Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Architecture Of Soybean Yield And Agronomic Traits, Brian W. Diers, Jim Specht, Katy Martin Rainey, Perry Cregan, Qijian Song, Vishnu Ramasubramanian, George Graef, Randall L. Nelson, William Schapaugh, Dechun Wang, Grover Shannon, Leah Mchale, Stella K. Kantartzi, Alencar Xavier, Rouf Mian, Robert M. Stupar, Jean-Michel Michno, Yong-Qiang Charles An, Wolfgang Goettel, Russell Ward, Carolyn Fox, Alexander E. Lipka, David Hyten, Troy Cary, William D. Beavis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean is the world’s leading source of vegetable protein and demand for its seed continues to grow. Breeders have successfully increased soybean yield, but the genetic architecture of yield and key agronomic traits is poorly understood. We developed a 40-mating soybean nested association mapping (NAM) population of 5,600 inbred lines that were characterized by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and six agronomic traits in field trials in 22 environments. Analysis of the yield, agronomic, and SNP data revealed 23 significant marker-trait associations for yield, 19 for maturity, 15 for plant height, 17 for plant lodging, and 29 for seed mass. …

Influence Of Harvest Date On Seed Yield And Quality In Forage Kochia, Cody F. Creech, Blair L. Waldron, Corey V. Ransom, Dale R. Zobell, Joseph Earl Creech

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Forage kochia (Bassia prostrata) is used for rangeland reclamation and livestock and wildlife forage, but limited research has been conducted on its seed production. Therefore, this research evaluated the effect of harvest date on seed weight, germination, and seed yield of forage kochia subspecies virescens and grisea. Seed was harvested from individual plants for 3 years during October, November, and December. October harvest had the lightest 100-seed weights, with the November harvest slightly heavier than December, for most accessions. Cultivar Snowstorm and breeding line Sahsel, both subsp. grisea, had the greatest 100-seed weights in November, 155 …

Transient Heat Stress During Early Seed Development Primes Germination And Seedling Establishment In Rice, Kevin Begcy, Jaspreet Sandhu, Harkamal Walia

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Rice yield is highly sensitive to increased temperature. Given the trend of increasing global temperatures, this sensitivity to higher temperatures poses a challenge for achieving global food security. Early seed development in rice is highly sensitive to unfavorable environmental conditions. Heat stress (HS) during this stage decreases seed size and fertility, thus reducing yield. Here, we explore the transgenerational phenotypic consequences of HS during early seed development on seed viability, germination, and establishment. To elucidate the impact of HS on the developmental events in postzygotic rice seeds, we imposed moderate (35°C) and severe (39°C) HS treatments initiated 1 day after …

Maize And Soybean Root Front Velocity And Maximum Depth In Iowa, Usa, Raziel A. Ordóñez, Michael J. Castellano, J. L. Hatfield, M. J. Helmers, Mark A. Licht, Matt Liebman, Ranae Dietzel, Rafael Martinez-Feria, Javed Iqbal, Laila A. Puntel, S. Carolina Córdova, Kaitlin Togliatti, Emily E. Wright, Sotirios V. Archontoulis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Quantitative measurements of root traits can improve our understanding of how crops respond to soil and weather conditions, but such data are rare. Our objective was to quantify maximum root depth and root front velocity (RFV) for maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) crops across a range of growing conditions in the Midwest USA. Two sets of root measurements were taken every 10–15 days: in the crop row (in-row) and between two crop rows (center-row) across six Iowa sites having different management practices such as planting dates and drainage systems, totaling 20 replicated experimental treatments. …

Sequences Involved In Plant Yield And Methods Of Using, Harkamal Walia, Dante Placido, Thomas E. Clemente

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nucleic acid sequences involved in plant yield are provided, as are methods of using such nucleic acid sequences .

Building Resilience In Social-Ecological Food Systems In Vermont, Kristine Lien Skog, Stine Elisabeth Eriksen, Christy Anderson Brekken, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

There is an expanding interest in Local Food Systems (LFSs) in Vermont, United States, along with a growing effort to create adaptive governance to facilitate action. In this case study, we investigate how adaptive governance of LFS can provide ideas and act as a catalyst for creating resilience in other social-ecological systems (SESs). By participating in meetings and interviewing stakeholders inside and outside the Vermont LFS network, we found that consumers were highly motivated to participate by supporting environmental issues, the local economy, and interactive communities, as well as building social relationships. Farmers experienced better income and increased respect in …

Identification Of Quantitative Trait Loci Conferring Resistance To Tan Spot In A Biparental Population Derived From Two Nebraska Hard Red Winter Wheat Cultivars, Gayan K. Kariyawasam, Waseem Hussain, Amanda Easterly, Mary Guttieri, Vikas Belamkar, Jesse Poland, Jorge Venegas, Stephen Baenziger, Francois Marais, Jack B. Rasmussen, Zhaohui Liu

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Tan spot, caused by Pyrenophora triticirepentis (Ptr), is a destructive foliar disease in all types of cultivated wheat worldwide. Genetics of tan spot resistance in wheat is complex, involving insensitivity to fungal-produced necrotrophic effectors (NEs), major resistance genes, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring race-nonspecific and race-specific resistance. The Nebraska hard red winter wheat (HRWW) cultivar ‘Wesley’ is insensitive to Ptr ToxA and highly resistant to multiple Ptr races, but the genetics of resistance in this cultivar is unknown. In this study, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Wesley and another …

Active-Optical Reflectance Sensing Corn Algorithms Evaluated Over The United States Midwest Corn Belt, G. M. Bean, N. R. Kitchen, J. J. Camberato, R. B. Ferguson, F. G. Fernandez, D. W. Franzen, C. A. M. Laboski, E. D. Nafziger, J. E. Sawyer, P. C. Scharf, J. Schepers, J. S. Shanahan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Uncertainty exists with corn (Zea mays L.) N management due to year-to-year variation in crop N need, soil N supply, and N loss from leaching, volatilization, and denitrification. Activeoptical reflectance sensing (AORS) has proven effective in some fields for generating N fertilizer recommendations that improve N use efficiency, but locally derived (e.g., within a US state) AORS algorithms have not been tested simultaneously across a broad region. The objective of this research was to evaluate locally developed AORS algorithms across the US Midwest Corn Belt region for making in-season corn N recommendations. Forty-nine N response trials were conducted across …

Armms As A Versatile Platform For Intracellular Delivery Of Macromolecules, Qiyu Wang, Jiujiu Yu, Tatenda Kadungure, Joseph Beyene, Hong Zhang, Quan Lu

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Majority of disease-modifying therapeutic targets are restricted to the intracellular space and are therefore not druggable using existing biologic modalities. The ability to efficiently deliver macromolecules inside target cells or tissues would greatly expand the current landscape of therapeutic targets for future generations of biologic drugs, but remains challenging. Here we report the use of extracellular vesicles, known as arrestin domain containing protein 1 [ARRDC1]-mediated microvesicles (ARMMs), for packaging and intracellular delivery of a myriad of macromolecules, including the tumor suppressor p53 protein, RNAs, and the genome-editing CRISPR-Cas9/guide RNA complex. We demonstrate selective recruitment of these macromolecules into ARMMs. When …

Red Pepper Seed Water Extract Inhibits Preadipocyte Differentiation And Induces Mature Adipocyte Apoptosis In 3t3-L1 Cells, Hwa-Jin Kim, Mi-Kyoung You, Young-Hyun Lee, Hyun-Jung Kim, Deepak Adhikari, Hyeon-A Kim

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Reducing the number of adipocytes by inducing apoptosis of mature adipocytes as well as suppressing differentiation of preadipocytes plays an important role in preventing obesity. This study examines the anti-adipogenic and pro-apoptotic effect of red pepper seed water extract (RPS) prepared at 4°C (RPS4) in 3T3-L1 cells.

MATERIALS/METHODS: Effect of RPS4 or its fractions on lipid accumulation was determined in 3T3-L1 cells using oil red O (ORO) staining. The expressions of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and adipogenic associated proteins [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins α (C/EBP α), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and …

Seroconversion Of Raccoons Following Two Oral Rabies Vaccination Baiting Strategies, Are R. Berentsen, Erin M. Patrick, Chad Blass, Keith Wehner, Brett Dunlap, Bradley Hicks, Robert Hale, Richard B. Chipman, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Seroprevalence of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (rVNA) in raccoons (Procyon lotor) following oral rabies vaccination (ORV) with RABORAL V-RG® in the United States has annually averaged 30% since 1997, a level that is unlikely to successfully interrupt rabies transmission in raccoon populations. A longitudinal ORV zone is maintained in the eastern United States with raccoon variant rabies established east of the zone but absent to the west. However, questions remain regarding the effect of the bait application strategy towards achieving optimal population immunity. We estimated the number of ORV baits/km2 of raccoon home range and calculated rVNA seroprevalence …

Flavor Preference And Efficacy Of Variable Dose Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (Onrab) Delivery In Striped Skunks (Mephitis Mephitis), Amy Gilbert, Shylo Johnson, Nikki Walker, Alex Beath, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In North America, terrestrial wildlife rabies control is achieved by oral rabies vaccination programs that principally target mesocarnivores. Success at rabies control in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) has been more limited and may require additional enhancements to existing bait products or novel bait designs and attractants. We evaluated preference among captive striped skunks for six different flavors of placebo Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB®) ‘‘Ultralite’’ Baits (Artemis Technologies, Guelph, Ontario, Canada). Different doses and delivery methods of ONRAB vaccine were tested for efficacy in a subsequent experiment with the same skunks. Cheese-, egg-, and chicken flavored baits were preferred …

Assessing The Potential Impacts Of A Changing Climate On The Distribution Of A Rabies Virus Vector, Mark A. Hayes, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) occur throughout much of South America to northern MeÂxico. Vampire bats have not been documented in recent history in the United States, but have been documented within about 50 km of the U.S. state of Texas. Vampire bats feed regularly on the blood of mammals and can transmit rabies virus to native species and livestock, causing impacts on the health of prey. Thus cattle producers, wildlife management agencies, and other stakeholders have expressed concerns about whether vampire bats might spread into the southern United States. On the other hand, concerns about vampire- borne …

Species With Greater Aerial Maneuverability Have Higher Frequency Of Collisions With Aircraft: A Comparative Study, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, James Brand, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans, Travis L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antipredator responses may appear unsuccessful when animals are exposed to approaching vehicles, often resulting inmortality. Recent studies have addressed whether certain biological traits are associated with variation in collision risk with cars, but not with higher speed-vehicles like aircraft. Our goal was to establish the association between different species traits (i.e., body mass, eye size, brain size, wing loading, wing aspect ratio) and the frequency of bird collisions with aircraft (hereafter, bird strikes) using a comparative approach controlling for the effects of shared ancestry. We proposed directional predictions as to how each of the species traits would affect the frequency …

Common Ravens Conditioned To A Nutritious Seasonal Aquatic Food Source In Rocky Mountain National Park, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Common Ravens (Corvus corax) are among the most intelligent of birds with extraordinary problem-solving capabilities (Heinrich 1995, Heinrich and Bugnyar 2005). Their intelligence, behavioral flexibility, and omnivorous diet allow ravens to adapt to many conditions and innovatively learn foraging behaviors, especially in context with human landscape changes and food sources (e.g., Ficken 1977, Andersson 1989, Heinrich 1995, Lefebvre et al. 1997). Ravens can also identify interconnections between stimuli and potential unseen food resources. For example, a controlled experiment in Wyoming found that Common Ravens learned to fly toward gunshots, but only in forested areas where the auditory stimuli …

Chapter 11 An International Perspective On The Regulation Of Rodenticides, John D. Eisemann, Penny M. Fisher, Alan Buckle, Simon Humphrys

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the late 1940s, anticoagulant active ingredients were introduced into the global rodenticide market. They were rapidly favored over existing rodenticides, such as red squill, zinc phosphide, strychnine and inorganic compounds, because they were comparatively inexpensive and did not appear to have any unpalatable taste, odor or cause any immediate post-ingestive reaction that could lead to bait shyness in rodents (Wardrop and Keeling 2008). The number of products registered in the United States (US) under Section 3 of the Federal Fungicide, Insecticide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which was passed in 1947 and was the first US law to require product …

Evaluating Blackbird Behavioral Response Toward Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Uass): Exploiting Antipredator Behavior To Enhance Avoidance, Conor C. Egan, Lucas Wandrie, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Page E. Klug

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Animals respond to nonlethal forms of human disturbance using behavior strategies adapted to detect, avoid, and evade natural predators. This phenomenon suggests antipredator behavior can be exploited to optimize efficacy of wildlife management tools such as visual deterrents. According to models of antipredator theory, wildlife managers could encourage animals to abandon a resource patch in zones of human-wildlife conflict by enhancing perceived predation risk associated with disturbance stimuli. One human-wildlife conflict of interest is the economic loss and human safety hazards caused by birds. For example, blackbirds (Icteridae) pose a significant risk to the commercial aviation industry through …

Individual Variation In Avian Avoidance Behaviours In Response To Repeated, Simulated Vehicle Approach, Travis L. Devault, T. W. Seamans, B. F. Blackwell, S. L. Lima, E. Fernandez-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Birds exhibit variation in alert and flight behaviours in response to vehicles within and between species, but it is unclear how properties inherent to individuals influence variation in avoidance responses over time. We examined individual variation in avoidance behaviours of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater (Boddaert, 1783)) in response to repeated presentation of a simulated vehicle approach in a video playback scenario. Wemodeled temporal alert and flight behaviours to determine whether overall behavioural variation resulted primarily from variation within individuals (i.e., intraindividual variation) or between individuals (i.e., interindividual variation). We examined reaction norms (individual × treatment day) and whether birds …

Nutritional Depletion Of Total Mixed Rations By European Starlings: Projected Effects On Dairy Cow Performance And Potential Intervention Strategies To Mitigate Damage, James C. Carlson, R. S. Stahl, S. T. Deliberto, J. J. Wagner, T. E. Engle, R. M. Engeman, C. S. Olson, J. W. Ellis, S. J. Werner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings are an invasive bird species in North America that are known to cause damage to commercial dairies through the consumption of total mixed rations (TMR) destined for dairy cows. We hypothesized that large foraging flocks of starlings alter the physical composition of TMR, and that this change may be significant enough to affect milk production. To better determine if production losses could potentially occur in commercial dairies as a consequence of feed consumption by foraging flocks of starlings, we conducted controlled feeding experiments using a TMR sourced from a commercial dairy that is chronically plagued with seasonal starling …

A Review Of Classical Swine Fever Virus And Routes Of Introduction Into The United States And The Potential For Virus Establishment, Vienna R. Brown, Sarah N. Bevins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Classical swine fever (CSF) is caused by CSF virus (CSFV) which can be the source of substantial morbidity and mortality events in affected swine. The disease can take one of several forms (acute, chronic, or prenatal) and depending on the virulence of the inoculating strain may result in a lethal infection irrespective of the form acquired. Because of the disease-free status of the United States and the high cost of a viral incursion, a summary of US vulnerabilities for viral introduction and persistence is provided. The legal importation of live animals as well as animal products, byproducts, and animal feed …

Management Of Wintering Short-Eared Owls At Airports In The Lower Great Lakes Region, Aaron Bowden, Robert J. Hromack, Christopher H. Loftis, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

USDA Wildlife Services airport wildlife biologists have been tasked with reducing the hazards that raptors (including owls) pose to safe aircraft operations at airports and military airfields throughout the USA. A review of available wildlife strike information suggests short-eared owls (Asio flammeus) are frequently struck by aircraft during the winter months at numerous airports within the Lower Great Lakes Region of the United States. Further, this species is listed as ‘endangered’ by state fish and wildlife agencies in many states, although not at the federal level. Consequently, there is particular interest in developing non-lethal management tools for reducing …

Livestock Abundance Predicts Vampire Bat Demography, Immune Profiles And Bacterial Infection Risk, Daniel J. Becker, Gábor Á. Czirják, Dmitriy V. Volokhov, Alexandra B. Bentz, Jorge E. Carrera, Melinda S. Camus, Kristen J. Navara, Vladimir E. Chizhikov, M. Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons, Sergio E. Recuenco, Amy T. Gilbert, Sonia Altizer, Daniel G. Streicker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Human activities create novel food resources that can alter wildlife–pathogen interactions. If resources amplify or dampen, pathogen transmission probably depends on both host ecology and pathogen biology, but studies that measure responses to provisioning across both scales are rare. We tested these relationships with a 4-year study of 369 common vampire bats across 10 sites in Peru and Belize that differ in the abundance of livestock, an important anthropogenic food source. We quantified innate and adaptive immunity from bats and assessed infection with two common bacteria. We predicted that abundant livestock could reduce starvation and foraging effort, allowing for greater …

Neutralizing Antibodies Against Flaviviruses, Babanki Virus, And Rift Valley Fever Virus In Ugandan Bats, Rebekah C. Kading, Robert M. Kityo, Eric C. Mossel, Erin M. Borland, Teddie Nakayiki, Betty Nalikka, Luke Nyakarahuka, Jeremy P. Ledermann, Nicholas A. Panella, Amy T. Gilbert, Mary B. Crabtree, Julian Kerbis Peterhans, Jonathan S. Towner, Brian R. Amman, Tara K. Sealy, Stuart T. Nichol, Ann M. Powers, Julius J. Lutwama, Barry R. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction: A number of arboviruses have previously been isolated from naturally-infected East African bats, however the role of bats in arbovirus maintenance is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the exposure history of Ugandan bats to a panel of arboviruses. Materials and methods: Insectivorous and fruit bats were captured from multiple locations throughout Uganda during 2009 and 2011–2013. All serum samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV), yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue 2 virus (DENV-2), Zika virus (ZIKV), Babanki virus (BBKV), and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) by plaque reduction neutralization test …

Effects Of Vulture Exclusion On Carrion Consumption By Facultative Scavengers, Jacob E. Hill, Travis L. Devault, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Jerrod L. Belant

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Vultures provide an essential ecosystem service through removal of carrion, but globally, many populations are collapsing and several species are threatened with extinction. Widespread declines in vulture populations could increase the availability of carrion to other organisms, but the ways facultative scavengers might respond to this increase have not been thoroughly explored. We aimed to determine whether facultative scavengers increase carrion consumption in the absence of vulture competition and whether they are capable of functionally replacing vultures in the removal of carrion biomass from the landscape. We experimentally excluded 65 rabbit carcasses from vultures during daylight hours and placed an …

A Cage Efficacy Study Of Sodium Nitrite Formulations For Rodent Control, Gary W. Witmer, Rachael Moulton, Celeste Samura

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents cause extensive damage to human and natural resources around the world. Rodenticides are heavily relied upon to reduce rodent populations and damage. However, some rodenticides are becoming less effective while others are becoming more restricted in their use. Additionally, there are growing concerns about the non-target effects of rodenticides and the humaneness of some rodenticides. In this study, we tested some formulations containing sodium nitrite, a salt that can be toxic in high enough concentrations. One of our previous studies indicated an LD50 of about 246 mg/kg for various rodent species. It was also determined that rodents could eat …

Cage Efficacy Study Of An Experimental Rodenticide Using Wild-Caught House Mice, Gary W. Witmer, Rachael Moulton, Celeste Samura

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The availability and effectiveness of rodenticides in the US and elsewhere has been changing for various reasons. As a result, new rodenticide formulations and active ingredients are being investigated in the US and other countries. We conducted a cage efficacy study of a paste bait containing 4.4% alphachloralose. A commercial product of this nature is manufactured and used in parts of Europe. While the formulation we tested was effective (100%) in a no-choice trial with wild caught house mice, it was not effective in two-choice trials (≤ 35%). We surmise that palatability may be an issue as the mice consumed …

Perspectives On Existing And Potential New Alternatives To Anticoagulant Rodenticides And The Implications For Integrated Pest Management, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Comprising over 1400 species worldwide, rodents are the largest taxonomic group of mammals (Nowak 1999). Rodent use of habitats is extensive and varied. Most rodent species are relatively small, secretive, prolific, adaptable, and have continuously growing incisors which require constant eroding by gnawing. Rodents are known for their high reproductive potential; however, there is much variability between species as to the age at first reproduction, size of litters, and the number of litters per year. All rodent species have ecological, scientific, social, and/or economic values. They recycle nutrients, aerate soils, distribute seeds and spores, and affect plant succession. Some provide …

Phase 2 Wildlife Management - Addressing Invasive And Overabundant Wildlife: The White-Tailed Deer Continuum And Invasive Wild Pig Example, Kurt Vercauteren, Amy Davis, Kim Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife managers in many countries around the world are facing similar challenges, which include: a lack of means to address invasive species and locally overabundant native species issues particularly in the face of declining fiscal resources, reduced capacity to achieve management goals, and a need to garner public support in the wake of changing societal values and increasing human populations. Meeting these challenges requires building off the profession’s successes and developing new paradigms and strategies to curtail the negative impacts invasive and overabundant species are having on our natural resources. Like our predecessors in conservation succeeded in developing our profession …

Anticoagulant Rodenticides And Wildlife: Introduction, Nico W. Van Den Brink, John E. Elliott, Richard F. Shore, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents began to associate with humans at least from the early Neolithic era with the beginnings of systematic sequestering of food stores by humans (Cucchi and Vigne 2006; Reperant and Osterhaus 2014). About the year 541, the Justinian plague started amid the central granaries and crowded, unsanitary conditions of the later Roman cities. The resulting pandemic was the first documented example of the potentially devastating impact of commensal rodents on European society. The primary reservoir host and source of the plague was the black rat (Rattus rattus), which has widely thought to have disseminated from South-East Asia along …

Chemical Composition Of Glandular Secretions From A Pair-Living Monogamous Primate: Sex, Age, And Gland Differences In Captive And Wild Owl Monkeys (Aotus Spp.), Andrea Spence-Aizenberg, Bruce A. Kimball, Lawrence E. Williams, Eduardo Fernandez-Duque

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Broadening our knowledge of olfactory communication in strictly monogamous systems can inform our understanding of how chemosignals may facilitate social and reproductive behavior between the sexes. Compared to other social and mating systems, relatively little is known about olfactory communication in strictly monogamous non-human primates. Furthermore, platyrrhines are not well represented in chemical analyses of glandular secretions. We conducted semi-quantitative headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to investigate the chemical components of glandular secretions from the subcaudal and pectoral glands of a strictly pair-living platyrrhine, the owl monkey (Aotus spp.). In this study, the first chemical analysis of a …