Dr. Larissa Bailey

Combining Science and Expert Knowledge to Determine Optimal Management Strategies for a Declining Amphibian

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a salient threat to many animal taxa, causing local and global extinctions, altering communities and ecosystem function. One such disease, chytridiomycosis, is a prominent driver of amphibian declines caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). To guide conservation policy, we combined empirical knowledge of host‐pathogen metapopulation dynamics with expert judgment regarding effects of management actions, to select from potential conservation strategies. Our findings are incorporated into management policy to guide conservation planning. We also developed a user‐friendly online application that could serve as a template for managers of other systems challenged by EIDs.

Dr. Bailey is an Associate Professor at Colorado State University. 

Past Lectures in this series