Impact Statement

Institution
State
Region
New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station
New Mexico
Western
Molecular approaches to study disease and genetics in freshwater turtles
{"ops":[{"insert":"Freshwater turtles have suffered population declines and extirpations mainly due to habitat loss and over-harvesting. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering listing several turtle species as threatened, and research investigating potential threats is crucial. More recently disease is becoming a major threat in some species of turtles in need of conservation, and the dispersal of pathogens is attributed to the movement and spread of invasive species. Because some diseases can be attributed to more than one pathogen, evaluating associations between pathogen presence and disease is a crucial first step to direct future conservation actions.\n"}]}
{"ops":[{"insert":"NMSU researchers are evaluating the prevalence of shell rot disease using CT scans and pathogens associated with turtle shell rot disease (e.g., Emydomyces testavorans) using molecular assays in Washington, California, and New Mexico. In addition, the NMSU lab secured funding to investigate the population genetics of threatened turtles using modern genomic sequencing approaches. Because some species are suspected to hybridize (Big Bend Sliders and red-eared sliders in New Mexico and northwestern and southwestern pond turtles in California), researchers are using the genetic data to provide conservation managers with estimates of hybrid prevalence throughout the potential hybrid zone and evaluations of population genetic diversity.\n"}]}
{"ops":[{"insert":"In New Mexico, the laboratory has identified populations of free-ranging turtles experiencing shell rot disease, and researchers are currently evaluating which pathogens might be present on affected individuals. Throughout the western US, they have also identified populations that experience a high prevalence of Emydomyces testavorans (i.e., western pond turtles in Washington), and they are currently working with veterinarians to score CT scans from these individuals.\n"}]}
{"ops":[{"insert":"While often considered hardy due to their shells, freshwater turtles have been documented to be susceptible to degradation in water quality. In the US Southwest, freshwater turtles are often closely tied to the small number of streams, ephemeral ponds, and lakes found throughout the region. These wetlands tend to be the same bodies of fresh water that humans rely on for drinking, agriculture, and recreation. Studying turtle health as an indicator of environmental quality can allow us to provide recommendations to improve the health of critical watersheds throughout the US Southwest.\n"}]}
Environmental Stewardship
Agricultural Systems
Ecosystem Services Wildlife
Other
None Selected
No
2024
No
Obed Hernandez-Gomez
ohg@nmsu.edu
No
None Selected
Disease is becoming a major threat to species of turtles in need of conservation, and the dispersal of pathogens is attributed to the movement and spread of invasive species. We have been evaluating the prevalence of shell rot disease using CT scans and pathogens associated with turtle shell rot disease (e.g., Emydomyces testavorans) using molecular assays in Washington, California, and New Mexico. The results will provide state and federal agencies involved in the conservation and listing of freshwater turtles with relevant information to manage threatened species, including identification of disease-susceptible populations and delineation of genetic conservation units for captive-breeding planning.
None
 
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