Wetland Coffee Break: Dilution is NOT the solution to pollution

by | Apr 22, 2024 | News, Wetland Coffee Break

A photo of presenter Jessica Hua and two frogs.

Dilution is NOT the solution to pollution: How amphibians, parasites, and you can help us understand the complex effects of pollutants on wildlife

Tune in to this Wetland Coffee Break to learn about research being done in Dr. Jessica Hua’s lab at UW-Madison on unexpected negative (and positive) ways that “low” levels of pollutants (road salt, antibiotics, and pesticides) can affect amphibians and other wildlife. Dr. Hua will also describe how art and children’s books can be used to engage community members in citizen science that aims to protect amphibians, currently regarded as the most threatened vertebrate on Earth.

Jessica Hua, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at UW-Madison

Recorded April 19, 2024

Dr. Jessica Hua is an associate professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at UW-Madison. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology and kinesiology at Southwestern University in 2008 and her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh in ecology and evolution in 2014. In 2014, she moved to Purdue University to study disease ecology as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2015, she moved to SUNY Binghamton where she was an assistant and associate professor and where she served as the Director for the Center for Watershed Studies until she moved to UW-Madison in 2022.

Register for upcoming Wetland Coffee Break presentations or watch previous recordings.

Related content

Wetland Coffee Break: Amphibians and reptiles of Wisconsin

Dr. Joshua Kapfer is co-author of the volume “Amphibian and Reptiles of Wisconsin,” assembled by an expert team of editors and contributors. This book consolidates the current state of scientific knowledge and aims to expand public knowledge and appreciation of Wisconsin’s natural legacy. Learn more about the information in this new book and hear stories about some of the amphibians and reptiles it describes.

How do frogs survive late spring snows?

Many might wonder if Wisconsin’s native frogs are hard hit by late snowfall. Fortunately, frogs have several adaptations for over-wintering.

Realizing a landscape of healthy, plentiful wetlands

For lasting wetland conservation, where Wisconsin’s wetlands are healthy, plentiful, and support the ecological and societal needs of our communities, we need to put healthy wetlands back on the landscape.