Back in November, it was that time of year again where your favourite herpetologists from around the country (and further afield) descend on the seaside town of Bournemouth. For most of you, I suspect that this generally marks the start of the Christmas countdown, making you panic about the gift shopping you are yet to complete, or relax at the thought of the family you will soon be spending time with. For us herpetologists though, it is the timing of the annual Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust – British Herpetological Society Join Scientific Meeting (JSM). For the uninitiated, this is a one-day conference held every year in Bournemouth with a diverse range of attendees. It isn’t just full of white-bearded boffins (I mean, I attend) but instead is the perfect blend of amphibian and reptile enthusiasts of all abilities and backgrounds, making the JSM a wonderful event to attend each year. I have been going for over a decade now and it is always great to see some old friends but even better to make new ones too.

This year, like last year, there were six talks but thankfully unlike last year, there were no electrical issues! All of the six speakers were of such high quality and very engaging, and despite the fact I was among them, I do not feel my talk stood out as the best. Ben Owens of Bangor University spoke on the genomic assessment of sand lizards in Wales has focused on understanding levels of genetic diversity, population structure, and inbreeding within their fragmented habitats. Using techniques such whole-genome sequencing, researchers such as Ben studying the sand lizard have found that Welsh populations show reduced heterozygosity compared to larger, more continuous populations elsewhere in the UK and mainland Europe. In Wales, these lizards are largely confined to coastal dune systems, including areas such as Morfa Harlech National Nature Reserve, where suitable sandy heathland habitat remains. Genomic data indicate limited gene flow between sites, suggesting that populations are functioning as small, semi-isolated units rather than as part of a well-connected metapopulation. This restricted genetic exchange reduces adaptive potential and increases the likelihood that deleterious mutations will accumulate over time. Their geographic and ecological isolation makes them particularly vulnerable to environmental change and stochastic events.

My talk was second (we’ll come back to that), the following speaker was Dr Shaleen Attre, from the University of Kent. I am fortunate enough to have known Shaleen whilst she was at Kent for her Master’s, she also started her PhD towards the end of my own there and it has been amazing to watch her flourish as a researcher despite the challenges undertaking such an ambitious project throws at you. Shaleen’s research focuses on human–snake conflict in Goa, which itself is shaped by the region’s tropical climate, dense vegetation, and rapid urban expansion. As forests, paddy fields, and laterite plateaus are converted into housing and tourism infrastructure, snakes are increasingly encountered in gardens, construction sites, and village homes. Common medically significant species in the region include the Indian cobra and the Russell’s viper, both of which can cause serious envenomation. Most bites occur when people attempt to kill or handle snakes, or when they step on them unknowingly in fields or poorly lit areas. However, despite the number of bites there are few deaths compared to other areas on India. One of the main reasons for this is that Goa has an active network of trained snake rescuers who relocate snakes rather than kill them, reflecting growing public awareness and conservation ethics. Education campaigns emphasise that most snakes are non-venomous and play a vital ecological role in controlling rodent populations. Residents are also more likely to seek medical attention instead of faith-healers when they are bitten by snakes, which further helps to reduce deaths.

The next speaker was Jim Foster from the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust on how research evidence informs amphibian and reptile conservation, and what the gaps are in a UK context. Long-term monitoring programmes have generated robust datasets on population trends, habitat associations, and threats. For example, evidence on the habitat specificity and dispersal limits of the sand lizard and the natterjack toad has directly informed targeted dune and heathland restoration, scrub control, and the creation of early-successional habitat mosaics. Similarly, studies of great crested newt occupancy modelling and environmental DNA (eDNA) detection have transformed development mitigation under UK planning frameworks, allowing more strategic, landscape-scale approaches rather than site-by-site reactive protection. Climate modelling is also beginning to guide adaptive management, identifying areas likely to remain climatically suitable under future warming scenarios. Despite these advances, significant knowledge gaps remain. For several widespread but declining species (such as the common toad) drivers of long-term population change are still poorly resolved, with interacting pressures from road mortality, agricultural intensification, disease, and climate variability difficult to disentangle. There is limited genomic data for many UK reptile populations, constraining understanding of connectivity, inbreeding risk, and adaptive capacity in fragmented landscapes. The impacts of emerging pathogens, microplastic contamination, and pesticide mixtures on sublethal fitness effects are also under-studied. As you can probably tell, there are still many questions left to be answered.

It is always nice to have the occasional talk on a tropical ecosystem for a bit of variety and Melissa Morrisson from Queen’s University Belfast, provided this. Anthropogenic disturbance in the Chaco habitats of Ñeembucú Department is reshaping species composition through land conversion, hydrological alteration, and infrastructure expansion. Although Ñeembucú lies within the Humid Chaco rather than the drier western Chaco, it shares key ecological characteristics (seasonally flooded savannas, palm groves, gallery forests, and grass-dominated wetlands) that are highly sensitive to cattle ranching, drainage schemes, and road construction. Clearing native vegetation for pasture simplifies structural complexity, reducing canopy cover and leaf-litter depth while increasing edge effects. This tends to favour generalist and disturbance-tolerant species, including some open-habitat birds and amphibians, while forest specialists and species dependent on stable microclimates decline. Altered fire regimes and the replacement of native grasses with exotic forage species further homogenise habitats, leading to biotic simplification across the landscape. Hydrological modification is particularly influential in Ñeembucú, where seasonal flooding patterns structure community dynamics. Drainage channels and embankments disrupt natural inundation cycles, affecting breeding sites for amphibians and foraging areas for reptiles and wetland birds. Species adapted to ephemeral pools or mosaic flood regimes may decline when water availability becomes either too permanent or too unpredictable. Fragmentation also isolates populations within remnant forest patches, limiting dispersal and gene flow, which can reduce resilience to climate variability and disease. Unfortunately, the future for these species are uncertain.

The final speaker was a special treat, given by Dr Rikki Gumbs the coordinator of the EDGE of Existence programme, led by Zoological Society of London (ZSL). This is a global conservation initiative that prioritises species which are both Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE). By combining phylogenetic data with IUCN Red List status, the programme identifies species that represent a disproportionate amount of unique evolutionary history, species that, if lost, would erase entire branches of the tree of life. This framework has been especially influential for amphibians and reptiles, groups that contain many highly distinct lineages yet receive comparatively limited conservation funding. Through its fellowship model, EDGE supports early-career conservationists in biodiversity-rich countries to lead locally grounded projects, building in-country expertise while addressing urgent threats facing priority species. For amphibians and reptiles, the EDGE approach has helped redirect attention and resources toward overlooked taxa, including rare caecilians, island endemics, and evolutionarily isolated reptiles that previously lacked dedicated conservation action. Fellows have implemented field surveys to clarify species distributions, established community-based protection schemes, and initiated habitat restoration and awareness campaigns tailored to local contexts. In many cases, EDGE-funded projects have generated the first robust ecological or population data for target species, strengthening their case for national protection or international funding. Gumbs’ talk focussed on the successes of the EDGE Fellows and where the programme is aiming to go next.

Okay, now back to my talk which was on the origins of midwife toads. I had previously presented a talk at the JSM back in 2018 on this topic when we first started this project, so it was nice to have that continuity now we are coming to the end of it. The evidence is very clear, midwife toads in Great Britain originate from deliberate human introductions rather than natural postglacial colonisation. There are many populations found around England and Wales, with the furthest north the toads being present are in Whitby. Genetic and historical evidence supports the view that British populations stem from a limited number of founder events, which has implications for their genetic diversity and long-term viability. Nevertheless, some populations have persisted for decades, demonstrating the species’ ability to survive in suitable microhabitats such as quarries, garden ponds, and sheltered urban environments. Our evidence suggests a mixed source of midwife toads, with most populations being identical to the Bedford population which is the original source of introduction to Great Britain. I’ll share more on this topic when the results are published. With the future in mind, hopefully I’ll see you at the JSM later in 2026 when I am hoping I’ll have some students that are happy to present some of their research.

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