Memorial Award Recipient - Amber Truter-Meyer

Congratulations to Amber Truter-Meyer, one of three successful recipients of the Memorial Award this year.

Identification of Aspergillus fumigatus abundance and proportions in Tongariro National Park for the prevention of native species loss.

Amber Meyer - PhD candidate

Auckland University of Technology

The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is the primary cause of aspergillosis, a life-threatening respiratory disease which has been identified as a management concern in many of our endangered avifauna, such as hihi (Notiomystis cincta), brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) and kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus). To date, there is no information available on the abundance and distribution of this avian pathogen in the Tongariro National Park. Tongariro soil samples from nesting and geothermal areas, and along an altitudinal gradient will be compared to conservation sites where aspergillosis is a known management concern. This information will help identify pathogen ‘hotspots’ and inform decision making around management of endangered avifauna within the park. With global climate change, A. fumigatus habitat is projected to expand leading to increased proliferation in soil and air. Gaining an understanding of the local soil microbiome and its associated levels of A. fumigatus will help us understand the role climate change plays in the proliferation of this pathogen and support wildlife managers to mitigate this emerging infectious disease in our endangered avifauna moving forward. 

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THE PROJECT TONGARIRO MEMORIAL AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SOCIETY IN MEMORY OF KEITH MAURICE BLUMHARDT, WILLIAM EDWARD COOPER, DOUGLAS NEAL MCKENZIE, DEREK IAN WHITE AND MARIE PAULINE WILLIAMS, WHO DIED ON MT RUAPEHU WHILE TESTING HELICOPTER RESCUE EQUIPMENT ON 9 DECEMBER 1982.

The award is open to any applicant for study—for fauna, flora, geology, volcanology, meteorology, natural and human history of Tongariro National Park and World Heritage Site.