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2009

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An Overview Of Systematics And Evolution Of Ticks, Santiago Nava, Alberto A. Guglielmone, Atilio J. Mangold Jan 2009

An Overview Of Systematics And Evolution Of Ticks, Santiago Nava, Alberto A. Guglielmone, Atilio J. Mangold

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

All species of ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are grouped into three families: Argasidae (186 species), Ixodidae (692 species), and Nuttalliellidae (monotypic). Molecular markers have been developed and applied for tick studies along with conventional techniques. The origin of ticks is during the pre-mid Cretaceous period (with both the Argasidae and Ixodidae being established in the middle Cretaceous). Primeval hosts were probably reptiles or amphibians. The Argasidae contains two to five subfamilies according to authors but relationships among its members are far from resolved. The Ixodidae were formed by the basal Prostriata group (genus Ixodes, subfamily Ixodinae) and the Metastriata group …

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Paleoparasitology Of Chagas Disease - A Review, Adauto Araujo, Ann Maria Jansen, Karl Reinhard, Luiz F. Ferreira Jan 2009

Paleoparasitology Of Chagas Disease - A Review, Adauto Araujo, Ann Maria Jansen, Karl Reinhard, Luiz F. Ferreira

Karl Reinhard Publications

One hundred years since the discovery of Chagas disease associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection, growing attention has focused on understanding the evolution in parasite-human host interaction. This interest has featured studies and results from paleoparasitology, not only the description of lesions in mummified bodies, but also the recovery of genetic material from the parasite and the possibility of analyzing such material over time. The present study reviews the evidence of Chagas disease in organic remains excavated from archeological sites and discusses two findings in greater detail, both with lesions suggestive of chagasic megacolon and confirmed by molecular biology techniques. One …

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Panarchy: Discontinuities Reveal Similarities In The Dynamic System Structure Of Ecological And Social Systems, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Craig R. Allen, Lance Gunderson Jan 2009

Panarchy: Discontinuities Reveal Similarities In The Dynamic System Structure Of Ecological And Social Systems, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Craig R. Allen, Lance Gunderson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In this paper, we review the empirical evidence of discontinuous distributions in complex systems within the context of panarchy theory and discuss the significance of discontinuities for understanding emergent properties such as resilience. Over specific spatial-temporal scale ranges, complex systems can configure in a variety of regimes, each defined by a characteristic set of self-organized structures and processes. A system may remain within a regime or dramatically shift to another regime. Understanding the drivers of regime shifts has provided critical insight into system structure and resilience. Although analyses of regime shifts have tended to focus on the system level, new …

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Impact Of Empire Expansion On Household Diet: The Inka In Northern Chile’S Atacama Desert, Sheila D. Vinton, Linda Perry, Karl J. Reinhard, Calogero M. Santoro, Isabel Teixeira-Santos Jan 2009

Impact Of Empire Expansion On Household Diet: The Inka In Northern Chile’S Atacama Desert, Sheila D. Vinton, Linda Perry, Karl J. Reinhard, Calogero M. Santoro, Isabel Teixeira-Santos

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The impact of expanding civilization on the health of American indigenous societies has long been studied. Most studies have focused on infections and malnutrition that occurred when less complex societies were incorporated into more complex civilizations. The details of dietary change, however, have rarely been explored. Using the analysis of starch residues recovered from coprolites, here we evaluate the dietary adaptations of indigenous farmers in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert during the time that the Inka Empire incorporated these communities into their economic system. This system has been described as ‘‘complementarity’’ because it involves interaction and trade in goods produced at …

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Book Review: The Mermaid’S Tale: Four Billion Years Of Cooperation In The Making Of Living Things By Kenneth M. Weiss And Anne V. Buchanan, Harvard University Press, 2009, Daniel R. Brooks Jan 2009

Book Review: The Mermaid’S Tale: Four Billion Years Of Cooperation In The Making Of Living Things By Kenneth M. Weiss And Anne V. Buchanan, Harvard University Press, 2009, Daniel R. Brooks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Book review of The Mermaid’s Tale: Four Billion Years of Cooperation in the Making of Living Things by Kenneth M. Weiss and Anne V. Buchanan. Harvard University Press, 2009, ISBN: 9780674031937.

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Evaluation Of Some Vulval Appendages In Nematode Taxonomy, Lynn K. Carta, Zafar A. Handoo, Eric P. Hoberg, Eric F. Erbe, William P. Wergin Jan 2009

Evaluation Of Some Vulval Appendages In Nematode Taxonomy, Lynn K. Carta, Zafar A. Handoo, Eric P. Hoberg, Eric F. Erbe, William P. Wergin

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A survey of the nature and phylogenetic distribution of nematode vulval appendages revealed 3 major classes based on composition, position, and orientation that included membranes, flaps, and epiptygmata. Minor classes included cuticular inflations, protruding vulvar appendages of extruded gonadal tissues, vulval ridges, and peri-vulval pits. Vulval membranes were found in Mermithida, Triplonchida, Chromadorida, Rhabditidae, Panagrolaimidae, Tylenchida, and Trichostrongylidae. Vulval flaps were found in Desmodoroidea, Mermithida, Oxyuroidea, Tylenchida, Rhabditida, and Trichostrongyloidea. Epiptygmata were present within Aphelenchida, Tylenchida, Rhabditida, including the diverged Steinernematidae, and Enoplida. Within the Rhabditida, vulval ridges occurred in Cervidellus, peri-vulval pits in Strongyloides, cuticular inflations in …

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Triacylglyceride Metabolism By Fusarium Graminearum During Colonization And Sexual Development On Wheat, John C. Guenther, Heather E. Hallen-Adams, Heike Bücking, Yair Shachar-Hill, Frances Trail Jan 2009

Triacylglyceride Metabolism By Fusarium Graminearum During Colonization And Sexual Development On Wheat, John C. Guenther, Heather E. Hallen-Adams, Heike Bücking, Yair Shachar-Hill, Frances Trail

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Fusarium graminearum, a devastating pathogen of small grains, overwinters on crop residues and produces ephemeral perithecia. Accumulation of lipids in overwintering hyphae would provide reserves for overwinter survival and perithecium development. Fatty acid composition of cultures during perithecium development indicated a drop in neutral lipid levels during development but little change in fatty acid composition across stages. Microscopic examination of cultures early in sexual development revealed hyphal cells engorged with lipid bodies. In comparison, vegetative hyphae contained few lipid bodies. Microarray analysis was performed on wheat stems at stages of colonization through perithecium development. Gene expression analysis during stages of …

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Diet-Induced Metabolic Improvements In A Hamster Model Of Hypercholesterolemia Are Strongly Linked To Alterations Of The Gut Microbiota, Inés Martínez, Chaomei Zhang, Ryan Legge, Andrew K. Benson, Timothy P. Carr, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Jens Walter Jan 2009

Diet-Induced Metabolic Improvements In A Hamster Model Of Hypercholesterolemia Are Strongly Linked To Alterations Of The Gut Microbiota, Inés Martínez, Chaomei Zhang, Ryan Legge, Andrew K. Benson, Timothy P. Carr, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The mammalian gastrointestinal microbiota exerts a strong influence on host lipid and cholesterol metabolism. In this study, we have characterized the interplay among diet, gut microbial ecology, and cholesterol metabolism in a hamster model of hypercholesterolemia. Previous work in this model had shown that grain sorghum lipid extract (GSL) included in the diet significantly improved the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/ non-HDL cholesterol equilibrium (T. P. Carr, C. L. Weller, V. L. Schlegel, S. L. Cuppett, D. M. Guderian, Jr., and K. R. Johnson, J. Nutr. 135:2236-2240, 2005). Molecular analysis of the hamsters’ fecal bacterial populations by pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA tags, …

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Characterizing Forest Succession With Lidar Data: An Evaluation For The Inland Northwest, Usa, Michael J. Falkowski, Jeffrey S. Evans, Sebastián Martinuzzi, Paul E. Gessler, Andrew T. Hudak Jan 2009

Characterizing Forest Succession With Lidar Data: An Evaluation For The Inland Northwest, Usa, Michael J. Falkowski, Jeffrey S. Evans, Sebastián Martinuzzi, Paul E. Gessler, Andrew T. Hudak

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Quantifying forest structure is important for sustainable forest management, as it relates to a wide variety of ecosystem processes and services. Lidar data have proven particularly useful for measuring or estimating a suite of forest structural attributes such as canopy height, basal area, and LAI. However, the potential of this technology to characterize forest succession remains largely untested. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of lidar data for characterizing forest successional stages across a structurally diverse, mixed-species forest in Northern Idaho. We used a variety of lidar-derived metrics in conjunction with an algorithmic modeling procedure (Random …

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Enhancing The Perceived Threat Of Vehicle Approach To Deer, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans Jan 2009

Enhancing The Perceived Threat Of Vehicle Approach To Deer, Bradley F. Blackwell, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In North America and Europe, deer (Cervidae)–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are common and result not only in injury and death to the animals involved, but also human injury and property damage. Given that most DVCs occur during crepuscular periods, we questioned whether the perceived threat to deer posed by vehicle approach could be enhanced. We hypothesized that a vehicle-based lighting system that better complements peak visual capabilities of deer at night relative to standard tungsten-halogen (TH) lighting alone would elicit a greater flight-initiation distance (FID) by free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Our lighting system comprised 2 TH lamps and …

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Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan Jan 2009

Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwell, Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antipredator behaviour theory provides a framework to understand the mechanisms behind human– wildlife interactions; however, little is known about the role of visual systems in the responses to humans. We quantified responses of brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater (Boddaert), and mourning doves, Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus), to object approach (a ground-based vehicle) and vehicle lighting regimen, and we examined two visual properties (visual acuity and visual fields) that could influence antipredator behaviour. Brown-headed cowbird groups exposed to vehicle approach and constant illumination of the vehicle-mounted lamp showed alert behaviour earlier than did groups exposed to pulsating treatments or no lamp. Interestingly, light …

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Regional Assessment On Influence Of Landscape Configuration And Connectivity On Range Size Of White-Tailed Deer, W. David Walter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Henry Campa Iii, William R. Clark, Justin W. Fischer, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Nancy E. Mathews, Clayton K. Nielsen, Eric M. Schauber, Timothy R. Van Deelen, Scott R. Winterstein Jan 2009

Regional Assessment On Influence Of Landscape Configuration And Connectivity On Range Size Of White-Tailed Deer, W. David Walter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Henry Campa Iii, William R. Clark, Justin W. Fischer, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Nancy E. Mathews, Clayton K. Nielsen, Eric M. Schauber, Timothy R. Van Deelen, Scott R. Winterstein

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Variation in the size of home range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has broad implications for managing populations, agricultural damage, and disease spread and transmission. Size of home range of deer also varies seasonally because plant phenology dictates the vegetation types that are used as foraging or resting sites. Knowledge of the landscape configuration and connectivity that contributes to variation in size of home range of deer for the region is needed to fully understand differences and similarities of deer ecology throughout the Midwest. We developed a research team from four Midwestern states to investigate how size of …

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Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of Wild Turkeys In Northern Indiana, Lee A. Humberg, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr. Jan 2009

Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of Wild Turkeys In Northern Indiana, Lee A. Humberg, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Information regarding survival and cause-specific mortality of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) is vital to their management, especially in small or isolated populations. Between January 2003 and August 2005, we used radio telemetry to investigate survival and cause-specific mortality of 87 [44 male (24 adult and 20 juvenile) and 43 female (34 adult and 9 juvenile)] wild turkeys in northern Indiana. We estimated annual and seasonal survival using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. Mean male and female annual survival estimates were 0.257 and 0.777, respectively. Annual survival estimates were different between sexes within years, but were homogenous within …

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Identification Of 24 Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers For The Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Auritus), Jennifer A. Fike, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr. Jan 2009

Identification Of 24 Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers For The Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Auritus), Jennifer A. Fike, Travis L. Devault, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Twenty-four polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). The number of alleles ranged from two to 13 and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.032 to 0.871. The use of these loci should enable researchers and biologists to learn more about the population structure and ecology of this species.

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Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwelll, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan Jan 2009

Avian Visual System Configuration And Behavioural Response To Object Approach, Bradley F. Blackwelll, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Thomas W. Seamans, Tracy Dolan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antipredator behavior theory provides a framework to understand the mechanisms behind human–wildlife interactions; however, little is known about the role of visual systems in the responses to humans. We quantified responses of brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater (Boddaert), and mourning doves, Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus), to object approach (a ground-based vehicle) and vehicle lighting regimen, and we examined two visual properties (visual acuity and visual fields) that could influence antipredator behavior. Brown-headed cowbird groups exposed to vehicle approach and constant illumination of the vehicle-mounted lamp showed alert behavior earlier than did groups exposed to pulsating treatments or no lamp. Interestingly, light treatments …

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Use Of Infrared Thermography To Detect Thermographic Changes In Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) Experimentally Infected With Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Mike R. Dunbar, Shylo R. Johnson, Jack C. Ryan, Matt Mccollum Jan 2009

Use Of Infrared Thermography To Detect Thermographic Changes In Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) Experimentally Infected With Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Mike R. Dunbar, Shylo R. Johnson, Jack C. Ryan, Matt Mccollum

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Infrared thermography (IRT) measures the heat emitted from a surface, displays that information as a pictorial representation called a thermogram, and is capable of being a remote, noninvasive technology that provides information on the health of an animal. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) caused by FMD virus (FMDV) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals, including both domestic and wild ruminants. Early detection of the disease may reduce economic loss and loss of susceptible wildlife. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of IRT to detect possible heat changes associated with sites of infection with FMDV …

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Selective Foraging For Anthropogenic Resources By Black Bears: Minivans In Yosemite National Park, Stewart W. Breck, Nathan Lance, Victoria Seher Jan 2009

Selective Foraging For Anthropogenic Resources By Black Bears: Minivans In Yosemite National Park, Stewart W. Breck, Nathan Lance, Victoria Seher

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black bears (Ursus americanus) forage selectively in natural environments. To determine if bears also forage selectively for anthropogenic resources we analyzed data on vehicles broken into by bears from Yosemite National Park, California. We classified vehicles into 9 categories based on their make and model and collected data on use (2001–2007) and availability (2004–2005). From 2001 to 2007 bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%). Only use of minivans (29%) during 2004–2005 was …

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Dogs Gone Wild: Feral Dog Damage In The United States, David Bergman, Stewart W. Breck, Scott Bender Jan 2009

Dogs Gone Wild: Feral Dog Damage In The United States, David Bergman, Stewart W. Breck, Scott Bender

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral dogs have been documented in all 50 states and estimates of damage in the U.S. from these animals amount to >$620 million annually. In Texas alone, it is estimated that over $5 million in damage to livestock annually can be attributed to feral dogs. We reviewed national statistics on feral dog damage reported to USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services for a 10-year period from 1997 through 2006. Damage by feral dogs crossed multiple resource categories (e.g., agriculture, natural resources); some examples of damage include killing and affecting the behavior and habitat use of native wildlife; killing and maiming livestock; and …

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Spatial Partitioning Of Predation Risk In A Multiple Predator–Multiple Prey System, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Kyran Kunkel Jan 2009

Spatial Partitioning Of Predation Risk In A Multiple Predator–Multiple Prey System, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Kyran Kunkel

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Minimizing risk of predation from multiple predators can be difficult, particularly when the risk effects of one predator species may influence vulnerability to a second predator species. We decomposed spatial risk of predation in a 2-predator, 2-prey system into relative risk of encounter and, given an encounter, conditional relative risk of being killed. Then, we generated spatially explicit functions of total risk of predation for each prey species (elk [Cervus elaphus] and mule deer [Odocoileus hemionus]) by combining risks of encounter and kill. For both mule deer and elk, topographic and vegetation type effects, along with …

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Sapro-Zoonotic Risks Posed By Wild Birds In Agricultural Landscapes, Larry Clark Jan 2009

Sapro-Zoonotic Risks Posed By Wild Birds In Agricultural Landscapes, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There are over 1400 catalogued human pathogens, with approximately 62% classified as zoonotic (Taylor et al., 2001). Most evidence of direct transmission of pathogens to humans involves domestic and companion animals, whereas the reservoir for most zoonoses is wildlife; yet there are relatively few well-documented cases for the direct involvement of transmission from wildlife to humans (Kruse et al., 2004). In part, this absence of evidence reflects the mobility of wildlife, the difficulty accessing relevant samples, and the smaller number of studies focused on characterizing wildlife pathogens relative to the human and veterinary literature (McDiarmid, 1969; Davis et al., 1971; …

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Spatial Ecologyand Social Interactions Of Jaguars (Panthera Onca) In The Southern Pantanal, Brazil, Sandra M. C. Cavalcanti, Eric M. Gese Jan 2009

Spatial Ecologyand Social Interactions Of Jaguars (Panthera Onca) In The Southern Pantanal, Brazil, Sandra M. C. Cavalcanti, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Pantanal of Brazil is an important area for the conservation of jaguars (Panthera onca). As the size of traditional large ranches in the Pantanal decreases, human access to jaguar habitat increases, resulting in human-altered landscapes that may influence patterns of resource selection and space use by jaguars. We used global positioning system radiocollars to study jaguars in the southern Pantanal. We radiocollared 10 jaguars (6 males and 4 females), obtained 11,787 locations, and examined their space use, movement rates, and social interactions between October 2001 and April 2004. Estimates of 90% kernel home ranges varied among animals …

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Influence Of Exogenous Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone On Seasonal Reproductive Behavior Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans), D. A. Carlson, E. M. Gese Jan 2009

Influence Of Exogenous Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone On Seasonal Reproductive Behavior Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans), D. A. Carlson, E. M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild Canis species such as the coyote (C. latrans) express a suite of reproductive traits unusual among mammals, including perennial pair-bonds and paternal care of the young. Coyotes also are monestrous, and both sexes are fertile only in winter; thus, they depend upon social and physiologic synchrony for successful reproduction. To investigate the mutability of seasonal reproduction in coyotes, we attempted to evoke an out-of-season estrus in October using one of two short-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agents: (1) a GnRH analogue, deslorelin (6-D-tryptophan-9-(N-ethyl-L-prolinamide)-10-deglycinamide), 2.1 mg pellet sc; or (2) gonadorelin, a GnRH (5-oxoPro-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-GlyNH2) porcine hypothalamic extract, …

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Feral Swine Damage And Damage Management In Forested Ecosystems, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long Jan 2009

Feral Swine Damage And Damage Management In Forested Ecosystems, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) cause deleterious impacts to ecosystem processes and functioning throughout their worldwide distribution, including forested ecosystems in the United States. Unfortunately, many feral swine damage management programs are conducted in a piecemeal fashion, are not adequately funded, and lack clearly stated or realistic objectives. This review paper identifies damage caused by feral swine to forest resources and presents techniques used to prevent and control feral swine damage. Concluding points related to planning a feral swine damage management program are: (1) the value of using a variety of techniques in an integrated fashion cannot be …

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Feral Swine Contact With Domestic Swine: A Serologic Survey And Assessment Of Potential For Disease Transmission, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2009

Feral Swine Contact With Domestic Swine: A Serologic Survey And Assessment Of Potential For Disease Transmission, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are present in 38 of the 50 United States, and their populations continue to expand. Domestic swine are widely regarded as vulnerable to diseases harbored by feral swine. Our objectives were to determine antibody prevalence for selected pathogens in Texas feral swine populations and identify contact events between feral and domestic swine. Overall prevalence of antibodies against brucellosis and pseudorabies virus was 11% and 30%, respectively. Antibodies to porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus were detected in 3% of feral swine from southern Texas. All samples tested negative for antibodies to classical swine fever …

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Protein Hydrolysates Are Avoided By Herbivores But Not By Omnivores In Two-Choice Preference Tests, Kristin L. Field, Alexander Bachmanov, Julie A. Mennella, Gary K. Beauchamp, Bruce A. Kimball Jan 2009

Protein Hydrolysates Are Avoided By Herbivores But Not By Omnivores In Two-Choice Preference Tests, Kristin L. Field, Alexander Bachmanov, Julie A. Mennella, Gary K. Beauchamp, Bruce A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: The negative sensory properties of casein hydrolysates (HC) often limit their usage in products intended for human consumption, despite HC being nutritious and having many functional benefits. Recent, but taxonomically limited, evidence suggests that other animals also avoid consuming HC when alternatives exist.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated ingestive responses of five herbivorous species (guinea pig, mountain beaver, gopher, vole, and rabbit) and five omnivorous species (rat, coyote, house mouse, white-footed mouse, and deer mouse; N = 16–18/species) using solid foods containing 20% HC in a series of two-choice preference tests that used a nonprotein, cellulose-based alternative. Individuals …

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“Species Pollution” In Florida: A Cross-Section Of Invasive Vertebrate Issues And Management Responses, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Scott Hardin, Henry Smith, Walter Meshaka Jr. Jan 2009

“Species Pollution” In Florida: A Cross-Section Of Invasive Vertebrate Issues And Management Responses, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Scott Hardin, Henry Smith, Walter Meshaka Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The state of Florida as among the two worst invasive species problems in the USA. Besides the sheer numbers of established exotic species in Florida, many present novel difficulties for management, or have other characteristics making effective management extremely challenging. Moreover, initiation of management action requires more than recognition by experts that a potentially harmful species has become established. It also requires the political will along with concomitant resources and appropriate personnel to develop effective methods and apply them. We illustrate various aspects of the situation in Florida with examples of invasive vertebrates, the problems they pose(d), and management approaches …

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Working Dogs: The Last Line Of Defense For Preventing Dispersal Of Brown Treesnakes From Guam, Daniel S. Vice, Richard M. Engeman, Marc A. Hall, Craig S. Clark Jan 2009

Working Dogs: The Last Line Of Defense For Preventing Dispersal Of Brown Treesnakes From Guam, Daniel S. Vice, Richard M. Engeman, Marc A. Hall, Craig S. Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The inadvertent introduction of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam resulted in unprecedented losses to the island’s fragile ecology and economy. A primary management objective is preventing the spread of brown treesnakes to other locations via Guam’s transportation network. To achieve this, snake populations are suppressed in and around port and cargo staging areas through an integrated wildlife damage management approach, with the last line of defense for preventing their entrance into the outbound cargo flow inspection by trained snake detector dogs. The efficacy of working dogs on Guam has been evaluated from a variety of aspects.

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Biomphalaria Havanensis Identified As A Potential Intermediate Host For The Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms Damnificus, Marlena Yost, Linda Pote, David J. Wise, Brian Dorr, Terry Richardson Jan 2009

Biomphalaria Havanensis Identified As A Potential Intermediate Host For The Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms Damnificus, Marlena Yost, Linda Pote, David J. Wise, Brian Dorr, Terry Richardson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The digenetic trematode Bolbophorus damnificus has been associated with mortalities in commercial channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in the Mississippi Delta. In the life cycle of B. damnificus, the only confirmed first intermediate host is the ram's horn snail Planorbella trivolvis. Recently, the exotic snail Biomphalaria havanensis has been isolated in several channel catfish ponds in the Mississippi Delta. The aim of this study was to determine whether this invasive snail species could also serve as a fist intermediate host in the B. damnificus life cycle. Bolbophorus damnificus ova were collected from an American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos that …

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Experimental Bolbophorus Damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) Infections In Piscivorous Birds, Cynthia M. Doffitt, Linda M. Pote, D. Tommy King Jan 2009

Experimental Bolbophorus Damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) Infections In Piscivorous Birds, Cynthia M. Doffitt, Linda M. Pote, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In order to determine potential definitive hosts of the digenetic trematode, Bolbophorus damnificus, two American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), two Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), two Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias), and two Great Egrets (Ardea alba) were captured, treated with praziquantel, and fed channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) infected with B. damnificus metacercariae. Patent infections of B. damnificus, which developed in both American White Pelicans at 3 days post-infection, were confirmed by the presence of trematode ova in the feces. Mature B. damnificus trematodes were recovered from the intestines …

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Field Test Of A Single-Injection Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Female White-Tailed Deer, James P. Gionfriddo, John D. Eisemann, Kevin J. Sullivan, Ronald S. Healey, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman, Christi A. Yoder Jan 2009

Field Test Of A Single-Injection Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Female White-Tailed Deer, James P. Gionfriddo, John D. Eisemann, Kevin J. Sullivan, Ronald S. Healey, Lowell A. Miller, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman, Christi A. Yoder

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The development and use of safe, effective and practical wildlife contraceptive agents could reduce reproduction in locally overabundant deer populations in situations where traditional management tools such as regulated hunting cannot be employed. GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (the commercial name for a particular gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based emulsion) was tested in adult female white-tailed deer in a fenced herd near Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. Observations of udder condition were used to identify does that had become pregnant. Necropsy observations, histopathology and serum concentrations of anti-GnRH antibodies, luteinising hormone and progesterone were used to compare health and reproductive status of treated (n = …

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