Julia Sonn
My interests are in reptile and amphibian conservation and fungal pathogen dynamics. Recently, my research has focused on the relationship between fungal pathogens and temperature in vivo. My current projects examine the influence of latitudinal and seasonal patterns of temperature on chytridiomycosis infection prevalence and intensity in live hosts. My dissertation research includes two laboratory experiments in which I studied how ecologically relevant constant and fluctuating temperatures affect survival, zoospore load, and infection prevalence in live cricket frogs (Acris crepitans). In addition to these lab studies, I also conducted a field study where I surveyed frogs in three different states, every two months, for four years to examine how Bd infection prevalence and intensity are affected by seasonal, latitudinal, and annual variation. The final part of my dissertation includes a predictive model that uses the data gathered from my field and lab studies in conjunction with weather data in ArcGIS to predict amphibian survival and infection load in cricket frogs in the United States.