Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Reemergence Of A Big Brown Bat Lyssavirus Rabies Variant In Striped Skunks In Flagstaff, Arizona, Usa, 2021–2023, Amy T. Gilbert, Lolita I. Van Pelt, Lias A. Hastings, Crystal M. Gigante, Lillian A. Orciari, Sabrina Kelley, Kathryn Fitzpatrick, René Edgar Condori, Yu Li, Scott Brunt, April Davis, Matthew W. Hopken, Clara C. P. Mankowski, Ryan M. Wallace, Charles E. Rupprecht, Richard B. Chipman, David L. Bergman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background

Throughout the Americas, Lyssavirus rabies (RV) perpetuates as multiple variants among bat and mesocarnivore species. Interspecific RV spillover occurs on occasion, but clusters and viral host shifts are rare. The spillover and host shift of a big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) RV variant Ef-W1 into mesocarnivores was reported previously on several occasions during 2001–2009 in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, and controlled through rabies vaccination of target wildlife. During autumn 2021, a new cluster of Ef-W1 RV cases infecting striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) was detected from United States Department of Agriculture enhanced rabies surveillance in Flagstaff. The …

Population Response Of Eastern Wild Turkey To Removal Of Wild Pigs, Matthew T. Mcdonough, Stephen J. Zenas, Robert A. Gitzen, Mark D. Smith, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Stephen S. Ditchkoff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There is insufficient understanding of interspecific interactions with the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) and wild pigs (Sus scrofa). Wild pigs compete with wild turkeys and predate nests and adults; however, population‐level effects on wild turkeys are not clear. Using cameras, we assessed responses of wild turkey populations to wild pig removal in central Alabama, USA, from 2018–2021. We compared wild turkey relative abundance and occupancy on 3 large‐scale pigremoval treatment sites (3,407–5,531 ha) relative to a control site (2,510 ha) during 1 pre‐treatment year and 2 posttreatment years, with analyses including a covariate expressing the cumulative …

Genomic Characterization Of Highly Pathogenic H5 Avian Influenza Viruses From Alaska During 2022 Provides Evidence For Genotype-Specific Trends Of Spatiotemporal And Interspecies Dissemination, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Mia Kim Torchetti, Julianna Lenoch, Kimberlee Beckmen, Megan Boldenow, Evan J. Buck, Bryan Daniels, Krista Dilione, Robert Gerlach, Kristina Lantz, Angela Matz, Rebecca L. Poulson, Laura C. Scott, Gay Sheffield, David Sinnett, David E. Stallknecht, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Eric Taylor, Alison R. Williams, Andrew M. Ramey

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The ongoing panzootic of highly pathogenic H5 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza (HPAI) spread to North America in late 2021, with detections of HPAI viruses in Alaska beginning in April 2022. HPAI viruses have since spread across the state, affecting many species of wild birds as well as domestic poultry and wild mammals. To better understand the dissemination of HPAI viruses spatiotemporally and among hosts in Alaska and adjacent regions, we compared the genomes of 177 confirmed HPAI viruses detected in Alaska during April–December 2022. Results suggest multiple viral introductions into Alaska between November 2021 and August or September 2022, as …

Wildlife Monitoring With Drones: A Survey Of End Users, Raymond B. Iglay, Landon R. Jones, Jared E. Elmore, Kristine O. Evans, Sathish Samiappan, Morgan B. Pfeiffer, Brad F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rapid advancements in technology often yield research inquiry into novel applications and drone (i.e., unoccupied aircraft systems or UAS) applications in wildlife management are no exception. We questioned the time lag between drone‐related research and end‐user assessments. We implemented an online, cross‐sectional survey of wildlife professionals to better understand current drone use and benefits or concerns, complemented by a review of contemporary peer‐reviewed and gray literature. We found little disparity between scientific inquiry and end‐user experiences (i.e., similar trends among concerns in published literature and survey results). Exploring new (i.e., advancements in computer vision) and refining original drone applications (i.e., …

Comparing Efficiencies Of Population Control Methods For Responding To Introductions Of Transboundary Animal Diseases In Wild Pigs, Nathan P. Snow, Benjamin Smith, Michael J. Lavelle, Michael P. Glow, Kayleigh Chalkowski, Bruce R. Leland, Sarah Sherburne, Justin W. Fischer, Keely J. Kohen, Seth M. Cook, Hatton Smith, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Ryan S. Miller, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introductions of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) into free-ranging wildlife can be difficult to control and devastating for domestic livestock trade. Combating a new TAD introduction in wildlife with an emergency response requires quickly limiting spread of the disease by intensely removing wild animals within a contiguous area. In the case of African swine fever virus (ASFv) in wild pigs (Sus scrofa), which has been spreading in many regions of the world, there is little information on the time- and cost-efficiency of methods for intensively and consistently culling wild pigs and recovering carcasses in an emergency response scenario. We compared the …

Temporal And Spatial Influences On Fawn Summer Survival In Pronghorn Populations: Management Implications From Noninvasive Monitoring, Cole A. Bleke, Eric M. Gese, Juan J. Villalba, Shane B. Roberts, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Monitoring vital rates allowsmanagers to estimate trends in growth rates of ungulate populations. However, connecting the influence of nutrition on ungulate demography is challenging. Noninvasive sampling offers a low-cost, low-effort alternative for measuring nutritional indices, allowing for an increased understanding of the mechanistic relationships between environmental factors, nutrition, and specific population vital rates. We examined the temporal influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment. We collected fresh fecal samples from adult female pronghorn in five subpopulations spanning three sampling periods associated with critical maternal life-history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season) for …

Susceptibilities And Viral Shedding Of Peridomestic Wildlife Infected With Clade 2.3.4.4b Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5n1), J. Jeffrey Root, Stephanie M. Porter, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jeremy W. Ellis, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We tested the ability of six peridomestic wildlife species to replicate a highly pathogenic (HP) clade 2.3.4.4b AIV (H5N1) isolated in the United States during 2022. All tested species replicated and shed virus, at least to some degree. Of the six species evaluated (house sparrows (Passer domesticus), European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), feral pigeons (Columba livia), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and cottontails (Sylvilagus sp.)), striped skunks and Virginia opossums shed the highest viral titers of 106.3 PFU/mL and 105.0 PFU/mL, respectively. Overall, the results of this …

Chronic Wasting Disease Effects On A Breeding Season Behavior In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus), Miranda Hsiang-Ning Jacobson Huang, Stephen Demarais, Bronson K. Strickland, Allan Houston, Alejandro Banda, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife disease outbreaks can lead to population declines, which are usually attributed to increased direct or indirect mortality. Alternatively, behavior associated with sickness can lead to social isolation, potentially decreasing fitness of affected individuals. A useful case study to examine this dynamic is chronic wasting disease (CWD), a neurological disease of cervids, known to affect behavior and movement. In this study, we monitored scraping, a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) breeding season behavior, in an area of high CWD prevalence to determine if this reproductive behavior is affected by CWD. At 107 scrape sites, we detected 3,063 scrape interactions and …

Trichinella Murrelli Identified In Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) In Pennsylvania, Usa, Jitender Dubey, Peter C. Thompson, Larissa S. De Araujo, Aditya Gupta, Sasha Kay, Oliver C. H. Kwok, Jaquin Battle, Kyle R. Van Why, Justin D. Brown, Benjamin Rosenthal

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Trichinella infections have been eliminated from pork where pigs are raised in biosecure facilities, but wildlife infections persist. Trichinella murrelli is the primary zoonotic species in wild carnivores in the United States, having been identified in several species of omnivores and carnivores. Here, we document its occurrence in seven of 21 (33.3%) red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from six counties in Pennsylvania. Encysted Trichinella juveniles were detected in muscle squashes (< 5 g samples) of all seven foxes, and in histological sections of the tongue and limb muscle of three. Juveniles from muscle squashes were pooled and tested in a multiplex PCR capable of differentiating all Trichinella species native to the USA; all samples contained only T. murrelli. This is the first identification of T. murrelli in red foxes from Pennsylvania, …

Efficacy Of Gonacon Fertility Control Against Prairie Dogs And Potential For Uses On Other Rodent Species, Aaron B. Shiels, Emily W. Ruell, Jason E. Bruemmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Use of a contraceptive (i.e., fertility control) is attractive for rodent management where lethal control is unwanted. Although population reduction is generally unachievable with small-scale, short-term contraceptive use, reduced juvenile recruitment is achievable. The injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine GonaCon (active ingredient: gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH]) was registered in 2022 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for controlling fertility of female prairie dogs (Cynomys, a type of ground squirrel) in urban/suburban settings. Here we: 1) describe past research, including a replicated field study in Colorado (GonaCon treatment vs. control sites) testing efficacy of GonaCon in prairie dogs, which …

The Influence Of Social And Spatial Processes On The Epidemiology Of Environmentally Transmitted Pathogens In Wildlife: Implications For Management, Aakash Pandey, Chris Wojan, Abigail Feuka, Meggan E. Craft, Kezia Manlove, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Social and spatial structures of host populations play important roles in pathogen transmission. For environmentally transmitted pathogens, the host space use interacts with both the host social structure and the pathogen’s environmental persistence (which determines the timelag across which two hosts can transmit). Together, these factors shape the epidemiological dynamics of environmentally transmitted pathogens. While the importance of both social and spatial structures and environmental pathogen persistence has long been recognized in epidemiology, they are often considered separately. A better understanding of how these factors interact to determine disease dynamics is required for developing robust surveillance and management strategies. Here, …

Surveillance Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus In Wild Canids From Pennsylvania, Usa, Kevin D. Niedringhaus, Taylor C. Chan, Ashley Mcdowell, Lauren Mxwell, Madison Stevens, Lane Potts, Erica Miller, Eman Anis, Kyle Van Why, Thomas Keller, David Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson, Kaitlyn Bahrs, Justin D. Brown

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The avian influenza virus is a global pathogen with significant health and economic implications. While primarily a pathogen of wild and domestic birds, recent outbreaks of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) clade 2.3.4.4b have caused mortality in a wide variety of mammals, including members of the Canidae family, on multiple continents. Despite sporadic mortality events globally, the epidemiology and pathobiology of H5N1 HPAIV in wild canids remains poorly defined. During 2022–2024, 41 wild canid carcasses (diagnostic cases), including 23 red foxes and 18 gray foxes, were tested for the influenza A virus (IAV) via PCR, with five …

Rabies, Amy T. Gilbert, Christine Ellis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Illustrated fact sheet on rabies.

New State Records Of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) For Idaho, Usa, Richard L. Westcott

Insecta Mundi

Five new state records for Idaho in the genera Agrilus Curtis, Anthaxia Eschscholtz, and Buprestis Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are included herein, with brief comments thereon. Two of the species are believed to be introduced. Agrilus liragus Barter and Brown is elevated to a full species, resurrected status.

Platygastroidea In The Oxford University Museum Of Natural History: Taxonomic Updates And A Photographic Catalog Of Type Specimens, Elijah J. Talamas, Jessica Awad, Francesco Tortorici, Norman F. Johnson

Insecta Mundi

High resolution images are provided for type specimens of Platygastroidea (Hymenoptera: Apocrita) in the Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford University. We formally resurrect Trissoscelio Kieffer revised status to accommodate T. bifasciata (Dodd) new combination, T. indica (Mani) new combination, T. nigriceps Kieffer revised combination, T. ruficeps Kieffer revised combination, and T. punctaticeps Kieffer revised combination. Paridris subplana (Dodd) new combination is transferred from Sceliacantha Dodd to Paridris Kieffer and treated as a senior synonym of P. coorgensis Sharma.

Revision Of The Elongatus And Pecki Species Groups Of Anillinus Casey, 1918 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae: Anillini), With Four New Species And Notes On Anillinus Turneri Jeannel, 1963, Curt W. Harden, Michael S. Caterino

Insecta Mundi

The small, eyeless beetles of the genus Anillinus Casey (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae: Anillini) comprise a diverse, ubiquitous, but poorly known component of insect biodiversity in the southeastern United States. Their limited dispersal capabilities make them ideal subjects for biogeography, but taxonomic problems and undescribed species diversity hamper such studies. In this paper, we redescribe four enigmatic species, Anillinus docwatsoni Sokolov and Carlton, Anillinus elongatus Jeannel, Anillinus pecki Giachino, and Anillinus turneri Jeannel, and consider their relationships. The elongatus species group is revised, with descriptions of four newly discovered species, Anillinus arenicollis Harden and Caterino, new species, Anillinus montrex Harden …

Synopsis Of The Subfamily Prosympiestinae In New Zealand (Heteroptera: Aradidae), Marie-Claude Larivière, André Larochelle

Insecta Mundi

The subfamily Prosympiestinae (Heteroptera: Aradidae) is revised for New Zealand. Three genera and thirteen species are recognized.

Five species are described as new: Neadenocoris centralis Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris hoarei Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris northlandicus Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris pseudovatus Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris wellingtonensis Larivière and Larochelle new species.

One new synonymy is established: Neadenocoris reflexus Usinger and Matsuda, 1959 becomes a junior synonym of Neadenocoris acutus Usinger and Matsuda, 1959.

A revision of all taxa is provided. Descriptions, identification keys, illustrations of male parandria, habitus …

Five Unusual New Species Of Rhyparus Westwood, 1845 From Mexico And Central America (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), Paul E. Skelley, Andrew B. T. Smith

Insecta Mundi

Five new species of Rhyparus Westwood, 1845 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini) are described: R. cucullatus Skelley and Smith from Guatemala, R. hexadentatus Skelley and Smith from Mexico and Guatemala, R. loughlini Skelley and Smith from Mexico, R. platypygus Skelley and Smith from Guatemala and Honduras, and R. pteronellus Skelley and Smith from Mexico. A description, diagnosis, images, and distributional map are presented for each species.

New Synonym Of Attagenus Tigrinus (Fabricius, 1792) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Attageninae), Graham J. Holloway, Andreas Herrmann

Insecta Mundi

The Attagenus bifasciatus species complex (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Attageninae) surrounds the Mediterranean and extends into Asia. Several species are recognised but all of them are very similar to each other, and brief, old descriptions do not help to distinguish among them. Here the holotype A. tigrinus (Fabricius) and a syntype series of A. bifasciatus rossii Ganglbauer (subsequently raised to A. rossii) all collected from Italy were dissected to facilitate genital examination. From this genitalic study, Attagenus rossii is placed as a new synonym of A. tigrinus.

Enhanced Resilience To Prolonged Marine Heatwaves In Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa Populations From Warmer Regions, Marlene Wesselmann, Nicole Said, Chanelle Webster, Simone Strydom, Kathryn Mcmahon

Reports accepted as research outputs

Executive Summary: Climate change is driving the intensification of marine heatwaves (MHWs), which pose a significant threat to seagrass ecosystems globally. Understanding the response of seagrass species to these extreme thermal events is crucial for predicting their resilience and informing conservation strategies. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of prolonged MHW conditions (30 °C) on the photophysiology, metabolism, and growth of three populations of Posidonia sinuosa from Western Australia (Shoalwater, Garden Island, and Jurien Bay). We aimed to determine whether populations with higher thermal optima exhibit higher levels of resilience to MHWs compared to populations with lower thermal optima.

Descriptive Report On Dietary Remains From Aztec And Salmon Ruins Coprolites, Karl J. Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

This report focuses only on dietary results from the Aztec Ruins and Salmon Ruins coprolites. The parasitological analysis was completed in 2018 and was the focus of several papers that were summarized by Camacho and Reinhard (2020). This did not include DNA analysis. The coprolites from these sites are not appropriate sources of DNA testing.

The main conclusion of the analysis are:

1) Two very distinct plant spectra are represented in Aztec Ruins West (ARW) room 219 and room 225.

2) The three contexts of ARW room 219 show interesting variation in food selection, however these are small samples.

3) …

Social Interactions And Spatial Structure Drive Community Assembly Of Bacterial Biofilm, Matthew C. Bond

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Despite the critical nature which microbial communities play in the natural world and human civilization, the breadth of understanding remains shallow. Challenged by scale, high variability between environments, and extensive diversity, microbial ecologists strive to understand connections between a community’s structure and function, as well as the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying observed natural patterning of communities. Biofilms are the predominate mode of growth for microbial communities—characterized by cellular attachment to a surface via a self-produced matrix and heterogeneous structure, often resulting in a primary growth front along the biofilm surface due to differential access to bulk nutrients (cite). This …

Examining Genome Size And Nutrient Influence On Damage Patterns, And Plant-Invertebrate Community Dynamics, Hailee B. Petosky

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Genome size (GS) varies widely among angiosperms and has been shown to mediate plant responses to nutrients. Variations of GS drastically impact plant growth, fitness, and competitive responses, influencing plant functioning, nutrient requirements, and potentially, consumptive interactions. Specifically, plants with larger genomes vary in their cellular nutrient requirements, affecting tissue quality, nutrient constraints, and invertebrate interactions. Furthermore, environmental nutrient enrichments are a key driver affecting ecosystem functioning and species interactions. Plant communities are impacted by both top-down and bottom-up controls of herbivores and nutrients, respectively, and alterations to these interactions may cause cascading trophic level effects to influence damage patterns …

The Role Of Neighborhood Effects In Maintaining The Hardwood-Hemlock Mosaic, Adam Z. Milenkowic

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Neighborhood effects are processes mediated by canopy trees that influence the ability of a species to replace itself following canopy mortality. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) are the dominant trees in old-growth northern hardwood forests of Upper Michigan and have been observed to form monodominant patches in the region. Few studies have independently evaluated the demographic and ecological mechanisms that lead to the compositional stability of hemlock and sugar maple patch development. Tree demography data from eight long-term 0.5 ha old-growth plots in Upper Michigan indicate neighborhood effects are playing a …

Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Traditional stream fish sampling methods, such as seining and electrofishing, are time consuming, expensive, and limited to short stretches of stream. However, the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples promises to be a quick, inexpensive method for detecting fish. The streams of the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area (LBL) are unique, undisturbed streams which contain many interesting fish species for which little information exists. One such rare species is the Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys papilliferus, which is known to exist in a few LBL streams. However, the complete distribution of the Shawnee Hills Cavefish in LBL …

Investigating Changing Macronutrient Dynamics At A Plant, Microbe And Plant-Microbe Interactions Scale, Emel Kangi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nutrient limitation drives forest ecosystem processes by altering net primary production, belowground (C) investments, and microbial activity. As such, the availability of essential macronutrients, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), can severely impact plant growth, microbial decomposition, and the strength of plant-microbial interactions. However, our understanding of plant and microbe responses to changing nutrient availability, and the extent to which nutrient availability affects plant-microbe interactions, remains somewhat limited. Therefore, in this dissertation, I aimed to investigate nutrient limitation on a plant, microbe, and plant-microbe interaction level. First, to connect the phenotypic responses of nutrient-limited plants to key molecular mechanisms, …

Better Understanding The Barred Owl, Adam Lee Potts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis research presents an analysis of barred owl nest site selection in an understudied region of their expanded range. The barred owl has dramatically expanded its range westwards over the last 150 years, prompting multiple conflicting reinterpretations of their species account. Hypotheses of range expansion are reviewed to provide context for this study’s research. This study gathers empirical data on nest site selection in the mixed conifer forests of Montana’s Seeley-Swan and Mission Valleys. Eight barred owl nests were located following extensive territory surveys. Field measurements of tree height and diameter using USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot …

Table Of Contents

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the table of contents.

The Invasive Species We Love And The Ones We Don't, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 1.

An Effective Method For Long-Term Control Of American Bullfrogs Syntopic With Special-Status Native Amphibians In California, Usa, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are invasive in western North America and are well established in California, USA, where they are widespread. This invasive species has been implicated in the decrease of native amphibian populations and is believed to have contributed to the decline of threatened and endangered amphibians regionally. We utilized air rifles, tin alloy pellets, and 2 shooters to systematically control L. catesbeianus in both lentic and lotic habitat types within 2 counties in California. We visited sites monthly (April through November) for approximately 8 and 14 years to lethally target and remove L. catesbeianus …