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Teaching About Organized Racism, Kathleen Blee, Kelsy Burke

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The challenges of teaching about organized racism are different than those found in teaching about other aspects of American race relations. On the one hand, it can be quite easy to engage students in the topic of organized racism, at least on a surface level, as the vile propaganda and violent actions of racist groups and movements are sensational and provocative. Students across racial lines, like the general public, for the most part have strong negative opinions about the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and racist skinheads and are eager to share these (Nelson et al. 1997; Schuman et al. 1997). …

Winter Space Use Of Coyotes In High-Elevation Environments: Behavioral Adaptations To Deep-Snow Landscapes, Jennifer L.B. Dowd, Eric M. Gese, Lise M. Aubry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the last century, coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range geographically, but have also expanded their use of habitats within currently occupied regions. Because coyotes are not morphologically adapted for travel in deep snow, we studied coyote space use patterns in a deep-snow landscape to examine behavioral adaptations enabling them to use high elevations during winter. We examined the influence of snow depth, snow penetrability, canopy cover, and habitat type, as well as the rates of prey and predator track encounters, on coyote travel distance in high-elevation terrain in northwestern Wyoming, USA. We backtracked 13 radio-collared coyotes for 265.41 …

Biology And Impacts Of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 11. Rattus Rattus, The Black Rat (Rodentia: Muridae), Aaron B. Shiels, William C. Pitt, Robert T. Sugihara, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The black rat, roof rat, or ship rat (Rattus rattus L.) is among the most widespread invasive vertebrates on islands and continents, and it is nearly ubiquitous on Pacific islands from the equatorial tropics to approximately 55 degrees latitude north and south. It survives well in human-dominated environments, natural areas, and islands where humans are not present. Rattus rattus is typically the most common invasive rodent in insular forests. Few vertebrates are more problematic to island biota and human livelihoods than R. rattus; it is well known to damage crops and stored foods, kill native species, and serve as a …

Potential Citric Acid Exposure And Toxicity To Hawaiian Hoary Bats (Lasiurus Cinereus Semotus) Associated With Eleutherodactylus Frog Control, William C. Pitt, Gary W. Witmer, Susan M. Jojola, Hans Sin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We examined potential exposure of Hawaiian hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) to citric acid, a minimum risk pesticide registered for control of invasive Eleutherodactylus frog populations. Hoary bats are nocturnal insectivores that roost solitarily in foliage, federally listed as endangered, and are endemic to Hawaii. Oral ingestion during grooming of contaminated fur appears to be the principal route by which these bats might be exposed to citric acid. We made assessments of oral toxicity, citric acid consumption, retention of material on fur, and grooming using big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) as a surrogate species. We evaluated both ground application and …

Detecting An Elusive Invasive Species: A Diagnostic Pcr To Detect Burmese Python In Florida Waters And An Assessment Of Persistence Of Environmental Dna, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Richard M. Engeman, Matthew W. Hopken, John S. Humphrey, Kandy L. Keacher, William E. Bruce, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Recent studies have demonstrated that detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) from aquatic vertebrates in water bodies is possible. The Burmese python, Python bivittatus, is a semi-aquatic, invasive species in Florida where its elusive nature and cryptic coloration make its detection difficult. Our goal was to develop a diagnostic PCR to detect P. bivittatus from water-borne eDNA, which could assist managers in monitoring this invasive species. First, we used captive P. bivittatus to determine whether reptilian DNA could be isolated and amplified from water samples. We also evaluated the efficacy of two DNA isolation methods and two DNA extraction kits commonly …

Using Quantitative Disease Dynamics As A Tool For Guiding Response To Avian Influenza In Poultry In The United States Of America, K. M. Pepin, E. Spackman, J. D. Brown, K. L. Pabilonia, Lindsey P. Garber, J. Todd Weaver, D. A. Kennedy, Kelly A. Patyk, K. P. Huyvaert, Ryan S. Miller, Alan B. Franklin, Kerri Pedersen, T. L. Bogich, P. Rohani, Susan A. Shriner, Colleen T. Webb, S. Riley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild birds are the primary source of genetic diversity for influenza A viruses that eventually emerge in poultry and humans. Much progress has been made in the descriptive ecology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), but contributions are less evident from quantitative studies (e.g., those including disease dynamic models). Transmission between host species, individuals and flocks has not been measured with sufficient accuracy to allow robust quantitative evaluation of alternate control protocols. We focused on the United States of America (USA) as a case study for determining the state of our quantitative knowledge of potential AIV emergence processes from wild hosts …

Morphologic And Molecular Identifications Of Digenetic Trematodes In Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Auritus) From The Mississippi Delta, Usa, Mary O'Hear, Linda Pote, Marlena Yost, Cynthia Doffitt, D. Tommy King, Carla Panuska

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing numbers of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Mississippi River Delta, USA, have been observed over the past few decades. This piscivorous bird is a definitive host for numerous digenetic trematodes, some of which may cause pathology in a fish host. We conducted a 2-yr survey of intestinal trematodes in 35 Double-crested Cormorants collected in the Mississippi Delta. We counted gastrointestinal trematodes, identified them to species using morphometric and molecular techniques, and sequenced the 18S and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes. We collected 4,909 trematodes, representing five digenetic species: Drepanocephalus spathans, Hysteromorpha triloba, Pseudopsilostoma varium, Austrodiplostomum ostrowskiae, and Ascocotyle …

Bird Use Of Solar Photovoltaic Installations At Us Airports: Implications For Aviation Safety, Travis L. Devault, Thomas W. Seamans, Jason A. Schmidt, Jerrold L. Belant, Bradley F. Blackwell, Nicole Mooers, Laura A. Tyson, Lolita Vanpelt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several airports in the US have recently installed large photovoltaic (PV) arrays near air-operations areas to offset energy demands, and the US Federal Aviation Administration has published guidelines for new solar installations on airport properties. Although an increased reliance on solar energy will likely benefit airports from environmental and economic perspectives, bird use of solar installations should be exam-ined before wide-scale implementation to determine whether such changes in land use adversely affect aviation safety by increasing risk of bird-aircraft collisions. We studied bird use of five pairs of PV arrays and nearby airport grasslands in Arizona, Colorado, and Ohio, over …

The Cumulative Effects Of Management On The Population Dynamics Of The Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax Auritus In The Great Lakes, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang, Terry J. Doyle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife species have been subject to control efforts throughout human history due to real or alleged human-wildlife conflicts. The Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus in the interior of North America is no exception, with recent population growth leading to increased conflicts and consequetly the development of many control programmes. These control programmes are usually conducted at local scales, often with little or no effort to assess their cumulative effects at the population level. We attempted the first comprehensive assessment of the cumulative effects of control at various spatio temporal scales, focusing on 199 colonies of Double-crested Cormorant monitored during a 29-year …

A Conceptual Model For The Impact Of Climate Change On Fox Rabies In Alaska, 1980–2010, B. I. Kim, J. D. Blanton, A. T. Gilbert, L. Castrodale, K. Hueffer, D. Slate, C. E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The direct and interactive effects of climate change on host species and infectious disease dynamics are likely to initially manifest at latitudinal extremes. As such, Alaska represents a region in the United States for introspection on climate change and disease. Rabies is enzootic among arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) throughout the northern polar region. In Alaska, arctic and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reservoirs for rabies, with most domestic animal and wildlife cases reported from northern and western coastal Alaska. Based on passive surveillance, a pronounced seasonal trend in rabid foxes occurs in Alaska, with a peak in winter and spring. …

Longevity Of Rodenticide Bait Pellets In A Tropical Environment Following A Rat Eradication Program, Are R. Berentsen, William C. Pitt, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive rodents (primarily Rattus spp.) are responsible for loss of biodiversity in island ecosystems worldwide. Large-scale rodenticide applications are typically used to eradicate rats and restore ecological communities. In tropical ecosystems, environmental conditions rapidly degrade baits and competition for baits by non-target animals can result in eradication failure. Our objective was to evaluate persistence of rodenticide baits during a rat eradication program on Palmyra Atoll; a remote tropical atoll with intense competition for resources by land crabs. Following aerial application, bait condition was monitored in four terrestrial environments and in the canopy foliage of coconut palms. Ten circular PVC hoops …

Bait Matrix Flavor Preference By Mongoose (Herpestes Auropunctatus) In Puerto Rico: Implications For Oral Rabies Vaccination, Are R. Berentsen, Shylo R. Johnson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) is the primary rabies vector in Puerto Rico. Mongooses are implicated in up to 74% of rabies cases on the island, and pose a threat to domestic animals and human health and safety. No rabies management program exists in Puerto Rico and development of an oral rabies vaccination program requires determining which flavors on the vaccine’s bait coating matrix that are attractive to mongooses. Our objective was to evaluate preference among three flavors (cheese, coconut and fish) in the Ultralite bait matrix that is used for delivery of Rabies Vaccine, Live Adenovirus Vector …

Weighing Empirical And Hypothetical Evidence For Assessing Potential Invasive Species Range Limits: A Review Of The Case Of Burmese Pythons In The Usa, Richard M. Engeman, Michael L. Avery, Elliot Jacobson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Range expansion potential is an important consideration for prioritizing management actions against an invasive species. Understanding the potential for range expansion by invasive reptiles such as the Burmese python can be challenging, because the lack of knowledge on fundamental physiological and behavioral constraints initially forces reliance on modeling to predict hypothetical invasive range potential. Hypothetical predictions for Burmese python range limits in the USA have been highly divergent, from only extreme South Florida and the extreme southern Gulf edge of Texas to a broad swath over the southern third of the continental USA. Empirical observations on python thermal tolerances and …

Determination Of Residue Levels Of Alphachloralose In Duck Tissues, David A. Goldade, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Alpha-chloralose (AC) is used to capture nuisance waterfowl so that they can be relocated. Concerns for food safety limit its use prior to or during the waterfowl hunting season. To determine its half-life in tissue, we administered AC to adult male (n = 7) and female (n = 5) mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) via oral gavage. A gel capsule containing 100 μCi of radioactive AC (¹⁴C-AC) and sufficient nonlabeled AC to produce a dose of approximately 30 mg/kg was given to each duck.The ducks were euthanized at 2, 6, 10, and 18 hours postdosing (n = …

Does Habitat Heterogeneity In A Multi-Use Landscape Influence Survival Rates And Density Of A Native Mesocarnivore?, Eric M. Gese, Craig M. Thompson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The relationships between predators, prey, and habitat have long been of interest to applied and basic ecologists. As a native Great Plains mesocarnivore of North America, swift foxes (Vulpes velox) depended on the historic disturbance regime to maintain open grassland habitat. With a decline in native grasslands and subsequent impacts to prairie specialists, notably the swift fox, understanding the influence of habitat on native predators is paramount to future management efforts. From 2001 to 2004, we investigated the influence of vegetation structure on swift fox population ecology (survival and density) on and around the Pin˜on Canyon Maneuver Site, …

Bat Rabies In Guatemala, James E. Ellison, Amy T. Gilbert, Sergio Recuenco, David Moran, Danilo A. Alvarez, Natalia Kuzmina, Daniel L. Garcia, Leonard F. Peruski, Mary T. Mendonca, Kim A. Lindblade, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies in bats is considered enzootic throughout the New World, but few comparative data are available for most countries in the region. As part of a larger pathogen detection program, enhanced bat rabies surveillance was conducted in Guatemala, between 2009 and 2011. A total of 672 bats of 31 species were sampled and tested for rabies. The prevalence of rabies virus (RABV) detection among all collected bats was low (0.3%). Viral antigens were detected and infectious virus was isolated from the brains of two common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). RABV was also isolated from oral swabs, lungs and …

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus Angustifolia) Dispersal By European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Ryan J. Edwards, Larry C. Clark, K. George Beck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studies were conducted to document that European starlings consume Russian olive fruits and determine subsequent effects on seed germination. In the first study, avian feeding patterns at Russian olive trees were monitored over a 1-yr period using motion activated digital photography. Starlings fed on Russian olive fruits with highest activity occurring in November and December. In a second study, 20 captive European starlings were fed Russian olive fruits and seed germination rates were determined for three categories: consumed by starlings, hulled fruits (pericarp removed), and whole fruits. Starlings readily consumed Russian olive fruits and most seeds were regurgitated 30 min …

Geographic Segregation And Evidence Of Density-Dependent Changes In Sex Ratios In An Abundant Colonial Waterbird, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Travis L. Devault, Alban Guillaumet, Scott C. Barras

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Demographic information, such as geographic segregation of sexes and sex ratio data, is needed to develop, model and evaluate conservation and management strategies for wildlife. A variety of physiological, behavioral and environmental factors can influence segregation of sexes and sex ratios, many of which originate with density- dependent processes. Departure from 50:50 sex ratios of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) collected during control efforts in breeding and wintering areas across their eastern range of the USA were evaluated using using a Z-test as well as Stouffer’s weighted Z-tests. In addition, a specifically-designed randomization test was used to evaluate density-dependent …

Evaluation Of Techniques To Reduce Deer And Elk Damage To Agricultural Crops, Heather E. Johnson, Justin W. Fischer, Matthew Hammond, Patricia D. Dorsey, W. David Walter, Charles Anderson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) provide important recreational, ecological, and economic benefits, but can also cause substantial damage to agricultural crops. Cervid damage to agriculture creates challenges for wildlife agencies responsible for minimizing crop depredation while maintaining healthy deer and elk populations. Sunflower producers in southwestern Colorado, USA, have experienced high deer and elk damage and were interested in temporary methods to reduce damage that were cost-effective for rotational crops. To address this challenge, we investigated 3 temporary, non-lethal exclusion and repellent techniques for reducing deer and elk damage to …

Evaluating The Effect Of Short-Term Capture And Handling On Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels In Mourning Doves, D. S. Jachowski, T. W. Wong, B. E. Washburn, J. H. Schulz, J. J. Millspaugh

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The measurement of stress hormones (i.e., glucocorticoids) has greatly advanced animal conservation. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite assays are valuable because they are noninvasive, but their ability to detect responses to short-term (<30 >min) stressors in a way similar to blood serum assays is comparatively less well understood. We evaluated whether fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) increased in captive wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) exposed to either a brief (<2 >min) capture, handling and release (CHR) or capture stress protocol (CSP; i.e., capture, hold for 30 min, release) treatment. Previous studies have shown that mourning doves exhibit elevated FGMs within 2-3 …

The Socioecology Of Monk Parakeets: Insights Into Parrot Social Complexity, Elizabeth A. Hobson, Michael L. Avery, Timonthy F. Wright

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In many species, individuals benefit from social associations, but they must balance these benefits with the costs of competition for resources. Understanding how these competing factors generate diversity in social systems is a major goal of behavioral ecology, but one that has been hampered by a lack of basic data quantifying many aspects of social structure and associations. Although parrots are generally assumed to have complex social groups, few studies have quantitatively examined these assumptions about parrot social structure. We critically assessed 4 assumptions about parrot socioecology using data from captive and wild groups of Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus …

Surveillance Of Feral Swine For Trichinella Spp. And Toxoplasmagondii In The Usa And Host-Related Factors Associatedwith Infection, D. E. Hill, J. P. Dubey, J. A. Baroch, S. R. Swafford, V. F. Fournet, D. Hawkins-Cooper, D. G. Pyburn, B. S. Schmit, H. R. Gamble, K. Pedersen, L. R. Ferreira, S. K. Verma, Y. Ying, O. C. H. Kwok, H. Feidas, G. Theodoropoulos

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are important zoonotic parasites that infect warmblooded animals and humans worldwide. Among domesticated food animals, pigs are themain host for Trichinella spiralis. Pigs, chickens, sheep, and goats are known to be infectedwith T. gondii at varying rates, depending on husbandry. Infections in wildlife with theseparasites are generally higher than in domesticated species. Feral swine act as reservoirsof infection in the sylvatic ecosystem for Trichinella spp. and T. gondii, acting as sourcesof infection for peridomestic carnivores whose home ranges overlap with domestic pigs.Feral swine can have direct contact with non-biosecure domestic pigs, presenting oppor-tunity …

The Spring Migration Of Adult North American Ospreys, Mark S. Martell, Richard O. Bierregaard Jr., Brian E. Washburn, John E. Elliott, Charles J. Henry, Robert S. Kennedy, Iain Macleod

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most North American Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are migratory, breeding in northern latitudes and migrating long distances to and from their wintering grounds in the tropics. Although fall migration patterns of North American Ospreys have been described and studied, very little has been published about the spring migration of these birds. We used satellite telemetry to: (1) determine the characteristics (timing, duration, migratory routes) of spring migrations of Ospreys; (2) determine if differences in spring migration patterns existed between sexes and among three breeding populations (east coast, midwestern, and western); and (3) compare consecutive fall and spring migrations of …

The Influence Of Breeding Experience On Nest Success In Red-Winged Blackbird, George M. Linz, Richard S. Sawin, Mark W. Lutman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a polygynous species, and females are typically responsible for the majority of parental care. Despite their limited involvement, males can contribute to reproduction through nest defense and the feeding of nestlings. Some aspects of nest defense may be learned, and older males are more likely to feed young, suggesting that males with previous breeding experience may enjoy higher nest success than their naïve counterparts. We manipulated territory ownership on 10 wetlands in central North Dakota in order to examine the influence of breeding experience on reproductive success. We found no evidence that …

Modeling Black Bear Population Dynamics In A Human-Dominated Stochastic Environment, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many large carnivore populations exist in human-influenced stochastic environments where availability of natural food sources vary annually and anthropogenic food sources can supplement energetic demands, but at a potential demographic cost due to human–wildlife conflict and subsequent conflict management. Understanding how these competing factors influence a population is complex and difficult to study, but here we demonstrate the utility of using a stochastic projection matrix model and perturbation analysis to gain insight into this problem. We modeled a black bear population subjected to stochastic failures of fruiting and masting species, but with access to garbage in urban environments.We parameratized our …

Regulation Of Tree Squirrel Populations With Immunocontraception: A Fox Squirrel Example, Sara K. Krause, Douglas A. Kelt, Dirk H. Van Vuren, James P. Gionfriddo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Tree squirrels (Sciurus spp.) are highly successful immigrants to urban and suburban areas in North America and Europe, causing both economic and ecological damage. Control of such invasive populations is challenging but of increasing importance to local managers. We studied an invasive population of fox squirrels (S. niger) and applied an immunocontraceptive vaccine in an experimental study of demographic control. Here we integrate our data into a simple stage-structured population model to simulate population reduction under 2 treatment levels (60 and 80% of females, respectively) for vaccines lasting from 1 to 5 years. Contraception can be an …

Coqui Frog Populations Are Negatively Affected By Canopy Opening But Not Detritus Deposition Following An Experimental Hurricane In A Tropical Rainforest, Paul D. Klawinski, Ben Dalton, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are common disturbances in many island and coastal forests. There is a lack of understanding of the importance to forest biota of the two major physical aspects that occur simultaneously during a hurricane: canopy disturbance and detritus (debris) deposition onto the ground. Using a replicated factorial design, our study involved experimentally determining the independent and interactive effects of canopy opening and debris additions to the forest floor on densities of coqui frogs (Eleutherodactylus coqui). Coquies are the dominant amphibian, and second most common vertebrate species, in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), a montane, tropical …

Shedding Of A Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus In A Common Synanthropic Mammal – The Cottontail Rabbit, J. Jeffrey Root, Susan A. Shriner, Kevin T. Bentler, Thomas Gidlewski, Nicole L. Mooers, Terry R. Spraker, Kaci K. Vandalen, Heather J. Sullivan, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.) are common mammals throughout much of the U.S. and are often found in peridomestic settings, potentially interacting with livestock and poultry operations. If these animals are susceptible to avian influenza virus (AIV) infections and shed the virus in sufficient quantities they may pose a risk for movement of avian influenza viruses between wildlife and domestic animals in certain situations.

Methodology/Principal Findings: To assess the viral shedding potential of AIV in cottontails, we nasally inoculated fourteen cottontails with a low pathogenic AIV (H4N6). All inoculated cottontails shed relatively large quantities of viral RNA both nasally ( …

Spatial Epidemiology Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Dairy Cattle In Relation To Night Roosts Of Sturnus Vulgaris (European Starling) In Ohio, Usa (2007–2009), A. L. Swirski, D. L. Pearl, M. L. Williams, H. J. Homan, G. M. Linz, N. Cernicchiaro, J. T. Lejeune

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The goal of our study was to use spatial scan statics to determine whether the night roosts of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) act as point sources for the dissemination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among dairy farms. From 2007 to 2009, we collected bovine faecal samples (n = 9000) and starling gastrointestinal contents (n = 430) from 150 dairy farms in northeastern Ohio, USA. Isolates of E. coli O157:H7 recovered from these samples were subtyped using multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Generated MLVA types were used to construct a dendrogram based on a categorical multistate coefficient and unweighted …

Trait-Based Plant Mortality And Preference For Native Versus Non-Native Seedlings By Invasive Slug And Snail Herbivores In Hawaii, Aaron B. Shiels, Martin K. Ennis, Laura Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Non-native herbivores may alter plant communities through their preferential consumption of seedlings of different species. We assessed seedling herbivory by two invasive gastropod species in Hawaii, the giant African snail (Achatina fulica) and the Cuban brown slug (Veronicella cubensis). We hypothesized that six native species would suffer greater gastropod herbivory than four non-native species, and that species with short stature, thin leaves, and lacking physical defenses would suffer the greatest mortality from gastropods. Herbivory was measured during 13-day preference trials using enclosures that each contained four different woody species (two native, two non-native) and were assigned …