04-18-09 Chytrid Testing

Naturalist Tim Krynak led the Future Scientists through amphibian chytrid testing this week at the North Chagrin Reservation. Chytrid (short for Chytridiomycosis) is a genus of water-bourne fungus that is thought to be a major player in the global amphibian decline. To read more about chytrid, a good overview can be found here. To read more about the Future Scientists' session, scroll down below!
Before testing, the Future Scientists found a garter snake. Jonathan got musked. Chuck-Norris style.
How to look scientific:
Clipboard: check.
Nets: check.
Fancy glove: double check.

Here's a pickeral frog we caught for testing. Note the rectangular spots and the yellow leg-flash.
This little piggy went to the market... This little piggy stayed home... This little piggy got tested for Chytrid.
Redback salamander. Looks menacing, doesn't it?

No, we are not measuring the perfect finger-to-thumb ratio of this lovely hand-model. Somewhere, there is a salamander whose snout-to-vent ratio is being scrutinized.
The Future Scientists also got to help put in some pool measuring posts!

Mount Union College will be running the tests for our Chytrid sampling. If you are interested in finding out the results, keep up with the blog and results will be posted as they come in.