Awardee: Erica Ro
Bio:
Erica, an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation Biology, has been passionate about the natural world from a young age. She is broadly interested in urban ecology and conservation science and plans to pursue graduate school in the near future. She has volunteered for the Shaffer Lab and the UCLA Herbarium and currently conducts research as part of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge program. In her free time, Erica enjoys hiking, birdwatching, and playing tennis.
Project:
Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is considered the worst vertebrate infectious disease in recorded history and has decimated amphibian populations across the globe. While Bd has become established in several regions in California, its prevalence in vernal pool ecosystems has not been thoroughly investigated. This project will focus on the isolated vernal pool complex in northern Santa Barbara county, home to several threatened and endangered amphibian species. As part of the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge program and with a team of researchers from the Shaffer Lab, this project will investigate the prevalence of Bd in the vernal pool environment and among potential host amphibian species.