A multidisciplinary approach to informing conservation decisions for the threatened frog Mantella cowanii
Research Advisor: Dr. Michael Dreslik
Zoom link: https://go.illinois.edu/ExitSeminar-Edmonds
Madagascar supports exceptional amphibian species richness and endemism, yet many remain poorly known and highly threatened. The harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii) is one of the island’s most endangered frogs and the focus of a conservation action plan. My Ph.D. fills the research needs outlined in the action plan, combining population ecology, conservation genomics, and environmental psychology. Over four years of fieldwork, I confirmed the species’ present-day distribution, recorded extirpated localities, and estimated population size, annual survival, and other demographic traits. Genomic analyses showed the genetic identity of M. cowanii is being eroded by hybridization with a common species. I also explored the human dimensions of conservation, finding that trust in conservation efforts is associated with ecological knowledge, information sources, and familiarity with species action plans. Together, my doctoral work shows the advantages of combining scientific disciplines to inform conservation for threatened species and guide recovery efforts.
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