Wendy Renz

Background

I am an M.S./Ph.D. graduate student in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) at UC Berkeley. The expected completion date for my Ph.D. is May 2009. I received my B.A. from UC Berkeley in Molecular and Cell Biology. After completing my B.A., I gained valuable work experience directly related to my proposed dissertation research in the areas of water quality, vernal pool ecology, and fairy shrimp and macroinvertebrate identification and monitoring. I held positions as a wet-chemist at the Washington Aqueduct Water Quality Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and as a biologist at Vollmar Consulting, a small environmental consulting firm specializing in surveys, monitoring, creation and mitigation of vernal pools in Northern and Central California.

Below I have outlined three of the projects I would like to pursue for my dissertation research.

Project 1: Fairy Shrimp Population Genetics

The first project was started by another graduate student in my lab, Raphael Mazor. The goal of this project was to characterize the genetic variation and population structure of two fairy shrimp species endemic to California: Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), endangered, and California fairy shrimp (Linderiella occidentalis), widespread with no current listing status. Mr. Mazor collected limited fairy shrimp samples (>25/site) in compliance with his ESA permit issued in 2002, prior to my arrival at UC Berkeley. Together we sequenced the mtDNA COI region during my first year at UC Berkeley (2005-2006). We found high levels of genetic diversity in both species; signatures of declining populations for B. conservatio; and fixed genetic differences among populations for L. occidentalis.

I would like to continue this research project on my own over the next two years by: 1) sampling each species over its full extant range in as many vernal pool complexes as possible throughout California; and 2) using a more variable, faster evolving genetic marker (e.g. microsatellites) to look at finer scale patterns of gene flow. This information will be important for conservation and management of these endangered and non-endangered fairy shrimp species, including design of vernal pool preserves that seek to enhance genetic diversity and support sufficient effective population sizes

Project 2: Fairy Shrimp Cyst Hatching

The second project is independent research that I would conduct on the 160 acre Caltrans Mitigation Bank in Madera County, California. The goal of this large-scale project is to determine what factors are critical for fairy shrimp cyst hatching. The site has three species: vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), listed as threatened; California fairy shrimp (Linderiella occidentalis), a wide-spread California endemic with no current listing status; and Mid-valley fairy shrimp (Branchinecta mesovallensis), a narrow endemic with no current listing status. I would conduct this research by both field monitoring and tightly controlled laboratory hatching experiments using soils harvested from the pools on the site (in compliance with current USFWS dry soil sampling protocols). This research will further our understanding of basic fairy shrimp cyst biology, and could be used by consultants and other managers involved in vernal pool restoration and mitigation to ensure the success of these efforts.

Project 3: Vernal Pool Beetle Life History and Population Genetics

The third project is a life history of a vernal pool beetle, Apteraliplus parvulus (Haliplidae: Coleoptera), and study of its genetic diversity and population structure. I would conduct this research at Jepson (part of the UC Reserve System), Stanford (a public open space on the campus), and more sites still to be determined. The goal of this project is to understand the basic biology and requirements of a little known, little studied vernal pool organism while determining its current population genetic status for future conservation and management. Due to a paucity of published studies (or museum samples), I suspect it is rare and may require listing once a thorough survey has been conducted.

Contact Information

Wendy Renz
University of California, Berkeley
Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
137 Mulford Hall Berkeley, CA 94720-3114
Phone: 510.642.5913
Fax: 510.642.7428
wrenz@nature.berkeley.edu