A Review of Amphibian Chemical Defenses
Rebecca Tarvin, Professor
Integrative Biology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
Applications for Fall 2024 are closed for this project.
Amphibians -- frogs, salamanders, and caecilians -- exhibit a stunning variety of chemical defenses, ranging from antimicrobial peptides to antipredator neurotoxins and biological glues! These defenses generally co-occur with physiological, morphological, and behavioral adaptations that sometimes exhibit convergence with distantly related taxa. However, research into amphibian chemical defense has been far from systematic, with many taxa receiving little or no investigation. Furthermore, while hundreds of unique chemical compounds have been identified in amphibian skin, only a fraction have known biological or ecological functions. The goal of this project is to comprehensively survey the known modes and bases of chemical defense across all amphibian taxa. This information will be compiled into a species-level database which, in addition to being a standalone resource, can serve as a foundation for future reviews and research projects.
Role: Undergraduate students are being recruited to perform bibliographic research on amphibian chemical defenses. In this capacity, they will search literature databases (such as Google Scholar and the Berkeley Library Database), read through the papers found, and compile relevant information in an excel spreadsheet. With consideration of their particular interests, students will be assigned amphibian taxa to thoroughly investigate for any and all published information on toxicity, poisonous chemicals, relevant adaptations, odor, etc. Students will gain valuable experience in navigating and reading scientific literature. Students will have access to professional development opportunities, including attending weekly lab meetings with the Tarvin lab and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology community events (e.g. seminars, weekly coffee hour, Herp Group, etc.). An overall expected outcome is to develop research, organization, and information synthesis skills and help prepare for a career in science or any other research-intensive field. Highly responsible and inquisitive students may have the option to continue in the spring and – if desired – become involved in other Tarvin Lab research efforts (ie. California fieldwork and labwork) including opportunities for honors thesis research.
Qualifications: Qualifications: Diligence, patience, communicativeness, and an enthusiasm for amphibians and/or chemical defense are essential qualities for this position. A background in biology, chemistry and/or herpetology would be helpful for URAP students, but are not required!
This position will likely be hybrid, with the bulk of the work being performed virtually and meetings being held in-person.
Hours per week are flexible between 6-8 (2 credits) or 9-11 (3 credits).
We plan to recruit 3-5 students for Fall 2024.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Kannon Pearson, Graduate Student
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Related website: https://www.tarvinlab.org/research
Biological & Health Sciences