MOSS LANDING — Landowners in the Monterey Bay area could help scientists learn more about the elusive and highly endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamander by lending researchers their backyards.

Scientists aim to find out where the salamander makes its home and how many reside in wetlands around Monterey, Moss Landing, Watsonville, Aptos and Santa Cruz. The effort is part of a multi-year research project led by the Elkhorn Slough Preserve, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington State University.

“If we could better understand the distribution of the salamander – and perhaps find new breeding sites that we didn’t know about – it would help with long-term conservation and the creation of habitat networks and corridors across landscape,” said Kerstin, research coordinator at Elkhorn Slough. Wasson.

The extremely rare salamander breeds in just two dozen freshwater ponds around the Elkhorn Slough area, according to Wasson. But scientists suspect there are more sites around Monterey Bay where the salamander lives. Ponds on homeowners’ land may be a missing piece of the puzzle.

Wasson and the Rare Amphibian Detection In California — or RADICAL — team also monitor California’s endangered red-legged frog and tiger salamander. But the long-toed salamander, which is a federally and state-listed endangered species, is particularly vulnerable due to its narrow habitat and sensitivity to drought.

“Fresh water in California is such a scarce resource for humans, animals, plants…it is precious to all of us and limited. We share with the salamanders who need to improve freshwater resources” , Wasson said.

The group plans to sample 200 ponds – a huge increase from the 70 sites the researchers surveyed in 2021, which did not include residential properties. Interested residents are invited to attend a virtual presentation on how they could join the community science effort, which will take place on Saturday.

California has lost over 90% of its wetland habitat over the past century, and approximately 50% of wetlands have been lost in Elkhorn Slough. This is mainly the result of coastal development and agricultural activities. Wasson, who is leading the research effort, said almost all of the fresh water in the swamp – which naturally needs a mix of fresh and salt water – has disappeared over the years, due to overexploitation of groundwater and agriculture. Any remaining habitat used by the Long-toed Salamander is essential.

Starting in 2021, scientists expanded the research project, incorporating water sampling and analysis of eDNA, or environmental DNA. Wasson said that while traditional depletion methods have proven successful, eDNA sampling is even more accurate. Further analysis will take place at Washington State University.

“The eDNA was pretty foolproof in detecting the three species we’re looking for…it also found them in some ponds where we didn’t find them in traditional surveys,” Wasson said.

The team hopes that residents of the Monterey Bay area will contribute to the search effort. Although some may have concerns due to the endangered status of the species, the RADICAL team will not include names or geographic coordinates in analyses, presentations, articles or databases. The data will only be used for large-scale conservation planning, according to Wasson.

One of the hopes of this work is that scientists can implement low-cost interventions that give species like the long-toed salamander a better chance of withstanding the impacts of climate change. Wasson said that could include creating artificial ponds that are strategically placed “stepping stones” between larger ponds, which can be miles apart and mean an arduous journey for the endangered amphibian.

“By working together, we can protect our landscapes and our species,” Wasson said.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO

What: Saving endangered amphibians — a community science story.

When: 1:30 p.m. on February 5.

Where: To register for the Zoom event, visit form.jotform.com/213496915953064