Life Sciences Commons^™

Estimating Stand-Level Economic Impacts Of Black Bear Damage To Intensively Managed Forests, Kristina N. Kline, Jimmy D. Taylor, Anita T. Morzillo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) peel conifers in early spring to forage on energy-rich vascular tissues, resulting in damage to timber stands. The objective of our study was to develop and demonstrate a conceptual framework and methods for estimating stand-level volume and economic losses from black bear damage. We created tree lists from surveys of healthy and bear-damaged trees in timber stands of western Washington and Oregon. The forest growth model Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) was used to project stand volume under two damage scenarios and an undamaged scenario. One damage scenario (salvage) accounted for mortality and volume …

A Conceptual Model For The Integration Of Social And Ecological Information To Understand Human-Wildlife Interactions, Stacy A. Lischka, Tara L. Teel, Heather E. Johnson, Sarah E. Reed, Stewart Breck, Andrew Don Carlos, Kevin R. Crooks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There is growing recognition that interdisciplinary approaches that account for both ecological and social processes are necessary to successfully address human-wildlife interactions. However, such approaches are hindered by challenges in aligning data types, communicating across disciplines, and applying social science information to conservation actions. To meet these challenges, we propose a conceptual model that adopts a social-ecological systems approach and integrates social and ecological theory to identify the multiple, nested levels of influence on both human and animal behavior. By accounting for a diverse array of influences and feedback mechanisms between social and ecological systems, this model fulfills a need …

Seasonal Variation In Preference Dictates Space Use In An Invasive Generalist, Kelsey E. Paolini, Bronson K. Strickland, Jessica L. Tegt, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Garrett M. Street

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The spatiotemporal distribution of resources is a critical component of realized animal distributions.

In agricultural landscapes, space use by generalist consumers is influenced by ephemeral resource availability that may produce behavioral differences across agricultural seasons, resulting in economic and production consequences and increased human-wildlife conflict. Our objective was to assess changes in habitat selection across seasons in an invasive generalist omnivore (feral pigs, Sus scrofa). Hypothesizing that pig space use is primarily driven by forage availability, we predicted strong selection for the most nutritionally beneficial crops and resource types as agricultural seasons progressed. We deployed GPS collars on 13 …

Habitat Type And Structure Affect Trap Capture Success Of An Invasive Snake Across Variable Densities, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Page E. Klug, Gordon H. Rodda

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Detection represents an important limitation of accurately estimating population size, abundance, and habitat suitability for wildlife, which can be especially true for cryptic animals. Moreover, for reptiles, juveniles are often less likely to be detected than later life stages. In the case of invasive species, preventing false negatives early in the invasion process can be critical for improving outcomes of control measures. We evaluated habitat structure in relation to catch per unit effort (CPUE) and mean size of trapped invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) on Guam. We used a 5-ha enclosure containing a known, closed population of brown treesnakes to …

Impacts Of Biomass Production At Civil Airports On Grassland Bird Conservation And Aviation Strike Risk, Tara J. Conkling, Jerrold L. Belant, Travis L. Devault, James A. Martin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Growing concerns about climate change, foreign oil dependency, and environmental quality have fostered interest in perennial native grasses (e.g., switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) for bioenergy production while also maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, biomass cultivation in marginal landscapes such as airport grasslands may have detrimental effects on aviation safety as well as conservation efforts for grassland birds. In 2011–2013, we investigated effects of vegetation composition and harvest frequency on seasonal species richness and habitat use of grassland birds and modeled relative abundance, aviation risk, and conservation value of birds associated with biomass crops. Avian relative abundance was greater …

Experimental Tests Of Nonsurgical Reproductive Inhibitors To Prevent Coyote Reproduction, Julie K. Young, Marjorie J. Macgregor, Eric M. Gese, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sterilization is an effective nonlethal tool to reduce livestock depredation by coyotes (Canis latrans) because adults without pups to provision are less likely to kill livestock. Surgical sterilization is costly and invasive, so identifying nonsurgical methods for canids that allow wide-scale application is important. We conducted a preliminary assessment of 2 types of reproductive inhibitors (gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] vaccine and deslorelin, a GnRH agonist) on coyote reproductive capabilities. We treated captive coyotes with a GnRH vaccine (n = 6 males, n = 6 females) or deslorelin (n = 6 males), measured number of litters and …

Genetic Evidence Supports Sporadic And Independent Introductions Of Subtype H5 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses From Wild Birds To Domestic Poultry In North America, Lei Li, Andrew S. Bowman, Thomas J. Deliberto, Mary L. Killian, Scott Krauss, Jacqueline M. Nolting, Mia Kim Torchetti, Andrew M. Ramey, Andrew B. Reeves, David E. Stallknecht, Richard J. Webby, Xiu-Feng Wan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild-bird origin influenza A viruses (IAVs or avian influenza) have led to sporadic outbreaks among domestic poultry in the United States and Canada, resulting in economic losses through the implementation of costly containment practices and destruction of birds. We used evolutionary analyses of virus sequence data to determine that 78 H5 low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) isolated from domestic poultry in the United States and Canada during 2001 to 2017 resulted from 18 independent virus introductions from wild birds. Within the wild-bird reservoir, the hemagglutinin gene segments of H5 LPAIVs exist primarily as two cocirculating genetic sublineages, and our findings …

Raccoon (Procyon Lotor) Biomarker And Rabies Antibody Response To Varying Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Densities In Northwestern Pennsylvania, Kerri Pedersen, Brandon S. Schmit, Thomas J. Deliberto, Jason R. Suckow, Amy J. Davis, Dennis Slate, Richard B. Chipman, Robert L. Hale, Amy T. Gilbert

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits has been used as a strategy for managing rabies in the United States since the 1990s. Since that time, efforts have been made to improve baiting strategies with a focus on bait density to maximize both efficiency and cost effectiveness. An optimal rabies management strategy includes a vaccine bait preferred by the target species that is distributed at the minimal density needed to achieve population immunity to prevent rabies spread. The purpose of our pilot study was to examine the effect of 75, 150, and 300 baits/km2 vaccine bait densities on rabies virus neutralizing …

Feral Swine Sus Scrofa: A New Threat To The Remaining Breeding Wetlands Of The Vulnerable Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander Ambystoma Bishopi, Kelly C. Jones, Thomas A. Gorman, Brandon K. Rincon, John Allen, Carola A. Haas, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine Sus scrofa have been implicated as a major threat to sensitive habitats and ecosystems as well as threatened wildlife. Nevertheless, direct and indirect impacts on threatened species (especially small, fossorial species) are not well documented. The decline of the U.S. federally endangered reticulated flatwoods salamander Ambystoma bishopi, categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, has been rapid and there are few remaining breeding locations for this species. The flatwoods salamander depends on complex herbaceous vegetation in all life stages, including eggs, larvae and adults. Historically sets of hog tracks have been observed only occasionally in the …

Sharing An Environment With Sick Conspecifics Alters Odors Of Healthy Animals, Stephanie S. Gervasi, Maryanne Opiekun, Talia Martin, Gary K. Beauchamp, Bruce A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Body odors change with health status and the odors of sick animals can induce avoidance behaviors in healthy conspecifics. Exposure to sickness odors might also alter the physiology of healthy conspecifics and modify the odors they produce. We hypothesized that exposure to odors of sick (but non-infectious) animals would alter the odors of healthy cagemates. To induce sickness, we injected mice with a bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide. We used behavioral odor discrimination assays and analytical chemistry techniques followed by predictive classification modeling to ask about differences in volatile odorants produced by two types of healthy mice: those cohoused with healthy conspecifics …

Human–Black Bear Conflicts, Carl W. Lackey, Stewart W. Breck, Brian F. Wakeling, Bryant White

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most human–black bear (Ursus americanus) conflict occurs when people make anthropogenic foods like garbage, dog food, domestic poultry, or fruit trees available to bears. Bears change their behavior to take advantage of these resources and may damage property or cause public safety concerns in the process. Managers are often forced to focus efforts on reactive non-lethal and lethal bear management techniques to solve immediate problems, which do little to address root causes of human–bear conflict. As long as bears find easy access to garbage, bird feeders, urban fruit trees, and other food subsidies, conflicts are likely to continue. …

Trace Element Concentrations In The Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes Auropunctatus) From Hawaii, Usa, Sawako Horai, Yusuke Nakashima, Kanae Nawada, Izumi Watanabe, Tatsuya Kunisue, Shintaro Abe, Fumio Yamada, Robert Sugihara

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concentrations of 26 trace elements including essential (Mg, Ca, Cr, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr and Mo) and toxic (As, Cd and Pb), were determined in the liver, kidney, brain, hair, muscle, and stomach contents of the small Indian mongooses inhabiting eight areas on three Hawaiian Islands, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii. There were significant differences in concentrations of some metals among the habitats. Cadmium concentrations in mongooses from the macadamia nut orchards on Island of Hawaii were relatively higher than those in populations from other seven areas. Lead concentrations in mongooses from the Ukumehame firing range …

Estimating The Economic Impact Of Canine Rabies To Viet Nam 2005–2014, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Vienna R. Brown, Thu Trang Dao, Julie Elser, Hoang Xuan Trung, Nguyen Ngoc Tien, Nguyen Thi Huong, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Arthorn Riewpaiboon, Karina Ernst, Steven Shwiff, David Payne

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The global economic impact of canine rabies has been estimated by several studies. Asia bears a disproportionate burden of this zoonosis due to high levels of human deaths and rates of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), but low investment in preventative dog vaccination. The same factors that cause rabies to burden much of Asia are also present in Viet Nam. This study estimated the economic burden of canine rabies in a societal perspective including direct and indirect cost of rabies in dogs, livestock, and humans. Using data collected from personal interviews, published literature, published and supplementary reports, and primary data collection, we …

Fertility Control For Managing Free-Roaming Feral Cattle In Hong Kong, Giovanna Massei, Ka-Kei Koon, Siu-Iun Law, Matt Gomm, Darcy S. O. Mora, Rebecca Callaby, Kate Palphramand, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Human-wildlife conflicts are increasing worldwide. For instance, growing numbers of free-roaming feral cattle in Hong Kong are causing traffic accidents and damaging crops. Public antipathy towards lethal methods to manage wildlife has promoted research into alternative options, such as fertility control. The aims of this study were to assess the potential side effects and effectiveness of the injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine GonaCon on free-roaming feral cattle in Hong Kong. Sixty female cattle were captured and randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Treatment animals were administered one dose of GonaCon, followed by a booster dose 3–6 months later. Control animals were …

Plumage Changes In Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Auritus) Within The Breeding Season: The Risks Of Aging By Plumage, Jennifer E. Chastant, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Scant attention has been given to the molting patterns of known-age Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). In general, subadult individuals are identified with a tan, buffy or mottled chest, and adults are identified with a black chest. While studying Double-crested Cormorant population dynamics in Ontario, Canada, with known-age birds, it was noted that the plumage of many (> 75%) breeding adults changed from black to heavily mottled during the course of the breeding season. No pattern with age was observed; plumage changed in equal proportions for all ages from 2-year-olds to 7-year-olds. A similar but reverse pattern has been …

Operationalizing Resilience For Conservation Objectives: The 4s’S, Clare E. Aslan, Brian Petersen, Aaron B. Shiels, William Haines, Christina T. Lang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Although resilience thinking is increasingly popular and attractive among restoration practitioners, it carries an abstract quality that hinders effective application. Because resilience and its components are defined differently in social and ecological contexts, individual managers or stakeholders may disagree on the definition of a system’s state, occurrence of a state change, preferred state characteristics, and appropriate methods to achieve success. Nevertheless, incentives and mandates often force managers to demonstrate how their work enhances resilience. Unclear or conflicting definitions can lead to ineffective or even detrimental decision-making in the name of resilience; essentially, any convenient action can be touted as resilience-enhancing …

The Role Of D1/Dda1 And D5/Damb Dopamine Receptors In Ethanol Induced Behavioral Disinhibition, Ivan Mercado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol drinking causes changes in behaviors by acting on various neurotransmitters (e.g. GABA, acetyl choline and glutamate) (Kumar et al., 2009), neuromodulators (e.g. dopamine, and serotonin) (Banerjee, 2014) and ion channels (e.g. Ca2+ and K channels) (Harris and Hood, 1980). Behaviors associated with alcohol consumption include loss of motor coordination, impaired decision-making, altered circadian rhythm, and disinhibited behaviors (NIH-NIAAA, Bethesda, MD). Behavioral disinhibition is defined as having poor judgment and acting in a manner that one would not usually behave (Greenspan and Ferveur, 2000) and commonly caused by substance abuse such as alcohol consumption and cocaine use. Excessive alcohol intake …

Rural Business Development Corporation Annual Report 2018, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

All other publications

In accordance with section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, we hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament, the annual report of the Rural Business Development Corporation for the reporting period ended 30 June 2018.

The annual report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006 and the Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000.

A Preliminary Investigation Of Acculturative Stress And Diurnal Cortisol Among Latina Women, Lucas Torres, Felicia Mata-Greve, April L. Harkins

Clinical Lab Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The interplay between biological and cultural factors has remained understudied among ethnic minority groups, including Latinos. To the best of our knowledge, minimal to no research has examined the relationship between acculturative stressors and diurnal cortisol among Latina women. This initial exploratory study sought to examine the relationship between cortisol and acculturative stress. Among a small sample of adult Latina women, salivary cortisol was collected at 3 time points (waking, 30 min postwaking, and bedtime) to assess the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal cortisol response. Information regarding acculturative stress and acculturation was also collected. The major results showed that …

Environmental Effects Are Stronger Than Human Effects On Mammalian Predator-Prey Relationships In Arid Australian Ecosystems, Benjamin L. Allen, Alana Fawcett, Alison Anker, Richard M. Engeman, Allan Lisle, Luke K.-P. Leung

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Climate (drought, rainfall), geology (habitat availability), land use change (provision of artificial waterpoints, introduction of livestock), invasive species (competition, predation), and direct human intervention (lethal control of top-predators) have each been identified as processes driving the sustainability of threatened fauna populations. We used a systematic combination of empirical observational studies and experimental manipulations to comprehensively evaluate the effects of these process on a model endangered rodent, dusky hopping-mice (Notomys fuscus). We established a large manipulative experiment in arid Australia, and collected information from relative abundance indices, camera traps, GPS-collared dingoes (Canis familiaris) and dingo scats, along …

Conclusions, Challenges, And Research Needs, Gary W. Witmer, William C. Pitt, James C. Beasley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

At least 392 species of introduced vertebrate species (excluding fish) occur in the United States and its territories (Witmer and Fuller 2011). Many of these species can be truly considered “invasive,” causing various types of economic, social, and ecological harm. In this book, we have presented examples of many invasive vertebrates in the United States, the impacts they cause, and the methods used to control or eradicate them in various parts of the country.

While progress has been and is being made in the management of invasive vertebrates in the United States, there are still many challenges and issues to …

European Starlings, George M. Linz, Ron J. Johnson, James Thiele

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris, Sturnidae) are native to Europe, southwest Asia, and North Africa and have successfully established populations on every continent but Antarctica (Rollins et al. 2009). In 1890 and 1891, a member of the American Acclimatization Society, Eugene Scheiffelin, released 100 starlings into New York City’s Central Park, with the objective of introducing all the birds mentioned in the plays of William Shakespeare to North America (Cabe 1993). He was successful, as 16 pairs survived and reproduced prolifically. Starlings reached the Mississippi River in 1928 and were observed on the West Coast in 1942. In a …

Feral Goats And Sheep, Steven C. Hess, Dirk H. Van Vuren, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sheep and goats are among the earliest animals domesticated by mankind (Zeder 2009). Both goats and sheep may have made better candidates for domestication than other animals like deer because they follow a single dominant leader, the herdsman (Geist 1971). They now have a nearly ubiquitous worldwide distribution, and they are among the most abundant of all commensal animals. However, they have also become some of the most widespread invasive feral mammals, particularly on the 100 or more islands throughout the world where they have been introduced, causing severe damage to island ecosystems, in some cases for hundreds of years …

Using Off-The-Shelf Technologies To Mass Manufacture Oral Vaccine Baits For Wildlife, Lucila M. Corro, Daniel W. Tripp, Scott A. Stelting, Michael W. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Technology and infrastructure costs can limit access to oral vaccination tools for wildlife disease control. We describe vaccine bait mass manufacturing employing off-the-shelf technologies. Our approach has helped advance scaling-up of plague vaccination campaigns, but components of this production system could be translated into other wildlife vaccination applications.

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

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

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

Ecology Of The Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes Auropunctatus) In North America, Are R. Berentsen, William C. Pitt, Robert T. Sugihara

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) is a diurnal opportunistic omnivore native to parts of the Middle East, India, and Asia (Corbet and Hill 1992; Lekagul and McNeely 1977; Veron et al. 2007). Much of what is known about the species comes from records of populations where they were introduced to control rodents on sugarcane plantations (predominantly the Caribbean Islands and Hawaii) rather than their native range (Horst et al. 2001). In published research, the introduced mongoose is alternately, and often synonymously, identied as H. auropunctatus or H. javanicus. However, research by Veron et al. (2007) suggests …

Comparison Of Mixing Methods And Associated Residual Levels Of Zinc Phosphide On Cabbage Bait For Rodent Management, Roger A. Baldwin, Benjamin G. Abbo, David A. Goldade

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Zinc phosphide is a toxicant that is used extensively for rodent management throughout many parts of the world. Some rodent species, such as Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi Merriam, 1888), often avoid zinc phosphide grain baits, leaving green vegetation such as cabbage as the only viable carrier for rodenticides. However, to date, ambiguity has existed as to the most appropriate mixing strategy for zinc phosphide-coated cabbage baits, and it is unknown how rapidly zinc phosphide degrades on these green carriers. Following laboratory and field-enclosure trials, we detected no significant difference in mean zinc phosphide concentrations or variability in zinc …

Monk And Rose-Ringed Parakeets, Michael L. Avery, Aaron B. Shiels

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Worldwide, there are about 350 species of parrots and parakeets (order: Psittaciformes). According to the analyses of Cassey et al. (2004), 54 of these species have been introduced to areas outside their native ranges, and 38 species have become established in the nonnative range. Humans exhibit ambivalent feelings toward parrots and parakeets. Many of these birds are strikingly beautiful and highly prized as companion animals, while others are banned because of potential agricultural damage or competition with native species. Many parrot species are afforded special protection because they are endangered in their native habitats, but often these same species are …

It Takes Two: Evidence For Reduced Sexual Conflict Over Parental Care In A Biparental Canid, Christopher J. Schell, Julie K. Young, Elizabeth V. Lonsdorf, Jill M. Mateo, Rachel M. Santymire

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In biparental systems, sexual conflict over parental investment predicts that the parent providing care experiences greater reproductive costs. This inequality in parental contribution is reduced when offspring survival is dependent on biparental care. However, this idea has received little empirical attention. Here, we determined whether mothers and fathers differed in their contribution to care in a captive population of coyotes (Canis latrans). We performed parental care assays on 8 (n = 8 males, 8 females) mated pairs repeatedly over a 10-week period (i.e., 5–15 weeks of litter age) when pairs were first-time breeders (2011), and again as experienced …

Interactions Between The Invasive Burmese Python, Python Bivittatus Kuhl, And The Local Mosquito Community In Florida, Usa, Lawrence E. Reeves, Kenneth L. Krysko, Michael L. Avery, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Akito Y. Kawahara, C. Roxanne Connelly, Phillip E. Kaufman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Burmese python, Python bivittatus Kuhl, is a well-established invasive species in the greater Everglades ecosystem of southern Florida, USA. Most research on its ecological impacts focuses on its role as a predator and its trophic interactions with native vertebrate species, particularly mammals. Beyond predation, there is little known about the ecological interactions between P. bivittatus and native faunal communities. It is likely that established populations of P. bivittatus in southern Florida serve as hosts for native mosquito communities. To test this concept, we used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I DNA barcoding to determine the hosts of blood fed …