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ND Press: Salamander secrets to be studied

wes_von_papineäu

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MINOT DAILY NEWS (N Dakota) 26 July 07 Salamander secrets to be studied (Kim Fundingsland)
Wolford: Sometimes you need to dig a hole to find out what’s going on up above.
At least that’s the theory behind a research project that got under way this week at a small wetland near Wolford High School. If all goes as planned, tiger salamanders will give researchers a unique glimpse at the environment in which we live.
Under the direction of Ken Cabarle, Minot State University biology department research assistant, and Bill Langer, Wolford High School science teacher, several Wolford students helped with the construction of an amphibian drift fence. The fence consists of a fabric barrier inserted into a narrow trench adjacent to a wetland. Catch buckets will be placed at regular intervals along either side of the fence in the hope of capturing tiger salamanders.
“Salamanders are a big part of the ecosystem in North Dakota,” says Cabarle. “They are very unique. Tiger salamanders are just cool. What happens to amphibians is indicative of what happens to the environment.”
According to Cabarle, salamanders captured at the Wolford site will be studied, tagged and released. It is hoped that information will be gained regarding migration movement, population numbers and how salamanders respond to different environmental factors. For example, salamanders may hold the key to unseen pollution.
“A big thing in the lab right now is researching the effect of heavy metals in the environment so we can know whether the environment is in a good state or a bad state,” stated Cabarle. “And that has a direct relation to human health problems.”
Much of the bio-monitoring effort will be conducted by Wolford High School students. That’s one of the reasons Langer considers the salamander project an excellent learning opportunity.
“These kids like to be involved,” says Langer. “It’s a small school, so they have to get involved for things to happen and they are really good that way. We’ll be collecting data and getting it down to Minot State.”
Wolford’s school is one of several small schools in the state trying to avoid closure.
Fifty students are expected to enroll in kindergarten through 12th grade this fall. Eight of the students will be seniors.
“That’s a really big class,” remarked Larry Savada, superintendent.
Savada was helping out with the building of the salamander fence on Wednesday and had the school open so that lunch could be served in the small cafeteria. He was excited about the project and the impact it will have on Wolford students.
“I think it’s one of the most unique learning opportunities that kids are going to have over a large area,” said Savada. “It’s just fantastic for our students and our community.”
Current funding for the salamander research project is in place through 2009. Cabarle is hopeful that the project will last for several years beyond that. If the salamanders reveal some environmental secrets, a long-term study is likely.
One of the tiger salamander’s most closely guarded secrets is the mystery of its ability to remain in the water or choose to live on land. In the water, tiger salamanders display external gills that allow them to become fully aquatic. In their aquatic stage they are sometimes referred to as “mud puppies.” They can also become a land amphibian, absorbing their external gills in the process
“Nobody knows why,” said Cabarle. “Why have these organisms retained this environmental choice? That’s a big question from the science aspect of it. People have been trying to figure out how that mechanism works for years. It is genetic? Is it environmental? Nobody knows.”
Cabarle says he may tackle that question as part of doctoral research at the University of North Dakota. If so, the data gathered by science students at tiny Wolford High School may play a large role in unlocking one of nature’s best-kept secrets.

http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=13037
 

John

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Interesting piece but I'm not crazy about the sweeping statement in quotes at the end:
"Nobody knows why,” said Cabarle. “Why have these organisms retained this environmental choice? That’s a big question from the science aspect of it. People have been trying to figure out how that mechanism works for years. It is genetic? Is it environmental? Nobody knows."
 
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