Imagine a pristine Minnesota wetland, buzzing with life—the familiar chorus of spring peepers and the occasional flash of a bright-spotted salamander. Now, imagine a silent, unseen threat capable of wiping out these delicate populations. This is the reality facing amphibians worldwide, a crisis driven in part by a group of deadly pathogens known as chytrid fungi.

The most immediate concern is Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which is already present in North America and continues to drive declines. However, an even bigger threat is looming: Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). While Bsal hasn't yet been detected in North America, its potential impact is catastrophic. First identified in Europe after causing mass die-offs of salamanders, experimental studies show that many of our native species are highly susceptible. For species like the Eastern Newt—a charming, olive-colored amphibian found at the western edge of its range in Minnesota—infection with Bsal can be lethal.

This new fungal threat requires a proactive, prevention-first approach. To ensure Minnesota is ready, a multi-institutional research effort led by Amy Kinsley, assistant professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), secured a new round of funding: $200,000 from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) through the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center.

Sentinels of the wetlands

The project involves a blend of boots-on-the-ground fieldwork and advanced data modeling. In its initial phase (also funded by the LCCMR), Kinsley and her collaborator, Jen Lamb, associate professor of biology at St. Cloud State University, built the essential groundwork for a coordinated effort. 

This included creating the Minnesota Student Network for Amphibian Pathogen Surveillance (MN SNAPS), through which they recruited partners across the state, including the Dodge Nature Center, the Lake Superior Zoo, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and dozens more.  These partner groups, along with researchers from Kinsley and Lamb’s labs, go out into Minnesota’s wetlands to gather samples that provide crucial baseline data on the health of the amphibians they find. Since 2024, they have collected over 400 samples to be tested for both Bd and Bsal.

Over the summer, researchers from Kinsley’s lab were out sampling two to three times a month in southern Minnesota at locations like Elm Creek Park Reserve, Battle Creek Regional Park, and Hyland Park.  Meanwhile, Lamb's lab focused on sampling state parks and forests in central Minnesota. Both groups worked closely with local officials to home in on locations most likely to be bustling with frog and salamander activity. Once amphibians are located, field teams carefully catch them, use a simple swab to collect a non-harmful skin sample, and release them unharmed. 

From park maps to risk maps

This careful collection is what fuels the entire defense system, providing surveillance and early warning of any trouble brewing in the marshes and bogs that amphibians call home. The data provided by the samples gives scientists a way to track the movement of pathogens and build a clear picture of what’s happening in our aquatic ecosystems.

Surveillance results, even when they come back negative, are vital. The team uses these non-detections to refine sophisticated statistical models that estimate the true likelihood of Bsal being absent in a given area. This process effectively reduces the uncertainty around the threat. By accounting for factors like the probability of detection and incorporating the data from the past two years, the researchers can create dynamic risk maps that clearly illustrate where resources—and, critically, the state's official response plans—should be focused.

Continental data, local education

The work of the Minnesota-based partners that Kinsley coordinates is integrated with a larger North American SNAPS program, with support from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wildlife Health Center, which processes all of the samples and enters the results into the international Amphibian Disease Portal. This means that data collected by Minnesota volunteers and researchers also contributes to a continental and global surveillance effort.

In an effort to make the portal more accessible to students, educators, and volunteers, Lamb's lab is developing an open-source app that pulls and organizes data from the portal. This new user-friendly app will help educators participating in SNAPS incorporate more data management and analysis with real-life datasets into their spaces.  The app is expected to be publicly available in summer 2026.

In addition to surveillance, the project serves as a living laboratory, building conservation awareness and training the next generation of researchers and wildlife managers to address amphibian disease threats. Lamb’s lab is working to develop educational tools that will be available to anyone through open-source learning modules and materials, allowing teachers and nature centers to modify the content to meet their needs. Some of these materials include short educational videos, including a guide for volunteers on how to clean gear between sites (a critical biosecurity step).

The road to rapid response

The new LCCMR funding will fuel a multi-faceted expansion of this work. The team will continue to work on expanding the MN SNAPS network, engaging students, volunteers, and even reaching out to new high-risk groups like retail pet stores and breeders. In addition, they will incorporate the use of cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance. This involves testing water samples from wetlands to detect the presence of fungal pathogens and elusive species of amphibians they can impact.  Environmental DNA is a powerful tool for tracking species and threats in hard-to-survey habitats.

Researchers will use this expanded data collection to refine their risk model, which will in turn inform the development of a detailed, rapid-response framework for Bsal. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and other stakeholders, they will walk through different response scenarios—such as detection in a busy, high-trafficked lake versus in a remote wild area. The team is dedicated to ensuring that if Bsal arrives, resource managers know exactly how to set priorities and navigate the trade-offs that guide containment strategies. Their efforts fill a crucial gap, taking broad national guidance and adapting it to Minnesota’s unique local context.

"This work is really about planning and preparedness,” Kinsley says. “When students, volunteers, and agency partners contribute to surveillance and planning efforts, we can turn local observations into statewide protection strategies. That collective effort strengthens Minnesota’s ability to protect not just amphibians, but the broader biodiversity and ecosystem health they support if Bsal ever arrives."

The ultimate success of this project won't be measured in samples collected, but in the unseen impact of preparedness. The team's deep dive into planning alongside state and national partners is helping to build an invisible shield around Minnesota’s aquatic life. By uniting high-tech modeling with the dedication of students and community members, this effort ensures that a vital piece of Minnesota's natural heritage will be safeguarded for future generations.