Digital Commons Network^™

The Earliest House Sparrow Introductions To North America, Michael P. Moulton, Wendell P. Cropper Jr., Michael L. Avery, Linda E. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several authors have argued that three separate introductions of roughly 100 individuals were required initially to establish the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in the Brooklyn, New York area. We argue that these claims are in error and that the actual record suggests that it is likely the initial introduction of just 16 birds in 1851 was all that was required to establish the species in New York. We further suggest that a similar level of scrutiny of historical records will reveal more examples of misinterpretations and errors, casting doubt on the validity of studies that claim propagule pressure …

Test Of Localized Management For Reducing Deer Browsing In Forest Regeneration Areas, Brad F. Miller, Tyler A. Campbell, Ben Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsing in forest regeneration sites can affect current and future stand structure and species composition. Removal of deer social units (localized management) has been proposed as a strategy to alleviate deer overbrowsing in forest systems. We conducted an experimental localized removal in a high-density deer population in the central Appalachians of West Virginia, USA, during winter 2002. We removed 51 deer within a 1.1-km² area that encompassed 2 forest regeneration sites (14 ha). During the summer following removal, we detected decreases in distance from the removal area in 8 of 30 (26.7%) adult …

The Versatility Of Graded Acoustic Measures In Classification Of Predation Threats By The Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus Bicolor: Exploring A Mixed Framework For Threat Communication, Kathryn E. Sieving, Stacia A. Hetrick, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many mammal and bird species respond to predator encounters with alarm vocalizations that generate risk-appropriate responses in listeners. Two conceptual frameworks are typically applied to the information encoded in alarm calls and to associated anti-predator behaviors. ‘Functionally referential’ alarm systems encode nominal classes or categories of risk in distinct call types that refer to distinct predation-risk situations. ‘Risk-based’ alarms encode graded or ranked threat-levels by varying the production patterns of the same call types as the urgency of predation threat changes. Recent work suggests that viewing alarm-response interactions as either referential or risk-based may oversimplify how animals use information in …

Potential Attractants For Detecting And Removing Invading Gambian Giant Pouched Rats (Cricetomys Gambianus), Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Patrick Burke

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Native to Africa, Gambian giant pouched rats (Gambian rats; Cricetomys gambianus Waterh.) are a threatening invasive species on a Florida island, Grassy Key. Gambian giant pouched rats shifted from a domestic pet to invading species after suspected release from a pet breeder. Because of the large size of Gambian rats (weighing up to 2.8 kg), they pose a serious threat to native species (particularly nesting species) and agricultural crops, especially if Gambian rats invade mainland Florida. Also, Gambian rats pose a threat from disease, as they were implicated in a monkeypox outbreak in the mid-western United States in 2003. …

Capture Of Ungulates In Central Asia Using Drive Nets: Advantages And Pitfalls Illustrated By The Endangered Mongolian Saiga Saiga Tatarica Mongolica, Joel Berger, Kim M. Murray, Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar, Mike R. Dunbar, Badamjav Lkhagvasuren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The study of mammals suffering intense poaching in remote areas poses an increasingly difficult conservation challenge, in part because the extreme flightiness of such species complicates safe capture. The benefits of handling (an opportunity to obtain biological information and attach radio collars) must be weighed against stress to the animals and potential capture-related mortality. In parts of Central Asia this problem is not trivial, as populations have been heavily harvested and opportunities for restraint are often limited. Mongolian saiga Saiga tatarica mongolica, being both Endangered and poached, typifies these issues. Here we describe capture protocols for adult females handled …

In Memory William B. Jackson 1926-2010, Michael W. Fall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

DR. WILLIAM B. JACKSON of Chicago, Illinois, passed away July 15, 2010. He was a scientist, teacher, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Over the years, he served as an advisor and mentor to many people who found their way to his classes or offices at Bowling Green State University (BGSU).

He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 10, 1926, and spent many hours collecting insects and watching birds, becoming president of his high school nature club and an Eagle Scout. He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Wisconsin, and his Sc.D. in vertebrate ecology from Johns Hopkins …

Mite-Filled Cyst On A Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus Ater) In Florida, Usa, Marilyn G. Spalding, James W. Mertins, Matthew J. Reetz, Kandy L. Keacher, Michael L. Avery, Ellis C. Greiner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A large, partly pedunculated mass on the scapular area of a wild-caught captive Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) consisted of a multiloculated keratin cyst inhabited by a new species of harpirhynchid mite (Harpirhynchus quasimodo). The mass did not interfere with flight or behavior. This is the first record of such an infestation of cowbirds in Florida.

Evaluating Commercially Available Rodenticide Baits For Invasive Gambian Giant Pouched Rats (Cricetomys Gambianus), Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Patrick W. Burke

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Gambian giant pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) are native to Africa, but they are popular in the pet industry in the United States. They were reservoir hosts during a monkeypox outbreak in the Midwestern United States in 2003. A free-ranging population became established on Grassy Key in the Florida Keys, apparently because of a release by a pet breeder. These rodents could cause significant damage to agricultural crops should they reach the mainland. Research under controlled conditions was needed to identify effective rodenticides for Grassy Key or other cases where an invasion of Gambian rats might occur. We tested …

Promiscuous Mating In Feral Pigs (Sus Scrofa) From Texas, Usa, Johanna Delgado-Acevedo, Angeline Zamorano, Randy W. Deyoung, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, David B. Long

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context. Feral pigs represent a significant threat to agriculture and ecosystems and are disease reservoirs for pathogens affecting humans, livestock and other wildlife. Information on the behavioural ecology of feral pigs might increase the efficiency and effectiveness of management strategies.

Aims. We assessed the frequency of promiscuous mating in relation to oestrous synchrony in feral pigs from southern Texas, USA, an agroecosystem with a widespread and well established population of feral pigs. An association between multiple paternity of single litters and synchrony of oestrous may indicate alternative mating strategies, such as mateguarding.

Methods. We collected gravid sows at …

Genetically Engineering Crops For A Sustainable Agriculture, David E. Ervin, Rick Welsh

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article examines the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in fostering a more sustainable agriculture. An overview of the National Academy of Sciences metal study of the impacts of GE crops on farm sustainability in the U.S. is given. The two types of GE crops are discussed, one which produces its own insecticide called insect resistant (IR) crops and the other is engineered to resist particular herbicides. An explanation for sustainable agriculture is also presented.

Dimethylmercury Production In Freshwater Sediments, David C. Kelly

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Dimethylmercury (DMHg) has been examined almost exclusively in marine environments to date, plays an uncertain role in the global cycling of Hg, and is produced by a currently unknown mechanism in natural systems. We examined DMHg production in microcosms containing 100 cm3 of freshwater sediment sampled from 3 wetlands and a lake near Dayton, Ohio. DMHg was produced from all sediments analyzed, and found that production is increased significantly by the addition of inorganic Hg from ~0.1pM to ~10pM, its production is unaffected by autoclaving the sediment, and organic carbon additions had no discernible effect on production. Its total concentrations …

Estimating Evapotranspiration Using Remote Sensing: A Hybrid Approach Between Modis Derived Enhanced Vegetation Index, Bowen Ratio System, And Ground Based Micro-Meteorological Data, Sumantra Chatterjee

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We investigated water loss by evapotranspiration (ET) from the Palo Verde Irrigation District (PVID) and the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) in southern California bordering the Colorado River collaborating with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (U.S.B.R.). We developed an empirical model to estimate ET for the entire PVID using satellite derived MODIS enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and ground based measurements of solar radiation and vapor pressure. We compared our predictions with U.S.B.R. estimates through statistical cross validation and showed they agree with an error less than 8%. We tested the same model for an alfalfa field inside PVID to …

Functional Identification Of Microorganisms That Transform Mercury In Marine Sediments, Lisa Romas

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Monomethylmercury (MMHg) is the toxic form of mercury (Hg) that biomagnifies in food webs, and human exposure to MMHg occurs predominantly via consumption of fish. The primary source of MMHg to the marine environment is thought to be in situ sedimentary production by benthic microorganisms, namely sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). I collected sediments from the continental shelf (stations 2 and 6) and slope (station 9) of the NW Atlantic Ocean, and amended them with various inhibitor and promoter solutions to target specific functional groups capable of Hg transformations. I also added stable enriched Hg isotopes to quantify gross Hg methylation and …

Mercury Speciation In Temperate Tree Foliage, Melissa Danielle Tabatchnick

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Cycling of mercury (Hg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) in forest ecosystems can affect exposures of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife within the watershed. Litterfall has been posited to be a major source of MMHg and total Hg to the forest floor; however, the origin of MMHg associated with tree foliage is largely unknown. I tested the hypothesis that leaf MMHg would be controlled by root uptake and thereby proportional to levels in soil. Fresh leaves and associated soil samples were sampled from nine tree species (deciduous and coniferous) at 30 locations spanning a 1145 km2 area in southwest Ohio, a region presumed …

Trace Metal Fluxes In Southwest Ohio Watersheds, Avani Naik

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Land-use and watershed characteristics affect the cycling and transport of trace metals in rivers. I investigated the influence of different land uses and water physicochemistry on loadings, partitioning, and speciation of Hg, Zn, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Cu, and Pb in three contrasting watersheds near the Dayton, Ohio metropolitan area over a 13-month period; Wolf Creek (urban/residential), Holes Creek (urban/residential), and Little Miami River (agricultural). Metal concentrations were related positively to discharge in each stream. Dissolved organic ligands appear to influence trace-metal partitioning between filtered and particle phases, however, particle-associated metals were dominant in each site. Total Hg concentrations and …

Biodegradation Of Groundwater Pollutants (Chlorinated Hydrocarbons) In Vegetated Wetlands: Role Of Aerobic Microbes Naturally Associated With Roots Of Common Plants, Christina Lynn Powell

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Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) are often found as groundwater contaminants because of past industrial activities and disposal practices. CAHs pose a threat to human health and thus, create a need to find both natural and engineered processes that can remove these chlorinated compounds from the environment. Natural attenuation by oxidative biodegradation is especially important because it can allow for mineralization to carbon dioxide, a nontoxic end-product. The goal of this research was to evaluate the potential oxidative biodegradation of CAHs by microorganisms that are naturally associated with wetland plant roots. The research was divided into field work and laboratory batch …

Crustacean Endocrine Disruption Through A Pathway Involving Nuclear Receptors, Cyclic Nucleotides And Calcium Transporters, Laxminath Tumburu

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Endocrine disruption is a complex phenomenon in the sense that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are known to act via multiple modes of action, but the mechanisms of actions are poorly understood. In crustaceans, calcium (Ca²⁺) apart from its role as a second messenger, is also a major constituent of the calcified exoskeleton which undergoes a periodic mineralization/demineralization process known as the molting cycle. Molt cycle is under the control of steroid hormones, ecdysteroids. EDCs disrupt this molting process via their interference with receptor-mediated ecdysteroid signaling. However, the hormonal regulation of Ca²⁺ flux in crustacean molting is poorly …

The Role Of Skeletal Development In Body Size Evolution Of Two North American Frogs, Sarah Beth Havens

Masters Theses

"In order to better understand the evolution of miniaturization in Acris blanchardi, a North American Hylid with a unique life history and of ecological interest in the United States. The development and ossification sequences of 48 larvae, 5 juveniles and 5 adult A. blanchardi were examined. The adult was described by Maglia et al. (2007) to be a miniature and to display morphological novelties. In addition, 44 larvae, 2 juvenile and 5 adults of Pseudacris crucifer a closely related frog that has been suggested to be a miniature, were examined. The cranial and postcranial adult elements of this species, as …

Fine-Scale Genetic And Social Structuring In A Central Appalachian White-Tailed Deer Herd, Brad F. Miller, Randy W. Deyoung, Tyler A. Campbell, Benjamin R. Laseter, W. Mark Ford, Karl V. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Spatial genetic structure in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been examined at regional scales, but genetic markers with the resolution to detect fine-scale patterns have appeared only recently. We used a panel of microsatellite DNA markers, radiotelemetry data, and visual observations of marked deer to study fine-scale social and genetic structure in a high-density population of white-tailed deer (12–20 deer/km²). We collected genetic data on 229 adult females, 102 of which were assigned to 28 social groups. Our results were consistent with the conceptual model of white-tailed deer social structure, where philopatric females form social groups …

Host-Specificity Of Myxoma Virus: Pathogenesis Of South American And North American Strains Of Myxoma Virus In Two North American Lagomorph Species, L. Silvers, D. Barnard, F. Knowlton, B. Inglis, A. Labudovic, M.K. Holland, P.A. Janssens, B.H. Van Leeuwen, P.J. Kerr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The pathogenesis of South American and North American myxoma viruses was examined in two species of North American lagomorphs, Sylvilagus nuttallii (mountain cottontail) and Sylvilagus audubonii (desert cottontail) both of which have been shown to have the potential to transmit the South American type of myxoma virus. Following infection with the South American strain (Lausanne, Lu), S. nuttallii developed both a local lesion and secondary lesions on the skin. They did not develop the classical myxomatosis seen in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The infection at the inoculation site did not resolve during the 20-day time course of the …

Polyurea Elastomer Protects Utility Pole Crossarms From Damage By Pileated Woodpeckers, Shelagh Tupper, William Andelt, John Cummings, Charles Weisner, Richard Harness

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Woodpeckers cause severe damage to utility poles and crossarms, resulting in substantial economic losses to utility companies. We evaluated effectiveness of a polyurea elastomer coating material for reducing damage by captive pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) to utility pole crossarms. Because woodpeckers inflicted essentially no damage to the fully coated crossarms, we infer that the coating material holds substantial promise for protecting utility pole crossarms. Additional research should be conducted to evaluate the coating under field conditions.

Evaluation Of Christmas Bird Counts And Landscape Factors As Indicators Of Local Blackbird And European Starling Winter Roosts, Matthew Strassburg, George M. Linz, William Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Red-winged blackbirds (RWBL) and common grackles (COGR) are the two most abundant blackbird species on the continent; Brewer's blackbirds (BRBL) are a much less common, but closely related species, and along with European starlings (EUST), they are two of the most common groups of birds in North America, with combined populations that reach into the several hundreds of millions and make up a significant portion of the avian population (Yasukawa and Searcy 1995). Although the most common bird on the continent, certain regions have seen declines in RWBL for a number of decades. In Ohio and North Dakota, this has …

Increased Risk Of Chronic Wasting Disease In Rocky Mountain Elk Associated With Decreased Magnesium And Increased Manganese In Brain Tissue, Stephen N. White, Katherine I. O’Rourke, Thomas Gidlewski, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michelle R. Mousel, Gregory E. Phillips, Terry R. Spraker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of Rocky Mountain elk in North America. Recent studies suggest that tissue and blood mineral levels may be valuable in assessing TSE infection in sheep and cattle. The objectives of this study were to examine baseline levels of copper, manganese, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and molybdenum in the brains of Rocky Mountain elk with differing prion genotypes and to assess the association of mineral levels with CWD infection. Elk with leucine at prion position 132 had significantly lower magnesium levels than elk with 2 copies of methionine. Chronic wasting disease-positive elk …

Review Of Issues Concerning The Use Of Reproductive Inhibitors, With Particular Emphasis On Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts In North America, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Lowell A. Miller, Gary Killian, Christi A. Yoder

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This manuscript provides an overview of past wildlife contraception efforts and discusses the current state of research. Two fertility control agents, an avian reproductive inhibitor containing the active ingredient nicarbazin and an immunocontraceptive vaccine, have received regulatory approval with the Environmental Protection Agency and are commercially available in the USA. OvoControl G Contraceptive Bait for Canada Geese and Ovo Control for pigeons are delivered as oral baits. An injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine (GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine) was registered with the Environmental Protection Agency for use in female white-tailed deer in September 2009. An injectable product (GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine) is registered for use …

Seroprevalence Of Equine Influenza Virus In Northeast And Southern Mexico, B. J. Blitvitch, L. A. Ibarra-Juarez, A. J. Cortes-Guzman, J. J. Root, A. B. Franklin, H. J. Sullivan, I. Fernandez-Salas

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Equine influenza A virus (EIV) is a highly infectious respiratory pathogen of horses (Hannant and Mumford 1996, Palese and Shaw 2007). The illness is characterised by an abrupt onset of fever, depression, coughing and nasal discharge, and is often complicated by secondary bacterial infections that can lead to pneumonia and death. Two subtypes of EIV, H3N8 and H7N7, have been isolated. The H7N7 subtype was first isolated from a horse in Czechoslovakia in 1956 (Prague/56), and the H3N8 subtype was first isolated from a horse in Miami in 1963 (Sovinova and others 1958, Waddell and others 1963). The last confirmed …

New Evidence Suggests Southern China As A Common Source Of Multiple Clusters Of Highly Pathogenic H5n1 Avian Influenza Virus, Bin Wu, Chengmin Wang, Guoying Dong, Yunhai Guo, Dale L. Nolte, Thomas Jude Deliberto, Jianguo Xu, Mingxing Duan, Hongxuan He

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza is considered an avian disease, although there is some evidence of limited human-to-human transmission of the virus. A global effort is underway to control or eradicate the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in poultry and prevent human exposure, both of which may also reduce the risk of pandemic emergence. Hemagglutinin gene sequences from 215 human H5N1 influenza viruses were used to trace the source and dispersal pattern of human H5N1 influenza viruses on a global scale. A mutation network and phylogenetic analyses of the hemagglutinin gene show that human H5N1 influenza viruses can be …

Seroprevalence Of Equine Influenza Virus In Northeast And Southern Mexico, B. J. Blitvich, L. A. Ibarra-Juarez, A. J. Cortes-Guzman, J. J. Root, A. B. Franklin, H. J. Sullivan, I. Fernandez-Salas

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

EQUINE influenza A virus (EIV) is a highly infectious respiratory pathogen of horses (Hannant and Mumford 1996, Palese and Shaw 2007). The illness is characterized by an abrupt onset of fever, depression, coughing and nasal discharge, and is often complicated by secondary bacterial infections that can lead to pneumonia and death. Two subtypes of EIV, H3N8 and H7N7, have been isolated. The H7N7 subtype was first isolated from a horse in Czechoslovakia in 1956 (Prague/56), and the H3N8 subtype was first isolated from a horse in Miami in 1963 (Sovinova and others 1958, Waddell and others 1963). The last confirmed …

Temporal Variation In Terrestrial Invertebrate Consumption By Laughing Gulls In New York, Glen E. Bernhardt, Lisa Kutschbach-Brohl, Brian E. Washburn, Richard Chipman, Laura Francoeur

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Laughing gulls (Larus atricilla) are commonly found in many areas of North America and little is known about their diet, particularly in coastal-urban interfaces where gull-aircraft collisions can be a serious concern. The objective of this study was to describe and quantify the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates by laughing gulls at a coastal-urban interface in the northeastern United States. We examined the stomach contents of laughing gulls (n = 1053) collected during wildlife damage management operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport during the summers of 2003 and 2004. Terrestrial invertebrates consumed by laughing gulls represented 2 taxonomic …

Cold Weather And The Potential Range Of Invasive Burmese Pythons, Michael L. Avery, Richard M. Engeman, Kandy L. Keacher, John S. Humphrey, William E. Bruce, Tom C. Mathies, Richard E. Mauldin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is established in Everglades National Park and neighboring areas in south Florida. Beyond its substantial ecological impacts to native fauna in south Florida, concerns have been raised as to its potential to occupy other parts of the USA, even as far north as Washington, DC. During a recent period of cold weather, seven of nine captive Burmese pythons held in outdoor pens at our facility in north-central Florida died, or would have died absent our intervention. This cold-induced mortality occurred despite the presence of refugia with heat sources. Our findings cast doubt …

Importance Of Resource Selection And Social Behavior To Partitioning Of Hostile Space By Sympatric Canids, Todd Atwood, Eric Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Investigations into mechanisms of resource partitioning are particularly suited to systems where nascent interactive behaviors are observable. Wolf (Canis lupus) recolonization of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem provided such a system, and we were able to identify behaviors influencing the partitioning of resources by coyotes (Canis latrans) and wolves. We observed coyote–wolf interactions immediately after wolf recolonization, when reemergent behaviors mediating the outcome of competitive interactions were detectable and mechanisms of spatial avoidance were identifiable. Although coyotes used the same space as wolves, they likely minimized risk of encounter by making adaptive changes in resource selection based …