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Effects Of Age At Feedlot Entry On Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Beef Qualitytraits Of Holstein Friesian Bulls Reared In High Altitude Of Eastern Turkey, Veysel Fati̇h Özdemi̇r, Mete Yanar

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of different initial fattening ages on the fattening performance, carcass features, and meat quality traits of Holstein Friesian bulls. A total of 24 Holstein-Friesian intact males were used in the study. The bulls were allocated to the initial fattening age groups named as Young Group (8-10 months old) (YG), Middle Aged Group (12-14 months old) (MAG) and Older Group (15-17 months old) (OG) and then placed in the feedlot based on three age groups at feedlot entry. The data that has normal distribution were analysed by using the LSMM in …

Seroprevalence Of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus, Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 And Bovineherpesvirus Type 4 Infections In Cattle In Ağrı Province, Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, Mustafa Si̇nan Aktaş, Hasan Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This research was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV), Bovine Herpes Virus 1 (BoHV-1), and Bovine Herpes Virus 4 (BoHV-4) in cattle (n = 188) in Ağrı province of Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey. The presence of BVDV, BoHV-1, and BoHV-4 antibodies in sera samples were determined by an ELISA test kit. It was determined that the highest seropositivity for BoHV-1 in Tutak disrict (9.9%), in ≤ 3 years age groups (3.39%), and in Simmental cattle (14.28%); for BoHV-4 in Doğubeyazıt disrict (4.16%), %), in ≤ 3 years age groups (1.70%), and in Simmental cross …

Determination Of Mucopolysaccharidosis Iiid In Some Goat Breeds, Yasemi̇n Gedi̇k, Orhan Kavuncu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIID (MPS IIID) or Sanfilippo D syndrome is an inherited lysosomal storage disease and caused by a deficiency of the N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase activity, which involves in the catabolism of heparan sulfate. In addition to humans, canine, feline and murine, goats have been reported as possessing this lysosomal storage disease. The molecular defect in the MPS IIID goat has been previously identified. It has been observed that a molecular base for this defect is a nonsense mutation at nucleotide 322 (C→T) results in the change of the arginine codon to a stop codon. This mutation is not only to be related …

Effect Of Clinical Doses Of Buserelin On In Vivo Bovine Uterine Activity At Estrus, Halef Doğan, Muhterem Aydin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

For successful fertilization, a transfer system named "rapid sperm transport" generated by uterine contractions plays a crucial role. The purpose of this in vivo study was to investigate the effect of buserelin, a GnRH agonist widely used for ovulation induction after mating or artificial insemination, on bovine uterine contractility which supports rapid sperm transport at estrus. In vivo uterine contractile activity was measured by intrauterine pressure recording technique. In the study, the spontaneous uterine contractile activities of 28 cows at estrus were observed for 30 min. The cows were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups which have 7 cows each …

Identification Of Allelic Variants, Differential Expression, And In Silico Analysis Of Caprineserum Lysozyme Gene, Narendra Kumar Nagpal, Pushpendra Kumar, Chinmoy Mishra, Tushar Jyotiranjan, Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Bharat Bhushan, Arjava Sharma

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Serum lysozyme gene empowers the immune system due to its bacteriolytic property targeting peptidoglycan layer of cell wall. Polymorphs of serum lysozyme gene are reported to be significantly associated with disease resistance traits. Two different gene fragments viz. fragment I (275 bp) and fragment II (230 bp) of serum lysozyme gene were amplified and screened by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) technique to identify genetic variation in two different goat breeds (Barbari and Marwari) of India. The serum lysozyme activity of different genotypes and mRNA expression across the breed was also estimated. In fragment I, four genotypes (AA, …

Genetic Relationships Of Thrace And Yığılca Honey Bee Populations Based Onmicrosatellite Structure, Meral Kekeçoğlu, Emel Özkan Ünal, Mehmet İhsan Soysal

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Thrace and Yığılca honey bees, two important honey bee ecotypes in apicultural activity of Turkey, are the subject of genetic conservation effort. In this study, the genetic structure and diversity of honey bee populations from Thrace and Yığılca were investigated using 27 microsatellites. Except Kırklareli and Yığılca (Fst: 0.14), it was observed lower genetic divergence between the populations based on the value of pairwise Fst. Although Thrace populations (Edirne, Tekirdağ and Kırklareli) were not fully separated from each other, Yığılca population was significantly separated from Kırklareli and separated slightly from the rest of other populations. The calculated gene diversity of …

Comparison Of Performance Parameters, Stress, And Immunity Levels Of Native Andcommercial Layers Reared In Different Cage Densities In Turkey, Uğur Özentürk, Ahmet Yildiz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, production performance, stress, and immunity levels of native Turkish and imported commercial laying hens were investigated in two different cage densities. In the trial, a total of 06 groups were formed by using two different cage densities (312.50 and 468.75 cm$^{2}$/hen) on each of 03 different laying hen hybrids of Isa Brown (IB), Atak-S (A-S) and Novogen White (NW). The trial was carried out with 09 replicates in each group having 10 birds per replicate making 540 birds in total. Water and feed were provided as ad libitum. It was found that the native hybrid showed lower …

Ram Sexual Preferences And Estrous Behavior Expression In Ewes With Differentreproductive Status, Juan González Maldonado, Gustavo Ramírez Valverde, Raymundo Rodríguez De Lara, Jaime Gallegos Sánchez, Javier Antillón Ruiz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The hypothesis was that the level of sexual experience and reproductive status of ewes affect the time that rams dedicate to courtship. Ewes (n = 40) were separated into four groups according to their reproductive status: maiden, empty, under continuous and restricted suckling ewes. Rams (n = 8) were separated into four groups according to their sexual experience: experienced-I and -II and inexperienced-I and -II. Each group of ewes was exposed at the same time to a different group of rams at 10-12 h intervals for 22 days, an injection of prostaglandin was given to ewes at the end of …

Recognize Fish As Food In Policy Discourse And Development Funding, Abigail Bennett, Xavier Basurto, John Virdin, Xinyan Lin, Samantha J. Betances, Martin D. Smith, Edward H. Allison, Barbara A. Best, Kelly D. Brownell, Lisa M. Campbell, Christopher D. Golden, Elizabeth Havice, Christina C. Hicks, Peter J. Jacques, Kristin Kleisner, Niels Lindquist, Rafaella Lobo, Grant D. Grant, Michelle B. Nowlin, Pawan G. Patil, Douglas N. Rader, Stephen E. Roady, Shakuntala H. Thilsted, Sarah Zoubek

Faculty Scholarship

The international development community is off-track from meeting targets for alleviating global malnutrition. Meanwhile, there is growing consensus across scientific disciplines that fish plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, this ‘fish as food’ perspective has yet to translate into policy and development funding priorities. We argue that the traditional framing of fish as a natural resource emphasizes economic development and biodiversity conservation objectives, whereas situating fish within a food systems perspective can lead to innovative policies and investments that promote nutrition-sensitive and socially equitable capture fisheries and aquaculture. This paper highlights four pillars of research needs …

A Reintroduction Retrospective: Comparative Fisher (Pekania Pennanti) Survival And Prey Habitat Use In The Cascade Mountains Of Washington State, Tanner S.T. Humphries

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Increasing human impacts on biodiversity highlight the global need for ecological restoration. For many wildlife species, reintroduction is necessary to re-establish populations in parts of their historic range where they have been extirpated. Reintroduction efforts are commonly used to help restore ecosystem integrity, but are often expensive, time consuming, and unsuccessful at generating self-sustaining populations. Thus, a more complete understanding of the factors affecting restoration success is important for ensuring successful outcomes and responsible stewardship. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are one of the most commonly reintroduced carnivores in North America, but the success of such efforts is highly variable, …

The Tijeras Pueblo (La 581) Archaeofaunal Project, Emily Lena Jones, Scott Kirk, Caitlin S. Ainsworth, Asia Alsgaard, Jana Valesca Meyer, Cyler Conrad

Anthropology Datasets

These files contain data generated by the Tijeras Pueblo (LA 581) Archaeofaunal Project, a project of the University of New Mexico Department of Anthropology Zooarchaeology Laboratory between 2011 and the present. This project has been supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1732622 and by a grant from the Research Allocations Committee of the University of New Mexico.

These data are the basis of the analyses presented in the following publication:

Jones, Emily Lena, Scott Kirk, Caitlin S. Ainsworth, Asia Alsgaard, Jana Valesca Meyer, and Cyler Conrad. 2021. The Community at the Crossroads: Artiodactyl Exploitation and …

Do Beaver Dam Analogues Act As Passage Barriers To Juvenile Coho Salmon And Juvenile Steelhead Trout?, Christopher G. O'Keefe

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In the Pacific Northwest, the human-caused reduction of quality and quantity of freshwater rearing habitat is a limiting factor for Pacific Salmon populations. Beaver dam analogues (BDAs) increase suitable rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids and promote the restoration of critical stream processes. Installing BDAs is an increasingly popular alternative to more intensive restoration techniques, due to the relatively low cost and effort required to install BDA structures. However, widespread installation of BDAs has been slowed by regulatory agencies’ concerns that BDAs may impede fish passage. Few studies have empirically assessed the extent to which BDAs impede fish passage, and no …

Evaluating The Effects Of Atlantic Menhaden Management And Environmental Change On The Northwest Atlantic Ocean Ecosystem, Maxwell T. Grezlik

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) is an abundant forage fish species whose management has recently shifted from using single species reference points to ecological reference points. This type of management allows for the ecological role (e.g., supporting predators) of the species to be considered when making management decisions, and is part of a growing global movement towards ecosystem-based fisheries management. One model that aided in this transition from single species to ecological reference points was the Northwest Atlantic Continental Shelf (NWACS13) model created using Ecopath with Ecosim (Buchheister et al. 2017). Here, I updated and expanded the NWACS13 model …

24andmore: Using Genome-Wide Snps To Investigate The Genetic Diversity Of Iowa Walleye (Sander Vitreous) Broodstock, Rachel Ann Mcdonnell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The stocking of Sander vitreus in Iowa waterbodies is one of the primary tools used by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to ensure healthy populations for enjoyable fishing experiences. A substantial amount of time and money goes into this effort, so stocking efficiency is vital. Knowledge of genetic diversity contained in the broodstock increases this efficiency by having a better understanding of which strain will survive and contribute to the fishery in certain environments. The objective of this study is to investigate the genetic diversity of Iowa S. vitreus broodstock to identify genetic ancestry and quantify the genetic …

รอยสึกบนฟันกรามของสัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยนมในวงศ์ย่อย Caprinae จากสมัยไพลสโตซีนและปัจจุบันของประเทศไทย, จักรีทิพย์ อิศรางกูร ณ อยุธยา

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยนมในวงศ์ย่อย Caprinae สามชนิด ได้แก่ เลียงผาใต้ (Capricornis sumatraensis) กวางผาจีน (Naemorhedus griseus) และกวางผาหิมาลัย (Naemorhedus goral) ปรากฎหลักฐานการกระจายตัวในประเทศไทยสมัยไพลสโตซีน อย่างไรก็ตาม ปัจจุบันกวางผาหิมาลัยได้สูญพันธุ์ไปจากประเทศไทยแล้ว เพื่อบ่งบอกนิเวศวิทยที่เปลี่ยนแปลงไปในอดีตจนถึงปัจจุบันของสัตว์กลุ่มนี้ รอยสึกบนฟันกรามจึงถูกนำมาใช้เพื่อการศึกษาอาหาร รููปแบบการกินอาหาร และนิเวศวิทยาบรรพกาลของสัตว์ในวงศ์ย่อย Caprinae ผู้วิจัยศึกษาตัวอย่างจาก 4 แหล่งขุดค้นซากดึกดำบรรพ์ในประเทศไทย ที่มีอายุระหว่างสมัยไพลสโตซีนตอนกลางถึงตอนปลาย ได้แก่ ถ้ำผาบ่อง, บ้านโคกสูง, ถ้ำวิมานนาคินทร์ และเพิงผาถ้ำลอด รวมไปถึงตัวอย่างปัจจุบันจากพิพิธภัณฑ์และเขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าทั้งหมด 10 แห่ง โดยเก็บข้อมูลค่าดัชนีความสูงตัวฟัน (hypsodonty index: HI), รอยสึกระดับ mesowear I และ II, และรอยสึกระดับ microwear จากฟันกราม ผลการศึกษาพบว่า รอยสึกระดับ mesowear และค่า HI บ่งชี้ว่าเลียงผาและกวางผาทั้งในปัจจุบันและไพลสโตซีนกินใบไม้และหญ้า โดยเลียงผาใต้มีแนวโน้มการกินใบไม้มากกว่าชนิดอื่น ผลการศึกษารอยสึกระดับ microwear จากทั้งตัวอย่างปัจจุบันและไพลสโตซีนพบว่า เลียงผาใต้กินใบไม้อ่อนนุ่ม ขณะที่กวางผาจีนและกวางผาหิมาลัยกินใบไม้และหญ้าที่มีความแข็ง เมื่อพิจารณาผลการศึกษาที่ได้ร่วมกับค่าไอโซโทปเสถียรของธาตุคาร์บอนจากงานวิจัยก่อนหน้า อาจกล่าวได้ว่า เลียงผาใต้ในสมัยไพลสโตซีนกินใบไม้อ่อนนุ่มทั้งประเภท C3, C3/C4, และ C4 อยู่อาศัยได้ทั้งป่าทึบและทุ่งหญ้า กวางผาจีนในสมัยไพลสโตซีนกินใบไม้และหญ้าประเภท C4 ที่มีความแข็ง อาศัยในทุ่งหญ้าเปิด สำหรับกวางผาหิมาลัยในสมัยไพลสโตซีนกินใบไม้และหญ้าประเภท C4 หรือ C3/C4 และอาศัยในทุ่งหญ้าเปิด ผลการศึกษาสามารถสรุปแนวโน้มการเปลี่ยนแปลงนิเวศวิทยาของสายพันธุ์เลียงผาและกวางผาได้ว่า เลียงผาและกวางผาสมัยไพลสโตซีนอาศัยในทุ่งหญ้าเปิดมากกว่าประชากรในปัจจุบัน ซึ่งอาจเป็นผลจากการเปลี่ยนแปลงของสภาพแวดล้อมจากอดีตจนถึงปัจจุบัน และการรุกรานของมนุษย์ตั้งแต่สมัยไพลสโตซีนที่ส่งผลให้จำนวนประชากรลดลง

ความหลากหลายทางพันธุกรรมของยีนสร้างโปรตีน Pfs25 ของเชื้อมาลาเรีย Plasmodium Falciparum ในประเทศไทย, พรปวีณ์ สุขพงษ์ไทย

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Pfs25 เป็นโปรตีนที่พบได้บนเยื่อหุ้มเซลล์ของเชื้อมาลาเรีย Plasmodium falciparum ในระยะ sexual stage และเป็นหนึ่งในแอนติเจนของวัคซีนสำหรับป้องกันการติดต่อของโรคมาลาเรียชนิด transmission blocking vaccine (TBV) วัคซีนชนิดนี้สร้างจากแอนติเจน Pfs25 ของเชื้อมาลาเรีย P. falciparum สายพันธุ์ 3D7 และได้รับการพัฒนาอย่างต่อเนื่องจนถึงขั้นตอนทดสอบทางคลินิก อย่างไรก็ดี การศึกษาความหลากหลายของยีน Pfs25 ในประชากร P. falciparum ในธรรมชาติทั้งในประเทศไทยและพื้นที่อื่น ๆ มีอยู่อย่างจำกัด ดังนั้น วิทยานิพนธ์เรื่องนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาความหลากหลายทางพันธุกรรมของยีน Pfs25 ของ P. falciparum ในประเทศไทยและพื้นที่อื่น ๆ ทั่วโลก ตัวอย่างประกอบด้วยลำดับนิวคลีโอไทด์ของ Pfs25 ของ P. falciparum ในประเทศไทยจำนวน 83 ตัวอย่าง และข้อมูลจากฐานข้อมูล GenBank และ PlasmoDB จำนวน 224 ตัวอย่าง ซึ่งการศึกษานี้ได้รวบรวมและสร้างฐานข้อมูลนิวคลีโอไทด์ขึ้นเป็นครั้งแรก ทำการศึกษาความหลากหลายด้วยการวิเคราะห์ทาง พันธุศาสตร์ประชากร ผลการศึกษาพบว่า Pfs25 ในประชากรเชื้อมาลาเรีย P. falciparum ทั่วโลกมีจำนวน 11 haplotype ในจำนวนนี้ พบในประเทศไทยจำนวน 7 haplotype (H) โดย H2 เป็น haplotype ที่พบมากที่สุดในประชากรเชื้อมาลาเรียในทวีปเอเชีย ส่วน H1 พบมากที่สุดในประชากรในทวีปแอฟริกาและทวีปอเมริกากลางและอเมริกาใต้ การวิเคราะห์ด้วย Fst แสดงให้เห็นว่า การกระจายของ haplotype ทั้งหมดแตกต่างกันตามแต่ละทวีป แสดงว่า เชื้อมาลาเรีย P. falciparum แบ่งออกเป็น 3 ประชากรย่อย ๆ ตามพื้นที่ คือ ประชากรในทวีปเอเชีย ทวีปแอฟริกา และทวีปอเมริกากลางและอเมริกาใต้ นอกจากนี้ เมื่อวิเคราะห์ความสัมพันธ์ของ haplotype ด้วย …

Effects Of Sacubitril/Valsartan On Cardiac Function, Mitochondrial Quality And Autophagy In A Rat Model With Chronic Mitral Regurgitation, Lalida Tantisuwat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Sacubitril/Valsartan (S/V), an angiotensin receptor blocker-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi), has demonstrated beneficial outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. However, the effects of the drug in mitral regurgitation (MR) condition are not thoroughly elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of S/V compared with valsartan (Val) on cardiac function, mitochondrial quality and autophagy in a rat model with chronic MR. MR was induced in male, Sprague-Dawley, rats (n=24), while the other 6 rats underwent sham surgery. Four weeks post-surgery, the MR rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: MR (n=8), Val (n=7), and S/V (n=8); one rat was …

Extending Animal Welfare Science To Include Wild Animals, Walter Veit, Heather Browning

Animal Sentience

Ng’s (2016) target article built on his earlier work advocating a science of welfare biology (Ng 1995). Although there were problems with the models proposed in Ng’s original paper regarding the balance of pleasure and suffering for wild animals, his call for a science of wild animal welfare was a sound one. This does not require a new discipline but just an extension of the existing frameworks and methods of animal welfare science to include wild animals.

The Urinary Proteomic Analysis And The Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms In Dogs With Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis, Sumonwan Chamsuwan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) urolithiasis is one of the most common stone components which frequently occurs in both humans and dogs. Hypercalciuria is one of the predisposing factors commonly found in both people and dogs with calcium urolithiasis. The genetic factors are also involved with the pathogenesis of stone formation, and the relationship between calcium handling and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms has been demonstrated to be related to calcium urolithiasis in human populations. Moreover, some urinary proteins may be involved in the process of stone formation. The present study aimed firstly to evaluate the relationship between VDR polymorphism in dog …

The Effect Of Low Dietary Cation–Anion Difference (Dcad) On Urine Acidification And Acid–Base Balance In Dairy Goats Under Tropical Condition, Dang Khoa Do Nguyen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Global warming is characterized by high ambient temperature (HTa). The negative effects of HTa in tropical condition have been well elucidated in dairy goats. The effect of high dietary cation-anion difference (H-DCAD) has been partially elucidated on dairy goats under tropical condition. However, there is scarce information about the low DCAD (L-DCAD) effect on dairy goats under tropical condition. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the potential effect of low DCAD on alleviating HTa effect, urine acidification, and acid-base balance in dairy goats under tropical condition. In total, twelve lactating Saanen goats (n=12) were enrolled and divided into a …

Spatial Transferability Of Expert Opinion Models For American Beaver Habitat, Isidro Barela, Leslie M. Burger, Guiming Wang, Kristine O. Evans, Qingmin Meng, Jimmy D. Taylor

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Species distribution models and habitat suitability models (HSMs) have become a popular tool in the conservation of biodiversity. However, the ability to predict species spatial distributions at sites beyond the data source sites (i.e., spatial transferability) is critical for the applications of HSMs in the management and conservation of rare or endangered species. The main objective of our study was to assess the predictive performance and spatial transferability of expert opinion models (EOMs). To build EOMs, we identified through extensive literature reviews 17 key landscape variables to characterize habitat use by American beaver (Castor canadensis). We developed 31 pairwise opinion …

Evidence For Continental-Scale Dispersal Of Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria By Landfill-Foraging Gulls, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Mariëlle L. Van Toor, Hanna Woksepp, Jeffrey C. Chandler, John A. Reed, Andrew B. Reeves, Jonas Waldenström, Alan B. Franklin, David C. Douglas, Jonas Bonnedahl, Andrew M. Ramey

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Anthropogenic inputs into the environment may serve as sources of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and alter the ecology and population dynamics of synanthropic wild animals by providing supplemental forage. In this study, we used a combination of phenotypic and genomic approaches to characterize antimicrobial resistant indicator bacteria, animal telemetry to describe host movement patterns, and a novel modeling approach to combine information fromthese diverse data streams to investigate the acquisition and long-distance dispersal of antimicrobial resistant bacteria by landfill-foraging gulls. Our results provide evidence that gulls acquire antimicrobial resistant bacteria from anthropogenic sources, which they may subsequently disperse across and between …

Evaluating Potential Effects Of Solar Power Facilities On Wildlife From An Animal Behavior Perspective, Rachel Y. Chock, Barbara Clucas, Elizabeth K. Peterson, Bradley Blackwell, Daniel T. Blumstein, Kathleen Church, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Gabriel Francescoli, Alison L. Greggor, Paul Kemp, Gabriela M. Pinho, Peter M. Sanzenbacher, Bruce A. Schulte, Pauline Toni

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Solar power is a renewable energy source with great potential to help meet increasing global energy demands and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. However, research is scarce on how solar facilities affect wildlife. With input from professionals in ecology, conservation, and energy, we conducted a research-prioritization process and identified key questions needed to better understand impacts of solar facilities on wildlife. We focused on animal behavior, which can be used to identify population responses before mortality or other fitness consequences are documented. Behavioral studies can also offer approaches to understand the mechanisms leading to negative interactions (e.g., collision, singeing, …

Multi-Level Movement Response Of Invasive Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) To Removal, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Peter E. Schlichting, David A. Keiter, Joshua B. Smith, John C. Kilgo, George Wittemyer, Kurt C. Vercauteren, James C. Beasley, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Lethal removal of invasive species, such as wild pigs (Sus scrofa), is often the most efficient approach for reducing their negative impacts. Wild pigs are one of the most widespread and destructive invasive mammals in the USA. Lethal management techniques are a key approach for wild pigs and can alter wild pig spatial behavior, but it is unclear how wild pigs respond to the most common removal technique, trapping.We investigated the spatial behavior of wild pigs following intensive removal of conspecifics via trapping at three sites within the Savannah River Site, SC, USA. We evaluated changes in …

Food Habits Of Wintering Double-Crested Cormorants In The Mississippi Delta, Terrel W. Christie, Brian S. Dorr, J. Brian Davis, Luke A. Roy, Carole R. Engle, Katie Hanson-Dorr, Anita M. Kelly

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Given its ubiquity, it is not surprising that agriculture, including fin fish aquaculture, contributes to food webs worldwide and is used by numerous wildlife for foraging and meeting other needs. Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) impact United States commercial aquaculture and are considered the primary avian predator in catfish (Ictalurus spp.) aquaculture facilities in the Mississippi Delta. Recent changes in aquaculture practices, regulatory policies, and decreased overall hectares in production prompted this study that assessed cormorant consumption of catfish in relation to their night roosts through surveys and diet analysis. Cormorants were collected from night roosts from October …

Principal Economic Effects Of Cormorant Predation On Catfish Farms, Carole R. Engle, Terrel W. Christie, Brian S. Dorr, Ganesh Kumar, Luke A. Roy, Anita M. Kelly

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Substantial economic losses of farmed catfish to fish-eating birds such as the double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, continue to be reported on U.S. catfish farms. An economic analysis was conducted of the on-farm effects of both the increased expenditures to scare fish-eating birds from catfish farms and of the value of the catfish that were consumed by cormorants. A survey was conducted of U.S. catfish farmers in the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas, to obtain farm-level data on expenditures to scare birds. Estimations of the lost revenue from catfish consumed by cormorants were developed from a concurrent study on …

Environmental Correlates Of Genetic Variation In The Invasive European Starling In North America, Natalie R. Hofmeister, Scott J. Werner, Irby J. Lovette

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Populations of invasive species that colonize and spread in novel environments may differentiate both through demographic processes and local selection. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were introduced to New York in 1890 and subsequently spread throughout North America, becoming one of the most widespread and numerous bird species on the continent. Genome-wide comparisons across starling individuals and populations can identify demographic and/or selective factors that facilitated this rapid and successful expansion. We investigated patterns of genomic diversity and differentiation using reduced-representation genome sequencing of 17 winter-season sampling sites. Consistent with this species' high dispersal rate and rapid expansion history, …

Continental-Scale Dynamics Of Avian Influenza In U.S. Waterfowl Are Driven By Demography, Migration, And Temperature, Erin E. Gorsich, Colleen T. Webb, Andrew A. Merton, Jennifer A. Hoeting, Ryan S. Miller, Matthew Farnsworth, Seth R. Swafford, Thomas J. Deliberto, Kerri Pedersen, Alan B. Franklin, Robert G. Mclean, Kenneth R. Wilson, Paul Doherty

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Emerging diseases of wildlife origin are increasingly spilling over into humans and domestic animals. Surveillance and risk assessments for transmission between these populations are informed by a mechanistic understanding of the pathogens in wildlife reservoirs. For avian influenza viruses (AIV), much observational and experimental work in wildlife has been conducted at local scales, yet fully understanding their spread and distribution requires assessing the mechanisms acting at both local, (e.g., intrinsic epidemic dynamics), and continental scales, (e.g., long-distance migration). Here, we combined a large, continental-scale data set on low pathogenic, Type A AIV in the United States with a novel network-based …

Embracing Dynamic Models For Gene Drive Management, Andrew J. Golnar, Emily W. Ruell, Alun L. Lloyd, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Robust methods of predicting how gene drive systems will interact with ecosystems is essential for safe deployment of gene drive technology. We describe how quantitative tools can reduce risk uncertainty, streamline empirical research, guide risk management, and promote cross-sector collaboration throughout the process of gene drive technology development and implementation.

Gene drive technologies, although diverse in design and mode of action, are molecular architectures that promote the transmission of genetic information between generations. In theory, the release of one gene-drive-modified organism (GDMO) has the potential to irreversibly alter species, ecosystems, and environmental processes at a global scale (although in practice …

Temporal And Spatial Blood Feeding Patterns Of Urban Mosquitoes In The San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico, Matthew W. Hopken, Limarie J. Reyes-Torres, Nicole Scavo, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Zaid Abdo, Daniel Taylor, James Pierce, Donald A. Yee

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Simple Summary: Understanding the biodiversity of urban ecosystems is critical for management of invasive and pest species, conserving native species, and disease control. Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are ubiquitous and abundant in urban ecosystems, and rely on blood meals taken from vertebrates. We used DNA from freshly blood-fed mosquitoes to characterize the diversity of vertebrate host species in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico. We collected two mosquito species that fed on a variety of vertebrates. Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 17 avian taxa (81.2% of blood meals), seven mammalian taxa (17.9%), and one reptilian taxon (0.85%). Aedes aegypti blood meals were …