and host species richness (see figure below).

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Bsal Strategic Plan; Carter et al. 2019; Matt Gray pers. comm.

Heat maps of the USA showing the consequences of Bsal introduction. The consequence assessment (c) is a combination of species richness (a) and environmental suitability (b).

Site sampling o A site sampling event may occur over a period of up to 2 weeks. o If you plan to sample a site on more than 1 day, please ensure that individual animals are not inadvertently sampled more than once. o Avoid sampling the same species from a site more than once per year.

Sample size o Large sample sizes of individual species are optimal both to maximize confidence that Bsal is absent and to accurately estimate Bd prevalence at a site. However, smaller sample sizes are still valuable to meet our goal of Bsal detection, so feel free to sample species that may be in low abundance. o The optimal sample size is 20 individuals per species per site sampling event (i.e., period of up to 2 weeks during which a site may be sampled). o Our current budget can accommodate sampling 2 species for a grand total of ~40 samples per researcher per year. The 2 species may be sampled at the same site or different sites. Sampling 20 of 2 species is preferable over sampling 40 of 1 species. o If you are unable to sample 20 individuals of a species within a site sampling event, other species may be sampled to reach a total of ~20 animals. o Groups will be provided with plenty of extra swabs so feel free to use them.

Table 1. Species tested in lab susceptibility trials (as of Sep. 2019).

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Yonahlossee salamander (Plethodon yonalohsee) Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia

Photo J. Lindley McKay

Figure 1 Scheele et al. 2019. Science 363:1459─1463.

Thank You!