Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU

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The Western Ecological Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity to a Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) partner for developing laboratory techniques and analyzing associated data needed to evaluate health and physiological condition in the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and other wildlife. This project is aimed at understanding how biological (e.g. pathogen presence, disease, altered diet) and environmental stressors (e.g. invasive plants, habitat manipulation) impact the health and physiology of tortoises. Specifically, will compare physiological responses such as oxidative status, immune function, and stress with animal growth, clinical health conditions, disease status, and environmental circumstances. The CESU partner along with USGS will conduct a series of small pilot experiments designed to address these questions. Blood samples and other tissues will be provided and analyzed in the laboratory using a variety of procedures (e.g. biochemical assays, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, Western blot assays, enzyme immunoassays, next generation sequencing) as required to identify and measure targeted analytes. Samples and data from this project will also be analyzed using a library of biological health information on tortoises and environmental covariates that is maintained by USGS and will continue to be developed as part of this collaboration. By analyzing physiological data, will explore opportunities to identify and quantitatively measure molecular and cellular responses in tortoises that may be changing as a result of disease status, altered plant diets, and human-related environmental manipulations. Other health and environmental classifications may be considered as the work proceeds.

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