NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Genetic analysis of elk scat for diversity and diet

Ramos, Seafha, Mckinleyville CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The fellow, a Yurok tribal member, will expand ongoing research in the integration of Indigenous and Western science approaches to wildlife conservation. Strong collaborations between the fellow, Humboldt State University, the Yurok Tribe of California, the Spokane Tribe of Washington, and Redwood National Park will serve as a model for facilitating research under various management types. The fellow will focus on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and a genetic analysis of elk fecal samples from Yurok ancestral lands and the Spokane reservation to identify individuals and diet. The fellow will also conduct outreach activities in both tribal communities, as well as, at national conferences and Humboldt State University. The project and outreach activities will serve tribal communities by highlighting Indigenous science and providing opportunities to inspire and engage people of all ages in science. The research will serve the broader society by providing an example of an integrated scientific approach, as well as contributing to the scientific literature on genetic diversity and diet of these elk populations. Yurok Traditional Ecological Knowledge as related to elk will be integrated with the Yurok portion of this study through the analysis of interviews with Yurok-affiliated community members. The successful Spokane elk management program will inform potential management strategies for Yurok, where the elk population is limited as compared to surrounding lands. Genotyping of individuals will be conducted through the amplification of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers specifically designed for elk and the calculation of Probability of Identity. Plant samples will be collected and analyzed to create a reference library of DNA sequences with which to compare diet items from the fecal samples. Diet will be determined via metabarcoding and shotgun sequencing analyses, with subsequent sequence matching in the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Training activities will include wet lab techniques for elk individual identification and diet, as well as attendance at bioinformatics workshops. Broadening participation activities will include outreach to tribal peoples, from youth to college level, and engagement with students from various backgrounds at Humboldt State University. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.