Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU

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The USGS, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) is offering a funding opportunity to assess an existing monitoring program for Boreal Toads at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO) and analyze data that have been collected by this program since 2004. The analysis of the status and population trends for Boreal Toads, a species of conservation concern, will enable park managers to incorporate toad habitat conservation into implementation of the Dyea area plan, including restoration planning and development of new trails and infrastructure. Quantitative information about the status and role of breeding areas on non-park land within the National Historic Landmark will also inform collaborative conservation efforts among a diversity of landowners. A thorough occupancy analysis of existing data at core breeding sites to determine population status with an associated habitat and climate factor analysis will be completed. In addition, incorporation of the relationship between the hydrology of the Taiya River and status of core breeding sites used by Boreal Toads will be evaluated to determine how toads will be specifically impacted by changes to the river hydrology and how best to mitigate impacts during development of the Dyea area and during restoration. A series of related data simulations will also be conducted to assess the capability of current monitoring methods to detect specified trends, as well as an assessment of sex, size and site-specified factors impact on the prevalence of amphibian chytrid fungus detected on sampled toads. The role of study length on the reliability of management recommendations will also be evaluated.

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