UC Merced Connect: Researchers ID new tortoise species

Professor Danielle Edwards is part of a team of researchers that made a huge discovery recently about two groups of giant Galapagos tortoises – they are actually two different species.

Edwards conducted much of the population genetics analyses – using repeat fingerprinting markers similar to those used in forensic research – that let the team distinguish between the closely related species.

Edwards, a new professor with the School of Natural Sciences, analyzed genetic data from old skeletons and a bit of tortoise bone from the British Museum, because it is illegal to take live specimens from the endangered tortoises.

“Ancient DNA work is very intensive,” she said. “It took a while just to get the sample from the British Museum, and longer to do the work.”

On Santa Cruz Island in the center of the Galapagos Archipelago, there are two populations of giant tortoises – one on the west side of the island in an area known as La Reserva and one on the lower eastern slopes near a hill named Cerro Fatal.

Until now, it was assumed these groups belonged to the same species, even though they didn’t really intermingle. But the international research group, led by Yale University and including Edwards, has now clearly identified these two populations as the Western Santa Cruz Tortoise (Chelonoidis porteri) and the newly named Eastern Santa Cruz Tortoise (Chelonoidis donfaustoi).

“Now that it has been described, the Galapagos National Park can start conservation measures, especially for breeding,” Edwards said. “They are very successful with captive breeding, and are also very good at incorporating cutting-edge genetic research into their conservation management strategies.”

New class of global food fellows selected

The University of California has selected its second class of Global Food Initiative fellows – including three students from UC Merced – who will work on projects ranging from food access to policy and waste.

The 44 fellows, representing all 10 UC campuses plus UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will help advance the systemwide initiative, which aims to put UC, the state and the world on a pathway to sustainably and nutritiously feed themselves.

The $4,000 fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students will fund student-generated research, projects or internships that support the initiative’s efforts to address food security, health and sustainability.

UC Merced’s student fellows and their projects are: Isabella Beltran, campus community garden and solar irrigation system; Hoaithi Dang, increasing student awareness and participation in the GFI; and Andrew Zumkehr, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through local sourcing of food.

As the campus’s ambassador and a second-time fellow, Dang is working to increase students’ awareness of and participation in the GFI by coordinating efforts like social media, tabling and events. Dang has been instrumental in organizing the campus’s inaugural EcoFest on Thursday. .

“I hope to leverage my role and draw on students’ perspectives to open a dialogue with other UC campuses about issues such as food scarcity and healthy living,” Dang said.

Dang hopes to inspire others to take action.

“We need more trailblazers paving the way, and at UC Merced this seems to be a common thread,” he said.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 3:10 PM with the headline "UC Merced Connect: Researchers ID new tortoise species."