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Home Spatial Ecology and Conservation Genetics

Welcome to the Goldberg Lab!

Our work focuses on developing increased capacity and ecological knowledge to address critical issues for the management of species in the context of unprecedented ecosystem change. Specifically, we use cutting-edge genomic and genetic tools to investigate drivers of the distribution and connectivity of wildlife populations. Our current work has two main components. We are a leader in the development and application of environmental DNA detection methods to inform conservation of amphibians and other aquatic species throughout the western US and beyond. We also work on developing models of functional connectivity at landscape scale using landscape genomic methods, investigate hybridization threats to endangered amphibians, and use genetic and genomic tools to inform translocation strategies. Finally, we are working at the cutting edge of developing methods for improving inference from environmental genomics through analysis of eRNA and other new tools. 

 

Projects in the news

 

We are working with the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program in southern Arizona and New Mexico:

https://tucson.com/news/local/environment/desert-frog-dna-national-parks-saguaro-arizona/article_85b40362-6de9-11ee-80c3-73581d7dd4a9.html?utm_source=tucson.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=top5

 

We are helping Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge detect invasive species:

https://fws.gov/story/2023-07/ash-meadows-national-wildlife-refuge-helps-play-defense-pupfish

 

We are using eDNA to detect endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamanders as part of a regional conservation program:

Monterey Bay area landowners: Help researchers track elusive long-toed Santa Cruz salamander

We’re doing cool eDNA and eRNA work:

https://www.kuow.org/stories/with-a-few-cups-of-water-scientists-use-edna-to-study-reclusive-rare-creatures

Reintroduction of northern leopard frogs

Check out the WDFW project we’re working on to create additional populations of northern leopard frogs in Washington State:

Reintroducing endangered northern leopard frogs in Washington

The Goldberg Lab is committed to fostering diversity and supporting members of underrepresented groups in the sciences

We welcome students from a diversity of backgrounds and with a wide variety of skills, experiences, and ideas. We believe success in graduate school is about dedication and hard work and welcome first-generation students (where you are the first in your family to go to college) and those with minimal or no experience in a research lab. We strive to provide a safe and open environment for researchers of all levels to conduct science and value a lab culture of collaboration, support, and inclusion. In our work, we are dedicated to serving our communities and native species through developing low-cost methods for environmental DNA sampling and analysis and providing accessible training and resources.

Environmental DNA websites

We have been working with Katherine Strickler to build web resources for environmental DNA. Our lab and field protocols and as well as other resources can be found at: labs.wsu.edu/edna, A more general site with information on many programs can be found at eDNAresources.science.