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Identifying Possible Alternative Rodenticide Baits To Replace Strychnine Baits For Pocket Gophers In California, Gary W. Witmer, Roger A. Baldwin, Rachael S. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents cause substantial damage to crops in California and rodenticides have been major tools for reducing that damage. While strychnine has been heavily relied upon to control pocket gophers in California, its future availability is in question because of increased import costs. We conducted efficacy trials with captive, wild-caught Botta's pocket gophers to identify potential alternative rodenticides to strychnine. The rodenticide baits tested included three categories: acute rodenticides, first generation anticoagulant rodenticides, and combination rodenticides (containing an acute toxicant and an anticoagulant). There was a wide range of efficacies (0e100%) with these rodenticides. The first generation anticoagulants performed poorly, while …

Can Experience Reduce Collisions Between Birds And Vehicles?, T. L. Devault, T. W. Seamans, Bradley F. Blackwell, S. L. Lima, M. A. Martinez, E. Fernandez-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird collisions with vehicles cause serious safety, financial and conservation concerns worldwide, but the causes of such collisions are poorly described. We investigated how experience with vehicles influenced avian avoidance responses. We trained three groups of vehicle-naiıve rock pigeons Columba livia with 32 near-miss vehicle approaches over 4 weeks at 60 and 120 km h^-1, and also included individuals that heard but did not see the approaches (control group). We subsequently measured flight initiation distance (FID) and whether individuals ‘collided’ with a virtual vehicle directly approaching at 120 or 240 km h^-1 using video playback. We found …

Novel And Current Rodenticides For Pocket Gopher Thomomys Spp. Management In Vineyards: What Works?, Roger A. Baldwin, Ryan Meinerz, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Rodenticides are often included as part of an integrated pest management approach for managing pocket gophers (Thomomys spp.) given that they are relatively quick and inexpensive to apply. Strychnine has historically been the most effective toxicant for pocket gophers, but its use is currently limited in the United States; alternative registered toxicants have not proven effective. Recent research with baits containing cholecalciferol plus anticoagulant toxicants proved effective against pocket gophers in a lab setting. Therefore, we established a field study to compare cholecalciferol plus anticoagulant combinations [0.03% cholecalciferol plus 0.005% diphacinone (C+D), 0.015% cholecalciferol plus 0.0025% brodifacoum (C+B1), …

Adaptive Use Of Nonlethal Strategies For Minimizing Wolf–Sheep Conflict In Idaho, Suzanne A. Stone, Stewart W. Breck, Jesse Timberlake, Peter M. Haswell, Fernando Najera, Brian S. Bean, Daniel J. Thornhill

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Worldwide, native predators are killed to protect livestock, an action that can undermine wildlife conservation efforts and create conflicts among stakeholders. An ongoing example is occurring in the western United States, where wolves (Canis lupus) were eradicated by the 1930s but are again present in parts of their historic range. While livestock losses to wolves represent a small fraction of overall livestock mortality, the response to these depredations has resulted in widespread conflicts including significant efforts at lethal wolf control to reduce impacts on livestock producers, especially those with large-scale grazing operations on public lands. A variety of …

Impact Of Body Condition On Influenza A Virus Infection Dynamics In Mallards Following A Secondary Exposure, Nicholas G. Dannemiller, Colleen T. Webb, Kenneth R. Wilson, Kevin T. Bentler, Nicole L. Mooers, Jeremy W. Ellis, J. Jeffrey Root, Alan B. Franklin, Susan A. Shriner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migratory waterfowl are often viewed as vehicles for the global spread of influenza A viruses (IAVs), with mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) implicated as particularly important reservoir hosts. The physical demands and energetic costs of migration have been shown to influence birds' body condition; poorer body condition may suppress immune function and affect the course of IAV infection. Our study evaluated the impact of body condition on immune function and viral shedding dynamics in mallards naturally exposed to an H9 IAV, and then secondarily exposed to an H4N6 IAV. Mallards were divided into three treatment groups of 10 birds per …

Picky Eaters Are Rare: Dna-Based Blood Meal Analysis Of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Species From The United States, Matthew W. Hopken, Bonnie M. Ryan, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Biting midges in the genus Culicoides (Diptera; Ceratopogonidae) have been implicated in the transmission of a number of parasites and highly pathogenic viruses. In North America, the complete transmission cycles of many of these pathogens need further elucidation. One way to increase our knowledge about the evolution and ecology of Culicoides species and the pathogens they transmit is to document the diversity of vertebrate hosts that Culicoides feed upon. Our objective was to identify the diversity of Culicoides hosts in the United States.

Results: We sequenced two vertebrate mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and cytochrome b) from …

Reprint Of: Overview Of Avian Toxicity Studies For The Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment, S. J. Bursian, C. R. Alexander, D. Cacela, Fred L. Cunningham, K. M. Dean, B. S. Dorr, C. K. Ellis, Céline A.J. Godard-Codding, C. G. Guglielmo, K. C. Hanson-Dorr, K. E. Harr, K. Healy, Michael J. Hooper, K. E. Horak, John P. Isanhart, L. V. Kennedy, J. E. Link, I. Maggini, J. K. Moye, C. R. Perez, C. A. Pritsos, Susan A. Shriner, K. A. Trust, P. L. Tuttle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes liability for injuries to natural resources because of the release or threat of release of oil. Assessment of injury to natural resources resulting from an oil spill and development and implementation of a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or acquisition of natural resources to compensate for those injuries is accomplished through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. The NRDA process began within a week of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on April 20, 2010. During the spill, more than 8500 dead and impaired birds representing at least 93 avian …

Dietary Intake Of Deepwater Horizon Oil-Injected Live Food Fish By Doublecrested Cormorants Resulted In Oxidative Stress, Karen L. Pritsos, Cristina R. Perez, Thivanka Muthumalage, Karen M. Dean, Dave Cacela, K. C. Hanson-Dorr, Fred L. Cunningham, S. J. Bursian, Jane E. Link, Susan A. Shriner, Katherine E. Horak, C. A. Pritsos

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill released 134 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico making it the largest oil spill in US history and exposing fish, birds, and marine mammals throughout the Gulf of Mexico to its toxicity. Fish eating waterbirds such as the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) were exposed to the oil both by direct contact with the oil and orally through preening and the ingestion of contaminated fish. This study investigated the effects of orally ingestedMC252 oil-contaminated live fish food by double-crested cormorants on oxidative stress. Total, reduced, and oxidized glutathione levels, superoxide …

Us Feral Swine Were Exposed To Both Avian And Swine Influenza A Viruses, Brigitte E. Martin, Hailiang Sun, Margaret Carrel, Fred L. Cunningham, John A. Baroch, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Sean G. Young, Brandon S. Schmit, Jacqueline M. Nolting, Kyoung-Jin Yoon, Mark W. Lutman, Kerri Pedersen, Kelly Lager, Andrew S. Bowman, Richard D. Slemons, David R. Smith, Thomas J. Deliberto, Xiu-Feng Wan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine can cause sporadic infections and pandemic outbreaks among humans, but how avian IAV emerges in swine is still unclear. Unlike domestic swine, feral swine are free ranging and have many opportunities for IAV exposure through contacts with various habitats and animals, including migratory waterfowl, a natural reservoir for IAVs. During 2010–2013, 8,239 serum samples were collected from feral swine across 35 US states and tested against 45 contemporary antigenic variants of avian, swine, and human IAVs; of these, 406 (4.9%) samples were IAV-antibody positive. Among 294 serum samples selected for antigenic characterization, 271 cross-reacted …

Using Risk Prediction Models And Species Sensitivity Maps For Large-Scale Identification Of Infrastructure-Related Wildlife Protection Areas: The Case Of Bird Electrocution, Juan Manuel Pérez-García, Travis L. Devault, Francisco Botella, José Antonio Sánchez-Zapata

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The use of systematic area-selection procedures to design protected areas can help optimize conservation actions. However, this process has rarely been used to identify high-risk mortality areas to protect wildlife from human impacts. Electrocution on power lines is one the most important human-related causes of bird mortality worldwide, especially for raptors. Identifying and correcting dangerous individual pylons can significantly reduce the number of electrocution victims, but applying this procedure at a large spatial scale is impractical. In this paper we describe a new selection process that allows for identification of high-risk mortality areas at large scales, combining spatial electrocution risk …

Quantifying Drivers Of Wild Pig Movement Across Multiple Spatial And Temporal Scales, Shannon L. Kay, Justin W. Fischer, Andrew J. Monaghan, James C. Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Tyler A. Campbell, Susan M. Cooper, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Steve B. Hartley, John C. Kilgo, Samantha M. Wisely, A. Christy Wyckoff, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: The movement behavior of an animal is determined by extrinsic and intrinsic factors that operate at multiple spatio-temporal scales, yet much of our knowledge of animal movement comes from studies that examine only one or two scales concurrently. Understanding the drivers of animal movement across multiple scales is crucial for understanding the fundamentals of movement ecology, predicting changes in distribution, describing disease dynamics, and identifying efficient methods of wildlife conservation and management.

Methods: We obtained over 400,000 GPS locations of wild pigs from 13 different studies spanning six states in southern U.S.A., and quantified movement rates and home …

Addressing The Gender Gap In Distinguished Speakers At Professional Ecology Conferences, Cooper M. Farr, Sara P. Bombaci, Travis Gallo, Anna M. Mangan, Hannah L. Riedl, Lani T. Stinson, Kate Wilkins, Drew E. Bennett, Theresa Nogeire-Mcrae, Liba Pejchar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Keynote and plenary speakers at professional conferences serve as highly visible role models for early-career scientists and provide recognition of scientific excellence. This recognition may be particularly important for women, who are underrepresented in senior positions in the biological sciences. To evaluate whether conferences fulfill this potential, we examined distinguished speakers at North American ecology conferences between 2000 and 2015 and compared these data with the percentage of women ecologists at diverse career stages. We found that 15%–35% (x = 28%, n = 809) of the distinguished speakers were women, which is significantly lower than the percentage of female ecology …

Genetic Demography At The Leading Edge Of The Distribution Of A Rabies Virus Vector, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Amy L. Russell, Ignacio A. Osorio, Alejandro Jiménez Ramírez, Justin W. Fischer, Jennifer L. Neuwald, Annie E. Tibbels, Luis Lecuona, Gary F. Mccracken

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, ranges from South America into northern Mexico in North America. This sanguivorous species of bat feeds primarily on medium to large-sized mammals and is known to rely on livestock as primary prey. Each year, there are hotspot areas of D. rotundus-specific rabies virus outbreaks that lead to the deaths of livestock and economic losses. Based on incidental captures in our study area, which is an area of high cattle mortality from D. rotundus transmitted rabies, it appears that D. rotundus are being caught regularly in areas and elevations where they previously were …

Optimization Of Human, Animal, And Environmental Health By Using The One Health Approach, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Thomas J. Deliberto, Natalie Nguyen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Emerging diseases are increasing burdens on public health, negatively affecting the world economy, causing extinction of species, and disrupting ecological integrity. One Health recognizes that human, domestic animal, and wildlife health are interconnected within ecosystem health and provides a framework for the development of multidisciplinary solutions to global health challenges. To date, most health-promoting interventions have focused largely on single-sector outcomes. For example, risk for transmission of zoonotic pathogens from bush-meat hunting is primarily focused on human hygiene and personal protection. However, bush-meat hunting is a complex issue promoting the need for holistic strategies to reduce transmission of zoonotic disease …

Development Of Toxic Bait To Control Invasive Wild Pigs And Reduce Damage, Nathan P. Snow, Justin A. Foster, John C. Kinsey, Simon T. Humphrys, Linton D. Staples, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Populations of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are increasing in many regions of the world, in particular the United States and Australia. Invasive wild pigs cause extensive damage to ecological resources and agriculture. Development and registration of a safe and humane toxic bait offers a practical and cost effective tool to control invasive species. Currently, no toxicants are approved for use on invasive wild pigs in the United States and those approved in Australia are under scrutiny because of concerns regarding humaneness and effects on nontarget species. We tested a newly formulated bait containing the microencapsulated active ingredient, …

Bird Use Of Organic Apple Orchards: Frugivory, Pest Control And Implications For Production, Anna M. Mangan, Liba Pejchar, Scott J. Werner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As the largest terrestrial biomes, crop and pasturelands can have very large positive or negative impacts on biodiversity and human well-being. Understanding how animals use and impact agroecosystems is important for making informed decisions that achieve conservation and production outcomes. Yet, few studies examine the tradeoffs associated with wildlife in agricultural systems. We examined bird use of organic apple orchards as well as how birds influence fruit production positively through control of an economically important insect pest (codling moth (Cydia pomonella)) and negatively through fruit damage. We conducted transect surveys, observed bird frugivory and assessed bird and insect …

Strategies For Evading Blackbird Damage, George M. Linz, Page E. Klug

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foraging blackbird flocks have great mobility as they search for food that is plentiful, is easily accessed, and has a high nutritional value. Ripening corn, rice, and sunflower fit those criteria, as does seeded rice. The birds will move from field to field to find the ideal combination of energy spent to discover food versus the energy value of the food (Pyke et al. 1977). An extraordinary effort is often needed to actively move the birds from a foraging location with a high positive value (e.g., close to roost and early ripening sunflower) versus a location with a I~w value …

Ante-Mortem Detection Of Chronic Wasting Disease In Recto-Anal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissues From Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni) Using Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (Rt-Quic) Assay: A Blinded Collaborative Study, Sireesha Manne, Naveen Kondru, Tracy Nichols, Aaron Lehmkuhl, Bruce Thomsen, Rodger Main, Patrick Halbur, Somak Dutta, Anumantha G. Kanthasamy

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Prion diseases are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) characterized by fatal, progressive neurologic diseases with prolonged incubation periods and an accumulation of infectious misfolded prion proteins. Antemortem diagnosis is often difficult due to a long asymptomatic incubation period, differences in the pathogenesis of different prions, and the presence of very low levels of infectious prion in easily accessible samples. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a TSE affecting both wild and captive populations of cervids, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose, muntjac, and most recently, wild reindeer. This study represents a well-controlled evaluation of a newly developed real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) …

Changes In White Cell Estimates And Plasma Chemistry Measurements Following Oral Or External Dosing Of Double-Crested Cormorants, Phalacocorax Auritus, With Artificially Weathered Mc252 Oil, Karen M. Dean, Steven J. Bursian, Dave Cacela, Michael W. Carney, Fred L. Cunningham, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Kate A. Healy, Katherine E. Horak, Jane E. Link, Ian Lipton, Andrew K. Mcfadden, Moira A. Mckernan, Kendal E. Harr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Scoping studies were designed whereby double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus) were dosed with artificially weathered Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil either daily through oil injected feeder fish, or by application of oil directly to feathers every three days. Preening results in oil ingestion, and may be an effective means of orally dosing birds with toxicant to improve our understanding of the full range of physiological effects of oral oil ingestion on birds. Blood samples collected every 5–6 days were analyzed for a number of clinical endpoints including white blood cell (WBC) estimates and differential cell counts. Plasma biochemical evaluations were …

Rising Fluoroquinolone Resistance In Campylobacter Isolated From Feedlot Cattle In The United States, Yizhi Tang, Orhan Sahin, Nada Pavlovic, Jeff Lejeune, James C. Carlson, Zuowei Wu, Lei Dai, Qijing Zhang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antibiotic resistance, particularly to fluoroquinolones and macrolides, in the major foodborne pathogen Campylobacter is considered a serious threat to public health. Although ruminant animals serve as a significant reservoir for Campylobacter, limited information is available on antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter of bovine origin. Here, we analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibilities of 320 C. jejuni and 115 C. coli isolates obtained from feedlot cattle farms in multiple states in the U.S. The results indicate that fluoroquinolone resistance reached to 35.4% in C. jejuni and 74.4% in C. coli, which are significantly higher than those previously reported in the U.S. While all fluoroquinolone resistant …

Wide But Variable Distribution Of A Hypervirulent Campylobacter Jejuni Clone In Beef And Dairy Cattle In The United States, Yizhi Tang, Richard J. Meinersmann, Orhan Sahin, Zuowei Wu, Lei Dai, James C. Carlson, Jodie Plumblee Lawrence, Linda Genzlinger, Jeffrey T. Lejeune, Qijing Zhang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Campylobacter jejuni clone SA is the major cause of sheep abortion and contributes significantly to foodborne illnesses in the United States. Clone SA is hypervirulent because of its distinct ability to produce systemic infection and its predominant role in clinical sheep abortion. Despite the importance of clone SA, little is known about its distribution and epidemiological features in cattle. Here we describe a prospective study on C. jejuni clone SA prevalence in 35 feedlots in 5 different states in the United States and a retrospective analysis of clone SA in C. jejuni isolates collected by National Animal Health Monitoring System …

Bird Feeders As Locations For Skunk Uptake Of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits, Tad C. Theimer, Tisheena Talk, Shylo Johnson, David L. Bergman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Significantly more (54%, P=0.003) placebo baits placed under 26 bird feeders in Arizona, US were removed by striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) than at paired, nonfeeder locations (19%). Baiting at bird feeders could supplement traditional oral rabies vaccine bait placement in urban-suburban areas while engaging the public in rabies control efforts.

Efficacy Of An Acoustic Hailing Device As An Avian Dispersal Tool, Peter E. Schlichting, Amanda E. Holland, James C. Beasley, Albert L. Bryan, Robert A. Kennamer, Travis L. Devault, Bradley F. Blackwell, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird strikes are a major safety and financial concern for modern aviation. Audible stimuli are common bird dispersal techniques, but their effectiveness is limited by the saliency and relevance of the stimulus. Furthermore, high ambient sound levels present at airfields might require that effective audible stimuli rely more on total volume (i.e., exceeding physiological tolerances) than ecological relevance. Acoustic hailing devices (AHD) are capable of sound output with a narrow beamwidth and at volumes high enough to cause physical discomfort at long distances. We tested the effectiveness of anAHD as a dispersal tool on freeranging birds recognized as hazardous to …

Identification Of Brucella Spp. In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) At Abattoirs In Texas, Usa, Kerri Pedersen, N. E. Bauer, S. Olsen, A. M. Arenas-Gamboa, A. C. Henry, T. D. Sibley, T. Gidlewski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Various tissues, nasal swabs, urine and blood samples were collected from 376 feral swine at two federally inspected abattoirs in Texas during six separate sampling periods in 2015. Samples were tested for Brucella spp. by culture and serology. Brucella spp. were cultured from 13.0% of feral swine, and antibodies were detected in 9.8%. Only 32.7% of culture-positive feral swine were also antibody positive, and 43.2% of antibody-positive feral swine were culture positive. Approximately, the same number of males (14.0%) and females (12.1%) were culture positive, and slightly more males (10.5%) than females (8.7%) were antibody positive. Our results indicate that …

Survival And Habitat Selection Of Canada Geese During Autumn And Winter In Metropolitan Chicago, Usa, Brett E. Dorak, Michael P. Ward, Michael W. Eichholz, Brian E. Washburn, Timothy P. Lyons, Heath M. Hagy

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Winter distribution and resource use of animals is driven by myriad interacting biotic and abiotic factors. Urban areas provide sanctuaries from hunting for game animals and may have thermal benefits during winter through reduced thermoregulatory costs. We deployed cellular GPS transmitters affixed to neck collars of 41 Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area (GCMA) of northeastern Illinois, USA, to determine habitat selection and survival during autumn and winter. Canada Geese selected green spaces (59.8%) in greater proportion than available (14%), but they also regularly used industrial urban habitats such as rooftops and rail yards …

Prevalence Of Feral Swine Disturbance At Important Archaeological Sites Over A Large Landscape In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Joseph S. Meyer, John B. Allen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine are globally known as one of the most destructive invasive vertebrates, damaging native habitats, native plants and animals, agriculture, infrastructure, spreading diseases. There has been little quantification on their disturbance to archaeological sites across a broad landscape. Over 6 years we inspected 293 significant archaeological sites for swine disturbance across a vast area. We found a 42% prevalence of swine disturbance among all sites, with prevalence not distinguishable among prehistoric sites, historic sites, and sites with both components. The areas of disturbance mapped within three historic homestead sites showed 5–26% of total site surface area rooted. Disturbance was …

Using Species Distribution Models To Define Nesting Habitat Of The Eastern Metapopulation Of Double-Crested Cormorants, Kate L. Sheehan, Samuel T. Esswein, Brian S. Dorr, Greg K. Yarrow, Ron J. Johnson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

When organisms with similar phenotypes have conflicting management and conservation initiatives, approaches are needed to differentiate among subpopulations or discrete groups. For example, the eastern metapopulation of the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) has a migratory phenotype that is culled because they are viewed as a threat to commercial and natural resources, whereas resident birds are targeted for conservation. Understanding the distinct breeding habitats of resident versus migratory cormorants would aid in identification and management decisions. Here, we use species distribution models (SDM: Maxent) of cormorant nesting habitat to examine the eastern P. auritus metapopulation and the predicted breeding …

Inferring Infection Hazard In Wildlife Populations By Linking Data Across Individual And Population Scales, Kim M. Pepin, Shannon L. Kay, Ben D. Golas, Susan A. Shriner, Amy T. Gilbert, Ryan S. Miller, Andrea L. Graham, Steven Riley, Paul C. Cross, Michael D. Samuel, Mevin B. Hooten, Jennifer A. Hoeting, James O. Lloyd-Smith, Colleen T. Webb, Michael G. Buhnerkempe

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Our ability to infer unobservable disease-dynamic processes such as force of infection (infection hazard for susceptible hosts) has transformed our understanding of disease transmission mechanisms and capacity to predict disease dynamics. Conventional methods for inferring FOI estimate a time-averaged value and are based on population-level processes. Because many pathogens exhibit epidemic cycling and FOI is the result of processes acting across the scales of individuals and populations, a flexible framework that extends to epidemic dynamics and links within-host processes to FOI is needed. Specifically, within-host antibody kinetics in wildlife hosts can be short-lived and produce patterns that are repeatable across …

An Evaluation Of The Use Of Pentosidine As A Biomarker For Ageing Turtles, John B. Iverson, Randal S. Stahl, Carol Furcolow, Fred Kraus

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concentrations of the biomarker pentosidine have been shown to be useful measures of age for a number of avian and mammalian species. However, no study has examined its usefulness as an age marker in a long-lived ectotherm despite the fact that such a marker could prove useful in understanding age distributions of populations subject to conservation programmes. Therefore, we evaluated pentosidine concentrations in the interdigital webbing of 117 female yellow mud turtles (Kinosternon flavescens) at a 35 year study site in western Nebraska where nearly all turtles are of known age. Pentosidine concentrations were extraordinarily low and positively …

Field-Based Evaluation Of A Male-Specific (F+) Rna Coliphage Concentration Method, J. C. Chandler, A. Pérez-Méndez, J. Paar Iii, M. M. Doolittle, B. Bisha, L. D. Goodridge

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fecal contamination of water poses a significant risk to public health due to the potential presence of pathogens, including enteric viruses. Therefore, sensitive, reliable and easy to use methods for the concentration, detection and quantification of microorganisms associated with the safety and quality of water are needed. In this study, we performed a field evaluation of an anion exchange resin-based method to concentrate male-specific (F + ) RNA coliphages (FRNA), fecal indicator organisms, from diverse environmental waters that were suspected to be contaminated with feces. In this system, FRNA coliphages are adsorbed to anion exchange resin and direct nucleic acid …