March 17, 2023
Amphibian Resiliency in Disturbed Landscapes
Dr. Melissa Youngquist
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Abstract
Globally, habitat loss and degradation are leading causes of biodiversity decline. Wetlands, in particular, are biodiversity hotspots and yet, historically, have been a primary target for landscape alteration. Continued threats to wetland habitat include direct alteration by humans, invasive species, and climate change. Because of the importance of wetlands as breeding habitat for many amphibian species, amphibians are highly impacted by these threats. My research focuses on the response of amphibian communities to environmental change – both positive and negative. Here I will discuss how amphibian communities in Black Ash wetlands of northern Minnesota may respond to invasive Emerald Ash Borer and the response of amphibian communities in the Chicagoland Area to invasive plant removal and habitat restoration. In both landscapes, midwestern amphibians have demonstrated resiliency to environmental change and offer hope for the future.
Biosketch
Melissa Youngquist, Ph.D., is a member of the freshwater research team in Shedd Aquarium’s Daniel P. Hearther Center for Conservation Research. Her work at Shedd focuses on the effects of invasive species removal and wetland restoration on wetland communities. This work helps inform and improve restoration efforts throughout the Chicago area. Before coming to Shedd, Dr. Youngquist was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota. In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, she studied how an invasive beetle, the emerald ash borer, might affect amphibians in black ash wetlands. Dr. Youngquist completed her Ph.D. at Miami University, Ohio, where she studied the effects of habitat in agricultural landscapes on amphibian populations. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Pacific Lutheran University.