The decline of amphibians in the Rocky Mountain region, including Grand Teton National Park, is the topic of the first summer seminar Thursday, June 18, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.
Idaho State University Professor Peter Murphy will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue will be held at 5:30 p.m. with a $5 per person fee; reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.
Murphy will discuss the Chytrid fungal pathogen that causes a skin disease that is linked to amphibian population declines. While it is widespread in the Rocky Mountain boreal toads, it appears to have caused severe declines only in southern boreal toad populations. Murphy will discuss factors that may account for the different outcomes of the disease, which include regional resistance to infection and environmental differences.
The UW-NPS Research Center provides a base for university faculty members and governmental scientists from throughout North America to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area.
Posted on Friday, June 12, 2009