Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU

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The US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK), is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU Partner to collect pre- and post-installation data after beever dam analogs (BDAs) are installed on headwater stream sites in sagebrush lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in north-central Montana. Data collection will occur for herpetofauna and fishes during June-July 2020 ¿ 2024. Waterbodies surveyed will include existing ponds, stream sections scheduled for BDA installation, and reference stream sections that will not have BDAs installed. These efforts are to determine if changes to the stream channel and biological community affect the distribution and prevalence of amphibian and reptile pathogens by collecting swab samples on individual amphibian or reptile specimen and using eDNA techniques to sample for amphibian chytrid fungs (Bd) and ranaviruses before and after BDA installations. This unique opportunity will allow for the collection of data on population and community structure of amphibians and reptiles, including the distribution and prevalence of important pathogens, before and after restoration actions. The data will provide important information to guide future management actions in different study areas. Anticipated products will be a spreadsheet and data release to BLM and other cooperators that will include the vertebrate species and pathogens documented at each site as well as a peer-reviewed journal article that provides statistically valid estimates of change in community composition of herpetofauna, fishes, and their pathogens.

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