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Informing Standardized Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Population Monitoring: Influences Of Sampling Approach And Turtle Behavior On Model Estimation, Allyson N. Beard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To better understand wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) population trends, two standardized population survey protocols were recently developed for use by state monitoring programs. The protocols were independently developed, tested, and deployed for population monitoring in the eastern and upper midwestern United States. It was unknown if the sampling designs result in similar detection success or if data from the two protocols are compatible for broad-scale analyses. Additionally, neither monitoring protocol includes a sampling design that allows for the separation of detection (p) into availability (p_a), and detection given availability (p_d). …

Comparing The Prevalence Of Stereotypic Behaviors And Enrichment Use In Rhesus (Macaca Mulatta) And Japanese Macaques (M. Fuscata), Jesscia Oscavich

All Master's Theses

To improve captive nonhuman primates’ welfare, particularly those utilized in biomedical and behavioral research, it’s important to understand their behavior. Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Japanese macaques (M. fuscata) are two closely related species that are commonly utilized in biomedical and behavioral research. In this study, I compared the frequency of stereotypic behaviors, which are abnormal repetitive behaviors that are apparently non-functional, and enrichment use among four groups of each species. Stereotypic behaviors were divided into motor, which the animal performed while active, and self-directed stereotypies, which the animal performed towards themselves. Enrichment use was divided into …

Long Term Trends In Mortality Rates Of A Smallmouth Bass Population, Caleb D. Anderson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu are known as a popular sport fish for anglers. When a known smallmouth bass fishery appears to have a dwindling population, it raises questions about the population health. A common indicator of the health of the population is the mortality rate. By comparing mortality, conclusions can be made on whether smallmouth bass are dying at a different rate in the system over time. Therefore, the objective of this study was to see if there had been a significant change in smallmouth bass mortality over a span of thirty years in Round Lake (DOW:010204), Aitkin County, Minnesota. …

Relationship Between Northern Pike And Walleye Cpue In Minnesota Lakes, Simon Oslund

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Northern pike Esox lucius and walleye Sander vitreus are both top predators in freshwater systems. Due to their predatorial nature, high populations of one species can prohibit populations of the other species from thriving, specifically northern pike foraging on walleye. This information is tracked by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources through catch per unit effort (CPUE). CPUE data was gathered for all lakes in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and a regression analysis was done to test for a relationship between pike and walleye. It was found that the relationship between northern pike and walleye CPUE was significant (P = 0.02). …

The Effects Of Length, Weight, Age, And Gender On Mercury Concentrations In Burbot In North-Central Minnesota Lakes, Liam Hanley

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Burbot Lota lota in north-central Minnesota lakes have the potential to reach large sizes and consume large volumes of prey. This caveat may make burbot susceptible to higher rates of biocontamination, bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The objective of this study was to determine how changes in age, length, gender, weight, and lake affect total mercury concentrations in burbot. In this experiment 28 burbot were angled from three lakes: Cass (n = 17), Winnibigoshish (n = 4), and Bad Medicine (n = 7). Then tissue samples were taken from each fish and were lyophilized and homogenized. Homogenized tissue samples were analyzed by …

Relationship Between Fishing Hours And Number Of Fish Harvested From Upper Red Lake, Dylan Ohlenkamp

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Total hours fishermen spend fishing and total amount of fish harvested per year are some of the most important pieces of knowledge gained from creel surveys. They provide crucial information that assesses fisheries mortality and pressure. MN DNR uses their results from creel surveys to improve or impose regulations, and to maintain healthy fisheries. Based on results from similar studies, there is expected to be a positive relationship between hours fished and fish harvested. To determine the relationship between these two variables on Upper Red Lake, data from two years were selected when the variables were at their highest and …

A Guide To Otoliths Of Minnesota Fishes, Baylor J. Short

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Investigations into the diet patterns of piscivores can provide crucial information on predator-prey relationships, population dynamics, and responses to changing ecosystems. However, digestive processes often remove or alter physical characteristics that are traditionally used to identify consumed fish. This problem has been addressed to some degree with advances in molecular technologies, although these methods can be costly and require specific training and equipment to do so. In contrast, bony structures such as otoliths, vertebrae, cleithra, and others frequently have morphologies that are unique among families, genera, and species. Because these structures are resistant to digestion, they can be used to …

The Effect Of Triaenophorus Crassus On The Condition Of Coregonus Artedi, Alexander Surma

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Cisco Coregonus artedi is, historically, the largest commercial fishery in the Great Lakes. The species is also important to commercial and recreational fisheries in inland lakes. Tapeworm Triaenophorus crassus larvae embed themselves into the flesh of Ciscoes, rendering the fish unmarketable to humans. Triaenophorus crassus is common in inland waters such as Leech Lake and Cass Lake, MN. One Canadian researcher has suggested that the parasite negatively affects the growth and weight of Ciscoes. Poor condition can reduce fecundity, leading to lower recruitment rates. This would mean a detrimental impact on not only individual fish, but the health of …

Treatment With The Immunocontraceptive Vaccine, Gonacon, Induces Temporary Fertility Control In Free-Ranging Prairie Dog Populations In Colorado, Usa, Aaron B. Shiels, Jackson Runte, Emily W. Ruell, Douglas C. Eckery, Gary W. Witmer, Daniel J. Salkeld

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context

Prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) are rodents enjoyed by some humans; yet, they cause crop and property damage, and carry zoonotic disease. Non-lethal control of prairie dogs is of interest in urban/suburban settings. The injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine GonaCon (active ingredient is gonadotropin-releasing hormone [GnRH]) has been shown to be effective at reducing fertility in equine and deer, and is a US EPA-registered vaccine for use in these ungulate species.

Aims

To conduct a replicated field study to test efficacy of GonaCon in black-tailed prairie dogs (C. ludovicianus), and if found to be efficacious, to help facilitate …

Comparison Of Ketamine-Xylazine, Butorphanol-Azaperone-Medetomidine, And Nalbuphine-Medetomidine-Azaperone For Raccoon (Procyon Lotor) Immobilization, Shylo R. Johnson, Christine K. Ellis, Chad Wickham, Molly R. Selleck, Amy T. Gilbert

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are frequently handled using chemical immobilization in North America for management and research. In a controlled environment, we compared three drug combinations: ketamine-xylazine (KX), butorphanol-azaperone-medetomidine (BAM), and nalbuphinemedetomidine- azaperone (NalMed-A) for raccoon immobilization. In crossover comparisons, raccoons received a mean of the following: 8.66 mg/kg ketamine and 1.74 mg/kg xylazine (0.104 mL/kg KX); 0.464 mg/kg butorphanol, 0.155 mg/kg azaperone, and 0.185 mg/kg medetomidine (0.017 mL/kg BAM); and 0.800 mg/kg nalbuphine, 0.200 mg/kg azaperone, and 0.200 mg/kg medetomidine (0.020 mL/kg NalMed-A). Induction time was shortest with KX (mean6SE, 10.060.7 min) and longest with NalMed-A (13.061.3 min). …

Using Prescribed Fire And Biosolids Applications As Grassland Management Tools: Do Wildlife Respond?, Brian E. Washburn, Michael J. Begier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Prescribed burning is a management tool commonly used in forested ecosystems in the southeastern United States, but the influence of this method on grassland vegetation and wildlife in this geographic region is unknown. During 2009–2015, we conducted a study to determine if the application of prescribed burning and/or long-term biosolid applications alter plant communities and/or wildlife use of grassland areas at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Havelock, North Carolina. We monitored vegetation growth, measured plant community composition, and documented wildlife activity in four study plots for 3 years after the implementation of annual winter prescribed burns. Prescribed burning reduced …

Potential Landscape Connectivity For Invasive Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) Across The Northern Prairies Of North America, Corey J. Kramer, Melanie R. Boudreau, Ryan Powers, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Ryan S. Miller, Ryan K. Brook

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding landscape scale connectivity is an essential component in the management of invasive species since connectivity facilitates their invasion potential. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the most prolific invaders on the planet, causing billions of dollars in agricultural and environmental damage annually. Newly introduced to Canada in the 1980s, we examined wild pig invasion potential across the northern prairies from western Canada into the currently wild pig-free northern U.S. states. We used GPS collar data collected in the Canadian prairies to quantify resource selection and incorporated results into an electric circuit theory framework to evaluate potential …

Rapid Point-Of-Care Testing For Detection Of Antibodies To Toxoplasma Gondii In Black Vultures And Ring-Billed Gulls From Pennsylvania, Alexa Rosypal Von Dohlen, Sydney Randall, Jordyan Grays, Mark A. Dugo, Brian J. Hunt, Justin Brown, Kyle Van Why, Sawsan Ammar, Richard Gerhold

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, including birds. Scavenging birds are epidemiologically important hosts because they can serve as indicators of environmental T. gondii levels. A rapid point-of-care (POC) test that detects antibodies to T. gondii in humans is commercially available. In this research, we assessed the ability of the human POC test to detect anti–T. gondii antibodies in 106 black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and 23 ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) from Pennsylvania, USA. Serum samples were tested with the POC test and compared to the modified …

Low Secondary Risks For Turkey Vultures From A Sodium Nitrite Toxic Bait For Wild Pigs, Justin A. Foster, John C. Kinsey, Michael J. Lavelle, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Nathan P. Snow

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An acute and orally‐delivered toxic bait for wild pigs (Sus scrofa) containing sodium nitrite (SN) is being developed and tested for potential registration in the U.S. We evaluated oral toxicity of SN and risk of secondary consumption in a common avian scavenger, the turkey vulture (Carthartes aura), by 1) conducting an acute oral toxicity test (LD₅₀) for turkey vultures by oral gavage, and 2) allowing turkey vultures to feed on whole carcasses and digestive tracts of wild pigs that died from consuming SN‐laden bait. Captive tests were conducted during fall 2016 and spring 2017 in the …

A Method For Characterizing Disease Emergence Curves From Paired Pathogen Detection And Serology Data, Joshua Hewitt, Grete Wilson-Henjum, Derek T. Collins, Jourdan M. Ringenberg, Christopher A. Quintanal, Robert Pleszewski, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Thomas J. Deliberto, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Wildlife disease surveillance programs and research studies track infection and identify risk factors for wild populations, humans and agriculture. Often, several types of samples are collected from individuals to provide more complete information about an animal's infection history. Methods that jointly analyse multiple data streams to study disease emergence and drivers of infection via epidemiological process models remain underdeveloped. Joint-analysis methods can more thoroughly analyse all available data, more precisely quantifying epidemic processes, outbreak status, and risks.

2. We contribute a paired data modelling approach that analyses multiple samples from individuals. We use ‘characterization maps’ to link paired data …

Torque Teno Sus Virus 1: A Potential Surrogate Pathogen To Study Pig-Transmitted Transboundary Animal Diseases, Xiaolong Li, Brandon M. Parker, Raoul K. Boughton, James C. Beasley, Timothy J. Smyser, James D. Austin, Kim M. Pepin, Ryan S. Miller, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Samantha M. Wisely

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) among wild pigs (Sus scrofa) will aid in preventing the introduction or containment of TADs among wild populations. Given the challenges associated with studying TADs in free-ranging populations, a surrogate pathogen system may predict how pathogens may circulate and be maintained within wild free-ranging swine populations, how they may spill over into domestic populations, and how management actions may impact transmission. We assessed the suitability of Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1) to serve as a surrogate pathogen for molecular epidemiological studies in wild pigs by investigating …

Common Grackle (Quiscalus Quiscula) Predation Of A Great Lakes Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) Nest And Its Conservation Implications, Jade R. Arneson, Dennis A. Peloquin, Thomas G. Prestby, Sarah P. Saunders

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) was observed consuming eggs from an exclosed (protected) Great Lakes piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nest in the lower bay of Green Bay, Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, USA during June 2023. The observation, captured by a trail camera, is the first photographic documentation of grackle predation in any of the three piping plover breeding populations. This behavior adds common grackle to the suite of egg predators and has critical implications for this shorebird species, particularly in the Great Lakes region where piping plover is listed as federally endangered and common grackles are relatively …

Quantifying The Ecological Effects Of Salix Fragilis On Riparian Habitat In Kittitas County, Washington, Landon Shaffer

All Master's Theses

Invasive species threaten plant community structure and function globally. Riparian areas, the zone near streams where water influences vegetation, are especially sensitive to invasive species colonization, suffering large-scale shifts in community composition. Salix fragilis (crack willow) is a nonnative riparian species abundant in the lower elevation tributaries of central Washington. Some speculate whether this willow should be listed as invasive in Washington, despite a lack of regional supporting evidence. I studied riparian communities dominated by either S. fragilis or native species in the Kittitas Valley and measured biodiversity, quantified differences in solar attenuation, and compared leaf decomposition rates to learn …

A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbial symbioses are ubiquitous across all kingdoms of life with broad and diverse impacts on the evolution of species. The sum of all microbes living in, on, or otherwise in close association with a host form the microbiota. In some cases, the development of a stable microbial association seems to have been necessary for the specialization of diet, as can be observed in numerous insect species, especially wood-eating, sap-feeding, and blood-feeding organisms. For the medically and economically tsetse fly (family Glossinidae), the mutualistic bacteria Wigglesworthia glossinidia is required for proper reproduction and supplementation of nutrients that the fly does not …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover, editorial staff, and journal information.

Impacts Of Wildlife–Vehicle Collisions Create Cascade Effects, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 2.

Spatial Predictors Of Human–Black Bear Interactions In Nova Scotia, Canada, Jason I. Airst, Tricia B. Fleming

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The increased global frequency of human–wildlife conflict with large, wild carnivores and omnivores negatively impacts human, wildlife, and ecosystem health. The goal of this study was to determine what landscape characteristics best predicted where human–black bear (Ursus americanus) interactions occurred in Nova Scotia, Canada, to support management efforts. We compared the location of 3,278 human–bear conflict reports and 867 non-conflict reports collected between 2017 and 2021 to 12,000 randomly generated locations. Data were analyzed using logistic additive mixed models. We found that interactions (conflict and non-conflict reports) occurred near roads and farther from forests and surface water features. …

New Associate Editors, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

New associate editors include Neil Jordan and Allen Rutberg.

Waterbird-Perceived Damage, Control Measures, And Economic Implications For Rice Production In The Brazilian Cerrado, Demetrio Luis Guadagnin, Alexandre Afonso Meyer, João Augusto Rossi Borges, Fernanda Maia Justo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Waterbirds have the potential to inflict economic damage to crops. However, is rice (Oryza sativa) production in the Brazilian Cerrado significantly affected by waterbirds? This study aimed to assess the extent of waterbird damage on irrigated rice production in Central Brazil. We conducted surveys of waterbird populations in rice agroecosystem habitats throughout the cultivation cycle and analyzed the expenses associated with waterbird-induced yield losses and the control measures employed by farmers. The 2 most prevalent waterbird species observed were Dendrocygna viduatta and D. autumnalis, comprising 68.6% of all recorded waterbirds. These species were more frequently encountered and …

The Effect Of Light Intensity On Wolf Spider Foraging, Julia Amoroso

Scripps Senior Theses

Light is of primary importance to most living organisms and most of the Earth’s natural processes. However, with rapidly expanding urbanization, humans have substantially impacted light metrics through the increase of artificial light. Artificial light pollution has been found to have a variety of behavioral and physiological effects on different organisms. However, less is understood about how light impacts community-scale interactions between different trophic levels. Here, we examined the influence of light exposure on nocturnal wolf spider (Schizocosa myccooki) foraging and interaction with red runner cockroach prey (Blatta lateralis). Of equal interest as the study …

Pcb Remediation In Transitional Floodplain Forests Along The Housatonic River, Soleil Laurin

Scripps Senior Theses

Human development affects natural environments in more ways than climate change, from the introduction of nonnative species and deforestation to pollution and urbanization. This is a case study examining the effects of PCB remediation on transitional floodplain forest along the Housatonic River in Western Massachusetts. The Housatonic River had previously been contaminated with PCBs and portions had been remediated. This study aims to determine the effects this remediation had on transitional floodplain forests, as well as provide a preliminary biodiversity assessment for sites that are planned to be remediated of PCBs by the Environmental Protection Agency. The study was carried …

Migration-Associated Variation In Blood Parasitism, Body Condition, And Stress In Gambel’S White-Crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia Leucophrys Gambelii), Julianna Deibel

Scripps Senior Theses

Migration is a widespread behavior in animals which both causes and is motivated by fluctuations in nutrient availability. Migration is ecologically important, as it connects areas of differing primary productivities and carries pathogens over distance. The relationship between migration and disease is complex, sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, and influenced by ecological cycles as well as host, vector and parasite life cycles. Four central migration-infection mechanisms have been proposed: migratory susceptibility, migratory exposure, migratory escape, and migratory culling. These mechanisms may yield increased or decreased infection post-migration, based on migration’s physiological tax and the concentration of pathogens along migratory pathways.

To …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 07: Biostatistics For Parasitologists: A Painless Introduction [Parascript Approaches], Jenő Reiczigel, Marco Marozzi, Fábián Ibolya, Lajos Rózsa

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Covers biostatistics for parasitologists and includes discussion of taking samples, frequency distribution of host individuals across infection classes, sample size, prevalence, mean intesity, median intensity, stochasic equality of intensities, abundance, crowding, levels of aggregation, parasite sex ratio, parasite species richness, interactions between parasite species, and the tool Quantitative Parasitology on the Web (QPweb).

Chapter 7 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on biostatistics for parasitologists by Jenő Reiczigel, Marco Marozzi, Fábián Ibolya, and Lajos Rózsa. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap007

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 58: Acanthocephala Rudolphi, 1808 (Phylum), Scott Monks

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the phylum Acanthocephala Rudolphi, 1808, also called the thorny-headed or spiny-headed worms, including discussion of their general morphology, life cycles, classification, and phylogenetic relationships.

Chapter 58 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, by Scott Monks. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap058

Bibliography, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Charles H. Smith.