Endangered Species Conservation

PROJECTS

2024

Investigating blue carbon alternatives as possible offsets at the Aquarium of the Pacific

As one of the largest aquariums in the United States, the Aquarium of the Pacific wants to raise industry sustainability standards by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Since decarbonization…

2024

Reducing wastewater pollution impacts from on-site disposal systems in Hawai’i

Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs, coastal ecosystems, and the health of its residents are threatened by the Islands’ heavy reliance on on-site disposal systems (OSDSs). There are some 110,000 OSDSs across the…

2022

DNA methylation variation as a mechanism to alleviate inbreeding depression in the island fox (Urocyon littoralis)

Awardee: Stella Yuan, first year Ph.D. student at UCLA, co-advised by Dr. Robert Wayne and Dr. Kirk Lohmueller. Stella is interested in the evolution of small or declining populations and hopes to use genomic and epigenomic tools to further conservation efforts.

2020

“Fishing” out the exomes of the federally endangered tidewater gobies to identify potential genes under selection

Awardee: Benjamin Ha, Ph.D. student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in Dr. Dave Jacobs’ lab. Benjamin's general research interests are to understand how anthropogenic factors impact the genetics of marine populations and communities, and how research may be applied to inform marine conservation and policy.

2020

Characterizing interactions between mountain yellow-legged frog and unarmored threespine stickleback fish to assess the potential for their coexistence

Awardee: Samantha Snowden, Master’s student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, co-advised by Greg Grether and Debra Shier. Samantha is interested in bridging ecological research and wildlife conservation.

2020

Managing Pond Hydroperiod to Reverse Invasive Tiger Salamander Introgression

Awardee: Robert Cooper, PhD student in the Shaffer and Grether labs. Robert uses genomics to understand the ecological and evolutionary consequences of recent hybridization between the endangered California tiger salamander and a non-native salamander.

2019

Identifying Drivers of Recent Recruitment Failures in California Tiger Salamanders in Santa Barbara County

Awardee: Erin Toffelmier, Ph.D. student in Brad Shaffer’s lab. Erin's research focuses on understanding the drivers of population declines in the Santa Barbara County populations of the California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense.

2019

Western Pond Turtle at-risk species assessment

The western pond turtle is California’s only native freshwater turtle. The turtle’s numbers have been declining due to urbanization, limited water availability, and competition or predation from invasive species —…

2018

Science to safeguard species

UC Natural Reserve System research has laid the foundation for conserving species across the state. A prime example: UCLA professor Brad Shaffer’s work on California tiger salamanders was instrumental in…

2017

Influence of Previous Exposure on Seed Preference in the endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus)

Awardee: Brigit Harvey. Brigit is testing whether the critically endangered Pacific pocket mouse can be trained to consume the seeds of invasive species found across the San Diego County landscape to increase their foraging options in the wild.

2016

California Tiger Salamander

Researchers at the La Kretz Center are developing a framework for protecting the genetic integrity of the endangered California tiger salamander from invasive non-natives.

2016

Desert tortoise conservation

At the La Kretz Center, scientists are working toward a win-win between green energy and endangered species conservation in the Mojave Desert.

2016

Landscape genomics of the western spadefoot toad, Spea hammondii, in the Natural Reserve of Orange County, California

Awardee: Kevin Neal. Kevin will be developing a set of genomic tools to use in a pilot study to analyze genetic connectivity of western spadefoot toad populations at the landscape level in Proctor Valley in San Diego County.

2015

Reintroducing Threatened Western Pond Turtles Into Southern California Ecosystems

In addition to developing a recommendation for creating a self-sustaining population of western pond turtles in the wild, we hope that this project will serve as an educational tool for the nearby community.

2013

An Assessment of Endangered, Threatened, and Species of Special Concern in the University of California Natural Reserve System

Students: Jasneet Bains, Mario Colon, Maxwell Montrose, Vanessa Reyes, Warren Tan, Rachel Thompson, Janet Vu Client: The University of California’s Natural Reserve System Advisor: Dr. Brad Shaffer Final Report

Publications

Assessing the potential for successful translocation and co-management of two endangered aquatic species

S.K., Snowden, D.M., Shier, K.M., Stemp, G.F., Grether

Published Work | 2024 | Animal Conservation

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