Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Four Events Of Host Switching In Aspidoderidae (Nematoda) Involve Convergent Lineages Of Mammals, F. Agustín Jiménez-Ruiz, Scott Lyell Gardner, Graciela Navone, Guillermo Ortí

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The Great American Interchange resulted in the mixing of faunistic groups with different origins and evolutionary trajectories that underwent rapid diversification in North and South America. As a result, groups of animals of recent arrival converged into similar habits and formed ecological guilds with some of the endemics. We present a reconstruction of the evolutionary events in Aspidoderidae, a family of nematodes that infect mammals that are part of this interchange, i.e., dasypodids, opossums, and sigmodontine, geomyid, and hystricognath rodents. By treating hosts as discrete states of character and using parsimony and Bayesian inferences to optimize these traits into the …

The Ecology Of The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus) In Southeastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Few studies have examined the relationship between forest canopy structure and the ecology of the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). I used radiotelemetry to compare the movements, activity range sizes and behaviors of timber rattlesnakes before and after a large-scale natural disturbance that opened a previously closed canopy. The disturbance was Hurricane Isabel which made landfall in northeast North Carolina and southeastern Virginia in 2003. Isabel created gaps in the canopy through tree blowdown, resulting in a 16.6% opening in the forest canopy at my study site, in southeastern Virginia. I compared six years of female tracking data from …

Exploring Sources Of Selection On The Multimodal Courtship Displays Of Two Sister Species Of Wolf Spiders: Schizocosa Crassipalpata And Schizocosa Bilineata, Mitch D. Bern

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We examined multiple sources of selection on the multimodal courtship display of two sister species of wolf spiders, Schizocosa crassipalpata and Schizocosa bilineata. We first experimentally altered body condition in these two species by employing divergent diet treatments. We then tested for differences in adult male seismic courtship displays, visual courtship displays, and foreleg morphology; as well as adult female foreleg morphology. We then simultaneously examined both content and efficacy-based sources of selection on the visual and seismic multimodal courtship display of both species by conducting mate choice trials with high and low diet individuals across manipulated signaling environments …

Rats As Forest Pests In Southeastern Virginia: Girdling By The Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon Hispidus As A Significant Source Of Mortality Of Loblolly Pines (Pinus Taeda) In A Successional Pine Forest, Robyn M. Nadolny

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a common field rodent throughout the southeastern US, where volunteer loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda) invade open space and begin the process of ecological succession from field to pine forest. Recent analysis of the diet of S. hispidus indicates that loblolly pine bark is stripped and eaten during the winter months. In this study, we explored the extent of rodent girdling on a 1.23 ha grid in a successional pine forest in southeastern Virginia. During the winter of 2005 we observed damage to 65% of trees in our study area, with 98% …

Infectious Diseases In Yellowstone’S Canid Community, Emily S. Almberg, Paul C. Cross, L. David Mech, Doug W. Smith, Jennifer W. Sheldon, Robert L. Crabtree

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Each summer Yellowstone Wolf Project staff visit den sites to monitor the success of wolf reproduction and pup rearing behavior. For the purposes of wolf monitoring, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is divided into two study areas, the northern range and the interior, each distinguished by their ecological and physiographical differences. The 1,000 square kilometer northern range, characterized by lower elevations (1,500–2,200 m), serves as prime winter habitat for ungulates and supports a higher density of wolves than the interior (20–99 wolves/1,000 km² versus 2–11 wolves/1,000 km²). The interior of the park encompasses 7,991 square kilometers, is higher …

Wolves, Canis Lupus, Carry And Cache The Collars Of Radio-Collared White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus, They Killed, Michael E. Nelson, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Wolves (Canis lupus) in northeastern Minnesota cached six radio-collars (four in winter, two in spring-summer) of 202 radio-collared White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) they killed or consumed from 1975 to 2010. A Wolf bedded on top of one collar cached in snow. We found one collar each at a Wolf den and Wolf rendezvous site, 2.5 km and 0.5 km respectively, from each deer’s previous locations.

The Scientific Classification Of Wolves: Canis Lupus Soupus, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Gray wolf, timber wolf, red wolf, eastern wolf, brush wolf, arctic wolf, Mexican wolf, maned wolf, Ethiopian wolf, etc., etc. How many kinds of wolves are there? And what are the differences? This is a really good question, and the answer is getting more complicated all the time. Let us start by going back a few years to the way science looked at wolves more traditionally— before the days of the new field of molecular genetics. Molecular genetics examines the actual DNA of animals and tries to classify them according to genetic similarities. ...

What does all this mean in …

Kin Encounter Rate And Inbreeding Avoidance In Canids, Eli Geffen, Michael Kam, Reuven Hefner, Pall Hersteinsson, Anders Angerbjorn, Love Dalen, Eva Fuglei, Karin Noren, Jennifer R. Adams, John Vucetich, Thomas J. Meier, L. David Mech, Bridgett M. Vonholdt, Daniel R. Stahler, Robert K. Wayne

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Mating with close kin can lead to inbreeding depression through the expression of recessive deleterious alleles and loss of heterozygosity. Mate selection may be affected by kin encounter rate, and inbreeding avoidance may not be uniform but associated with age and social system. Specifically, selection for kin recognition and inbreeding avoidance may be more developed in species that live in family groups or breed cooperatively. To test this hypothesis, we compared kin encounter rate and the proportion of related breeding pairs in noninbred and highly inbred canid populations. The chance of randomly encountering a full sib ranged between 1–8% and …

Use Of Cranial Characters In Taxonomy Of The Minnesota Wolf (Canis Sp.), L. David Mech, Ronald M. Nowak, Sanford Weisberg

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Minnesota wolves (Canis sp.) sometimes are reported to have affinity to a small, narrow-skulled eastern form (Canis lupus lycaon Schreber, 1775) and sometimes to a larger, broader western form (Canis lupus nubilus Say, 1823). We found that pre-1950 Minnesota wolf skulls were similar in size to those of wolves from southeastern Ontario and smaller than those of western wolves. However, Minnesota wolf skulls during 1970–1976 showed a shift to the larger, western form. Although Minnesota skull measurements after 1976 were unavailable, rostral ratios from 1969 through 1999 were consistent with hybridization between the smaller eastern wolf and …

Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Movements And Behavior Around A Kill Site And Implications For Gps Collar Studies, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Global Positioning System (GPS) radio-collars are increasingly used to estimate Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) kill rates. In interpreting results from this technology, researchers make various assumptions about wolf behavior around kills, yet no detailed description of this behavior has been published. This article describes the behavior of six wolves in an area of constant daylight during 30 hours, from when the pack killed a Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) calf and yearling on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, to when they abandoned the kill remains. Although this is only a single incident, it demonstrates one possible scenario of pack …

Movements Of Wolves At The Northern Extreme Of The Species’ Range, Including During Four Months Of Darkness, L. David Mech, H. Dean Cluff

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Information about wolf (Canis lupus) movements anywhere near the northern extreme of the species’ range in the High Arctic (.75uN latitude) are lacking. There, wolves prey primarily on muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and must survive 4 months of 24 hr/day winter darkness and temperatures reaching 253 C. The extent to which wolves remain active and prey on muskoxen during the dark period are unknown, for the closest area where information is available about winter wolf movements is .2,250 km south. We studied a pack of $20 wolves on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada (80°N latitude) from July 2009 …

Parsing Demographic Effects Of Canine Parvovirus On A Minnesota Wolf Population, L. David Mech, Sagar M. Goyal

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

We examined 35 years of relationships among wolf (Canis lupus) pup survival, population change and canine parvovirus (CPV) seroprevalence in northeastern Minnesota to determine when CPV exerted its strongest effects. Using correlation analysis of data from five periods of 7-years each from 1973 through 2007, we learned that the strongest effect of CPV on pup survival (r = -0.73) and on wolf population change (r = -0.92) was during 1987 to 1993. After that, little effect was documented despite a mean CPV seroprevalence from 1994 of 2007 of 70.8% compared with 52.6% during 1987 to 1993. We …

Problems With Studying Wolf Predation On Small Prey In Summer Via Global Positioning System Collars, Vicente Palacios, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

We attempted to study predation on various-sized prey by a male and female wolf (Canis lupus) with global positioning system (GPS) collars programmed to acquire locations every 10 min in the Superior National Forest of Minnesota. During May to August 2007, we investigated 147 clusters of locations (31% of the total) and found evidence of predation on a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn and yearling, a beaver (Castor canadensis), ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), and fisher (Martes pennanti) and scavenging on a road-killed deer and other carrion. However, we missed finding …

Distributions Of Sharks Across A Continental Shelf In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, J. Marcus Drymon, Sean P. Powers, John Dindo, Brian Dzwonkowski, Terry A. Henwood

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Declines in shark populations have sparked researchers and fishery managers to investigate more prudent approaches to the conservation of these fish. As managers strive to improve data collection for stock assessment, fisheries-independent surveys have expanded to include data-deficient areas such as coastal regions. To that end, a catch series from a nearshore survey off Alabama was combined with data from a concurrent offshore survey with identical methodology to examine the depth use of sharks across the continental shelf (2–366 m). The combined data set contained 22 species of sharks collected from 1995 to 2008: 21 species in the offshore data …

The Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Fauna Of The Blackwater Ecological Preserve: Effects Of Prescribed Burns And Habitat Type On Mosquito Abundance And Distribution, Norman A. Grefe Lll

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

While mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are among the most studied of insect groups, much remains unknown about their distribution and response to environmental impacts such as prescribed burns. Blackwater Ecological Preserve, located near Zuni, Virginia, is a relict long leaf pine barren, parts of which undergo periodic prescribed burns to maintain and restore this fire-dependent ecosystem. To assess the impact of prescribed burns on mosquito activity and to determine associations between seasonal patterns of adult mosquito activity and habitat type, CDC light traps baited with dry ice were set (rom late April through October at Blackwater Ecological Preserve during the 2005 …

Carrion Beetles Of The Blackwater Ecologic Preserve: Community Structure Seasonal Patterns And Habitat Use, Amy L. Simons

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Carrion beetles (Silphidae) are important in the decomposition of carcasses in ecosystems. Two subfamilies, Nicrophorinae and Silphinae, differ in reproductive behaviors. The Nicrophinae, burying beetles, bury small carcasses to serve as food for the adults and their offspring. The Silphinae oviposit near larger carcasses. There is intense competition among all carrion beetles and other carrion feeders for carcasses, and beetle species have evolved seasonal activity patterns that minimize competition, such as when they are active and when they reproduce. Northern Silphidae communities are more diverse than southern communities, probably due to increased competition for carrion in the south.

This research …

What Is The Taxonomic Identity Of Minnesota Wolves?, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

The taxonomic identity of the historical and current wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758 or Canis lycaon Schreber, 1775 or their hybrids) population in Minnesota (MN) and the Great Lakes region has been, and continues to be, controversial. So too does its legal status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This review summarizes the morphological and genetic information about that population and concludes that historically the MN population consisted of a gray wolf (C. lupus) in the west and an eastern type (Canis lupus lycaon or C. lycaon) in the east with intergrades or hybrids between …

The Role Of Retrieval And Translocation In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Sara E. Zimorski, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Beginning in 2001, a reintroduction project was initiated using captive-reared whooping cranes (Grus americana) to establish a migratory flock in eastern North America. From May 2003 to August 2008, 23 of these birds were retrieved and translocated in 15 separate events. These individuals consisted of 14 cranes that had been led to Florida by ultralight aircraft on their first autumn migration (UL) and 9 cranes that had been directly released in autumn in Wisconsin (DAR). Of 104 (86 UL and 18 DAR) reintroduced individuals that eventually departed from their release location, 22% were later retrieved 1-3 times. Lake …

Home Range Size And Habitat Use Of Mississippi Sandhill Crane Colts, Scott G. Hereford, Tracy E. Grazia, Jereme N. Phillips, Glenn H. Olsen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Recruitment in the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pulla) is minimal, with the population of 110 sustained by an annual augmentation of captive-reared juveniles. Suitability of available habitat quality is likely involved in nesting success. Thousands of hectares of pine savanna were restored for crane use, but it is not clear how much was being used by crane families. We used 3-g subcutaneous transmitters to radio-tag 27 colts over 6 years from 1998 to 2002 and 2004 to determine home range and habitat use. Using a hand-held receiver, H-antenna and standard triangulation, location data were collected twice …

Three White Cranes, Two Flyways, One World, Sara Gavney Moore, Joan Garland, Zhang Juan, Maria Vladimirtseva

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The International Crane Foundation, together with Beijing Brooks Education Center in China and the Institute for Biological Problems of the Cryolithozone in Russia, is implementing a multi-year education project targeting local communities along the eastern crane flyways in the United States and East Asia. The education activities focus on the importance of wetlands, wildlife, and other natural resources from the perspective of local communities and are designed to enhance local leadership for education efforts. In the U.S. project activities are integrated with education programs centering on the eastern migratory whooping crane (Grus americana) population, integrating classroom activities and …

An Individual Whooping Crane's Family History, Karine Gil, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, Brian W. Johns, Thomas V. Stehn, Robin Silva

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Between 1977 and 1988, 12 cohorts (134 individuals) of whooping cranes (Grus americana) were banded in Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP, Canada-breeding ground) and monitored from Canada to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR, Texas-wintering ground). During 2004, historical data on banded individuals was analyzed to estimate population parameters and life table of the wild population. This study used information from one of the few banded cranes known to be alive in 2008 since 1978. A genealogy tree (Family Tree Maker software) was developed from individual RwR-nil to represent its descendents and relatives, as well as a map (GIS) …

Examination Of Opportunistically Collected Eggs Laid By Whooping Cranes In Florida, Marilyn G. Spalding, Martin J. Folk, Stephen A. Nesbitt

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We examined 41 whooping crane (Grus americana) eggs or egg remains from 27 nests in the field (n = 4), in the laboratory (n = 33), or incubated by another pair (n = 1), or in captivity (n = 3). Eggs were collected because the nest was in danger (2 eggs, 1 nest), abandoned (5 eggs, 4 nests), or failed to hatch after 34 days (27 eggs, 16 nests), or they were removed for management purposes (5 eggs, 3 nests). Evidence of fertility was found in 18 eggs (12 nests, 44%) of 33 opened. The remainder were either …

The Direct Autumn Release Of Whooping Cranes Into The Eastern Migratory Population: A Summary Of The First Three Years, Marianne M. Wellington, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

This paper describes methods used in an experimental direct autumn release of captive produced whooping cranes (Grus americana) into a reintroduced migratory population in eastern North America. Eighteen chicks (4 in 2005, 4 in 2006, and 10 in 2007) were eventually released in the vicinity of adult whooping cranes or wild sandhill cranes (G. canadensis). Chicks were reared by costumed aviculturists using strict isolation-rearing techniques at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) and then transferred to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. Initially, 23 chicks were transferred from ICF to Necedah at ages of 17-46 days. …

Causes Of Embryonic Death In Captive Whooping Cranes, Julia N. Letoutchaia, Kelly Maguire, Barry K. Hartup

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

In 2001, the International Whooping Crane Recovery Team and the Whooping Crane Health Advisory Team reemphasized the need for analysis of embryonic deaths within captive breeding flocks to identify preventable deaths and promote increased production of chicks for release programs. We conducted a retrospective study of egg necropsy reports to identify causes of death among developing whooping crane (Grus americana) embryos from captivity. Records from 44 egg necropsies conducted at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) between 2001 and 2008 were reviewed. The eggs were of captive origin (ICF, n = 40; Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, n = 3; …

Nest Desertion In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Richard P. Urbanek, Sara E. Zimorski, Anna M. Fasoli, Eva K. Szyszkoski

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Reintroduction of an eastern migratory population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) into eastern North America began in 2001. Reproduction first occurred in 2005. Through 2008, eggs were produced in 22 first nests and 2 renests. All first nests failed–50% confirmed due to desertion by the parents and the remaining nest failures also consistent with the pattern of parental desertion. Nest failures were not related to stage of incubation, and they were often synchronous. Temperatures in winter and early spring affected timing of nest failure. An environmental factor such as harassment of incubating cranes by black flies (Simulium …

Pedigree Analyses Of The Mississippi Sandhill Crane, Jessica R. Henkel

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The genetic status of the critically endangered Mississippi sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pulla) was analyzed using 2008 studbook data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed captive breeding and release program. Since the captive breeding program was established in 1964, gene diversity has decreased 6%, average mean kinship is at the level of first cousin, and inbreeding coefficients have been observed as high as 0.375. These high inbreeding levels were correlated with lower survivorship, and an analysis of the mate suitability of current pairs at the release site revealed poor mate suitability indices. These factors may be …

Behavior Comparisons Of Two Rearing Protocols For Whooping Cranes Raised By Costumed Caregivers And Trained For An Ultralight-Led Migration, Glenn H. Olsen, John B. French

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping crane (Grus americana) colts are raised at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland for the first 40-60 days of a chick's life as part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) ultralight-led reintroduction. Numbers raised for WCEP are increasing each year. Up to 2005, we raised whooping crane chicks in the Propagation Building where there are 10 indoor/outdoor pens, 8 full pens, and 2 half-size pens. In 2005 WCEP proposed increasing the number of colts reared to 20-24, numbers beyond the capacity of the facility. To accommodate this greater number of chicks, we modified several outdoor …

Methods To Reduce Crop Depredation By Cranes In Siberia (Trans-Baikal Region), Oleg A. Goroshko

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Methods of reducing crop depredation by cranes were tested in Daursky State Nature Biosphere Reserve on the steppes of southern Siberia. The Torey Lakes and numerous small lakes support autumn gathering of cranes and waterfowl. Croplands (mainly oats and wheat) attract staging cranes, geese, and ducks. Up to 42,000 demoiselle (Anthropoides virgo) and 1,100 hooded cranes (Grus monacha) (>10% of world populations for these species) can feed in the fields near the reserve and cause significant damage (up to 70% in some wheat fields). We investigated the problem during 1992-2004 and suggested various methods to …

Pathology Associated With Lightning Strike And Drowning Mortality Of Whooping Cranes In Florida, Marilyn G. Spalding, Scott Terrell, William B. Brooks

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Severe thunderstorms associated with a strong front passing through the Gulf Coast of Florida on the night of 1-2 February 2007 resulted in the death of 17 whooping cranes (Grus americana) penned at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. Postmortem examination of 4 of the birds revealed saline fluid in lungs and airsacs consistent with drowning. Coagulation necrosis and other histologic changes in kidney, peripheral nerve, airsac membranes, and heart muscle further indicated electrocution and are comparable to other cases of electrocution associated with power-line strikes in Florida. Aspiration of seawater was the most likely cause of death of birds …

Survival, Reproduction, And Movements Of Migratory Whooping Cranes During The First Seven Years Of Reintroduction, Richard P. Urbanek, Lara E. A. Fondow, Sara E. Zimorski

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

An effort to reintroduce a migratory population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) into eastern North America began in 2001. During 2001-2007, 125 juveniles were costume/isolation-reared and released: 106 were led by ultralight aircraft from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), central Wisconsin, to Chassahowitzka NWR, central Gulf Coast of Florida, on their first autumn migration (ultralight-led or UL). The remaining 19 individuals were released directly on Necedah NWR during autumn of the hatch year (direct autumn release or DAR). Of 86 UL and 13 DAR cranes that completed their first spring migration, 72 (84%) and 5 (38%), respectively, returned …