Previous TWS Annual Conferences
Browse MEWG's offerings at previous TWS National conferences.
2023: Louisville
Workshops
An Overview of Genomic Approaches for Wildlife and Conservation Management
The field of wildlife genetics is being transformed by new genomic methods. The goal of this workshop is to provide an overview of genomic methods that can be used to address research questions in wildlife ecology, conservation, and management. Specifically, we will cover the topics of whole genome sequencing, reduced representation sequencing, identifying adaptive loci, single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping panels, eDNA assays, eDNA metabarcoding, and diet metabarcoding. We will include examples of how these new methods are being used to identify conservation and management units, assess genetic diversity and gene flow, monitor biodiversity, detect invasive species, and understand adaptation.
Do the Genomics: An introductory course in analyzing genomic data in R
Genomics has revolutionized the fields of conservation genetics and molecular ecology. Genomic datasets from non-model organisms are now easier and more cost efficient to generate, while being able to explore new questions where traditional genetic markers were limited. However, a significant hurdle to analyzing genomic datasets is the bioinformatic knowledge required. The goal of this workshop is to provide a basic overview of how to analyze genomic data sets in R; specifically covering importing data sets, variant filtering, and basic population genetic analyses. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to have a basic understanding of R and bring their own laptops.
Symposium
Landscape Genetics for Wildlife Ecology and Management: Advances and Applications
This symposium brings together practitioners and researchers to learn about landscape genetics in the age of genomics, spotlight new developments for modeling landscape connectivity and identifying adaptive loci, and promote the application of landscape genetics and genomics to wildlife conservation and management across a diverse range of species and systems.
Presentations and Speakers
Landscape genomics of Rhyacotriton cascadae, an ESA candidate salamander endemic to the Pacific Northwest
Christopher Cousins
Testing the effects of natural and anthropogenic landscape features on wolverine gene flow across northwestern North America
Elise Stacy
Comparative landscape genetics of two partly sympatric hare species
Jeremy Larroque
Increasing predictive power of landscape genetics: including spatially-explicit mechanisms
Brook Milligan
Landscape genetics, occupancy, and omnidirectional circuit theory for inferring wildlife connectivity and gene flow
Cody Aylward
Landscape genetics of Anuran species in the northern rocky mountains: lessons across species and landscapes
Melanie Murphy
2022: Spokane
Workshops
An Overview of Genomic Approaches for Wildlife and Conservation Management
The field of wildlife genetics is being transformed by new genomic methods. The goal of this workshop is to provide an overview of genomic methods that can be used to address research questions in wildlife ecology, conservation, and management. Specifically, we will cover the topics of whole genome sequencing, reduced representation sequencing, identifying adaptive loci, single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping panels, eDNA assays, eDNA metabarcoding, and diet metabarcoding. We will include examples of how these new methods are being used to identify conservation and management units, assess genetic diversity and gene flow, monitor biodiversity, detect invasive species, and understand adaptation.
Do the Genomics: An introductory course in analyzing genomic data in R
Genomics has revolutionized the fields of conservation genetics and molecular ecology. Genomic datasets from non-model organisms are now easier and more cost efficient to generate, while being able to explore new questions where traditional genetic markers were limited. However, a significant hurdle to analyzing genomic datasets is the bioinformatic knowledge required. The goal of this workshop is to provide a basic overview of how to analyze genomic data sets in R; specifically covering importing data sets, variant filtering, and basic population genetic analyses. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to have a basic understanding of R and bring their own laptops.
Symposium
Advances in eDNA for Management Applications
Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers an opportunity for the detection and monitoring of native and invasive species and their associated pathogens. This approach is ideal for species that are semi-aquatic or terrestrial species that frequently interact with water and emerging eDNA collection techniques are able to detect fully terrestrial species. This symposium focuses on the use of eDNA for the surveying and monitoring of macrofaunal communities, with a particular emphasis on new techniques for expanding the scope of eDNA monitoring and inference, including soil, air, and flowers. In particular, the symposium seeks to provide an opportunity for both researchers and practitioners to come together to learn about new developments and challenges with the “nuts and bolts” of eDNA applications and inspire new avenues for monitoring. The symposium will focus on projects that have a strong applied component and are tackling ongoing wildlife management challenges. It is our goal that the symposium will further the sharing and integration of knowledge between practitioners and those interested in applying these methods in wildlife conservation.
Presentations and Speakers
Tracking at-risk and invasive species with confidence? Opportunities and challenges of eDNA approaches
Caren Helbing
Environmental DNA mobilizes consortium of tribal governments toward large-scale monitoring of a culturally important species
Meredith Pochardt, Taal Levi
Message in a bottle? Detecting cryptic and endemic salamanders at risk from climate change
Christopher Cousins, Jennifer Allen, Tiffany Garcia, Emily Dziedzic, Dede Olson, Brooke Penaluna, Lindsey Thruman
Evaluating eDNA methods for detecting pangolins in central and west Africa to inform conservation actions
Ichu Godwill Ichu, John Brooks, Stephen Spear, Daniel Challender, Franklin Simo, Dana Morin
Transitioning from environmental genetics to genomics using mitogenome reference databases
Emily Dziedzic, Brian Sidlauskas, Richard Cronn, Jamie Anthony, Trevan Cornwell, Thomas Friesen, Peter Konstantinidis, Brooke Penaluna, Staci Stein, Taal Levi
Assessing targeted soil eDNA sampling for estimating distribution of cryptic shrew species
Daniela Adjaye, Stephen Spear, John Brooks, Geriann Albers, Eric Hileman, Dana Morin
Environmental Detection and monitoring of invasive mammals
Anna Mangan, John Kronenberger, Taylor Wilcox, Ian Plummer, Toni Piaggio
A general framework to guide early detection rapid response actions following invasive species eDNA detections
Adam Sepulveda, Christine Dumoulin, David Smith
eDNA technology allows non-invasive research on polar bears in Alaska
Andrew Von Duyke, Jennifer Adams, Justin Crawford, Micaela Hellström, Elisabeth Kruger, Melanie Lancaster, Lori Quakenbush, Lisette Waits
eDNA applications for improving sage-grouse management: detecting nest predators from eggshells after depredation events
Nolan Helmstetter, Courtney Conway, Shane Roberts, Paul Makela, Jennifer Adams, Stacey Nerkowski, Lisette Waits
Using vertebrate metabarcoding to inform a nationwide wetland monitoring program
Marissa Kaminski, Yer Lor, Stephen Spear, Black Hossack, Erin Muths, Tariq Tajjoui, Adam Backlin, Jamie Barichivich, Adrianne Brand, Robert Fisher, Jill Fleming, Brad Glorioso, Evan Grant, Daniel Grear, Brian Halstead, Patrick Kleeman, Brome McCreary, Jennifer Rowe, Charles Schafer, Hardin Waddle, Megan Winzeler, Michael Adams
Deposition and degradation of bee eDNA on flowers
David Pilliod, Jonathan Koch, Yer Lor, Matthew Laramie, Stephen Spear
eDNA detection of an endangered nectar-feeding bat from agave flowers
Daniel Sanchez, Faith Walker, Jacqueline Lyman, Emma Froehlich, Emma Federman, Meagan Owens, Kristen Lear
Identification of critical herptofauna wetland habitat using eDNA metabarcoding
Olivia Ruppert, John Robinson, Jared Homola, Jennifer Moore, Yu Man Lee, Kim Scribner
Environmental RNA for enhanced biodiversity management: how to handle current challenges
Subba Rao Chaganti
Applying an isothermal DNA amplification approach to facilitate rapid at-site eDNA detection
Stephen Spear, Matthew Hoogland
Discovering the aerobiome
Alwyn Tan, Angela Bosco-Lauth
Characterizing soil and leaf microbial communities of big sagebrush for restoration
Molly Garrett, Lukas Grossfurthner, Paul Hohenlohe, Lisette Waits, Jennifer Forbey, Leonora Bittleston