Molecular and Network Ecology to Inform the Translocation of an Endangered Anuran

The project is utilising an array of techniques in molecular and freshwater ecology to inform conservation action for Pickersgill's Reed Frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli), an endangered anuran endemic to coastal wetlands in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. The student will investigate the species' genetic structure, genetic diversity, and gene flow across its range, characterise ecological networks at each site through the use of eDNA metabarcoding, and measure biotic and abiotic factors that influence species site occupancy, using these data to recommend suitable translocation sites and methods for the species."