Behavioral States In Space And Time: Understanding Landscape Use By An Invasive Mammal,
2022
Michigan State University
Behavioral States In Space And Time: Understanding Landscape Use By An Invasive Mammal, Steven M. Gray, John M. Humphreys, Robert A. Montgomery, Dwayne R. Etter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Daniel B. Kramer, Gary J. Roloff
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Animal movement models can be used to understand species behavior and assist with implementation of management activities. We explored behavioral states of an invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa) population that recently colonized central Michigan, USA, 2014–2018. To quantify environmental factors related to wild pig movement ecology and spatio‐temporal landscape use, we predicted wild pig behavioral states relative to land cover type, landscape structure (i.e., edge and patch cohesion), and weather conditions. We used global positioning system (GPS)‐collars and monitored 8 wild pigs from 2014–2018. We fit local convex hulls and calculated movement metrics revealing 3 wild pig behavioral states (resting, …
Capture-Recapture Reveals Heterogeneity In Habitat-Specific Mongoose Densities And Spatiotemporal Variability In Trapping Success In St. Kitts, West Indies,
2022
Université de Montréal
Capture-Recapture Reveals Heterogeneity In Habitat-Specific Mongoose Densities And Spatiotemporal Variability In Trapping Success In St. Kitts, West Indies, Caroline C. Sauvé, Are R. Berentsen, Amy Gilbert, Anne Conan, Luis Cruz-Martinez, Patrick A. Leighton
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) is a non-native invasive species across the Caribbean and a rabies reservoir on at least four islands in the region. Although previous studies reported mongoose density estimates in their non-native range, the variability in trapping designs, study seasonality, and analytical methods among studies precludes direct comparisons. This study is the first to report mongoose densities for the island of St. Kitts, West Indies. Our objective was to quantify mongoose densities across four habitats characteristic for the island. High capture and recapture rates in this study resulted in detailed estimates of spatial heterogeneity …
Dammed Water Quality—Longitudinal Stream Responses Below
Beaver Ponds In The Umpqua River Basin, Oregon,
2022
Oregon State University
Dammed Water Quality—Longitudinal Stream Responses Below Beaver Ponds In The Umpqua River Basin, Oregon, John R. Stevenson, Jason B. Dunham, Steven M. Wondzell, Jimmy Taylor
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Beaver-related restoration (BRR) has gained popularity as a means of improving stream ecosystems, but the effects are not fully understood. Studies of dissolved oxygen (DO) and water temperature, key water quality metrics for salmonids, have demonstrated improved conditions in some cases, but warming and decreased DO have been more commonly reported in meta-analyses. These results point to the contingencies that can influence outcomes from BRR. We examined water quality related to beaver ponds in a diverse coastal watershed (Umpqua River Basin, OR, USA). We monitored water temperature 0–400m above and below beaver ponds and at pond surfaces and bottoms across …
Invasive Rodent Responses To Experimental And Natural
Hurricanes With Implications For Global Climate Change,
2022
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
Invasive Rodent Responses To Experimental And Natural Hurricanes With Implications For Global Climate Change, Aaron B. Shiels, Gabriela E. Ramírez De Arellano, Laura Shiels
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Hurricanes cause dramatic changes to forests by opening the canopy and depositing debris onto the forest floor. How invasive rodent populations respond to hurricanes is not well understood, but shifts in rodent abundance and foraging may result from scarce fruit and seed resources that follow hurricanes. We conducted studies in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico to better understand how experimental (canopy trimming experiment) and natural (Hurricane Maria) hurricane effects alter populations of invasive rodents (Rattus rattus [rats] and Mus musculus [mice]) and their foraging behaviors. To monitor rodent populations, we used tracking tunnels (inked and baited cards …
Improving Efficiency Of Prairie Dog Surveys By Using A Small Copter Drone,
2022
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
Improving Efficiency Of Prairie Dog Surveys By Using A Small Copter Drone, Aaron B. Shiels, J. W. Fischer, Danika Spock, Meagan Allira
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Prairie dogs are an accessible and enjoyed wildlife species in Colorado that require occasional surveys because populations can change abruptly due to plague outbreaks or human-induced control. We evaluated the use of small copter drones at four prairie dog colonies on Open Space and Mountain Parks lands, City of Boulder, to determine if this methodology improves efficiency over ground-based survey methods. We counted prairie dogs and burrows using two types of drones (DJI Matric 210 and Autel Evo II) at altitudes 100', 150', and 400' (burrows only). We recorded video and merged still images into orthomosaics prior to having USDA …
Revitalizing Conservation And Management Of The American Crocodile (Crocodylus Acutus) In The Dominican Republic,
2022
University of North Florida
Revitalizing Conservation And Management Of The American Crocodile (Crocodylus Acutus) In The Dominican Republic, Robert Greco
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Crocodilian populations declined globally during the 20th century because of overhunting and habitat loss. Some crocodilian populations have recovered recently through legal protections and habitat restoration, but the status of many crocodilian populations are still unknown because of a lack of recent data. The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) population in the Dominican Republic (DR) is one of these data-deficient populations, with country-wide surveys not carried out since the 1980s. From May through July 2021 we surveyed areas within DR where C. acutus is still likely residing. Our surveys yielded no crocodile sightings in Monte Cristi, suggesting that …
Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Efforts In Human–Wildlife Interactions,
2022
Utah State University
Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Efforts In Human–Wildlife Interactions, Rosanna M. Vail
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The managing editor interviews the editor-in-chief about the journal's current efforts and next steps toward increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Stakeholder Knowledge And Perceptions Of Free-Roaming Equids And Their Management At A Western U.S. Land-Grant University,
2022
Utah State University
Stakeholder Knowledge And Perceptions Of Free-Roaming Equids And Their Management At A Western U.S. Land-Grant University, Hollee S. Wood, S. Nicole Frey, Terry A. Messmer
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The horse (Equus ferus caballus), originally native to North America, became extinct on the continent approximately 10,000 years ago. Horses that migrated from North America to Eurasia across the Bering Strait continued to evolve and were domesticated along with burros (E. asinus). Both species were then transported to the Americas where they were intentionally released or escaped into the wild, forming feral herds. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (WFRHBA) provided federal oversight and protection for feral horses and burros (hereafter, free-roaming equids) that inhabited designated areas on public lands in the western …
Florida Sand Skink And Blue-Tailed Mole Skink: Expanding Geographic Coverage Of Genetic Analysis For Conservation,
2022
Georgia Southern University
Florida Sand Skink And Blue-Tailed Mole Skink: Expanding Geographic Coverage Of Genetic Analysis For Conservation, Emma Simpson
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
The Lake Wales Ridge is important scrub habitat that has been increasingly altered since the post-Columbian settlement in Florida. This loss of habitat has caused extreme anthropogenic fragmentation within the Lake Wales Ridge resulting in isolation among extant scrub patches. To expand the geographic scope of previous studies and answer questions concerning population connectivity, we characterized genetic diversity and differentiation using cytochrome-b and microsatellite genetic markers for two endemic skink species: the Florida Sand Skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) and Blue-tailed Mole Skink (Plestiodon egregius lividus). Both species display historical isolation between central and southern Lake Wales Ridge …
Evaluating Population Genetic Structure And Potential Genomic Signals Of Natural Selection In A Migratory Songbird (Protonotaria Citrea),
2022
Virginia Commonwealth University
Evaluating Population Genetic Structure And Potential Genomic Signals Of Natural Selection In A Migratory Songbird (Protonotaria Citrea), Tyler A. Hohenstein
Theses and Dissertations
In this study I attempted to further resolve the population genetic structure in the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), and conducted an outlier SNP analysis and exploratory gene ontology analysis to investigate potential ongoing natural selection in the species. This analysis of population structure confirms previous work by DeSaix et al. (2019), where weak population structure was observed between eastern sites along the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and western sites in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, possibly due to a genetic discontinuity across the Appalachian Mountains. I conducted two forms of outlier SNP analyses, a principal component analysis (PCA)-based approach to identify SNPs …
Population Structure Of The Lizard Ecpleopus Gaudichaudii Coincides With A Biogeographic Barrier - The Doce River,
2022
CUNY City College
Population Structure Of The Lizard Ecpleopus Gaudichaudii Coincides With A Biogeographic Barrier - The Doce River, Alexander J. Garretson
Dissertations and Theses
Intraspecific genetic variation is an integral component of diversification and the accumulation of biodiversity. The degree to which isolated populations of the same species are genetically structured in geographical space is impacted by a variety of mechanisms. In this study, I document patterns and discuss possible drivers of genetic structure within Ecpleopus gaudichaudii, a lizard species endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. For that, I assembled ddRadseq sequences from 48 individuals across much of the range of the E. gaudichaudii and analyzed its population structure. I created an intraspecific phylogeny for this group utilizing RAxML and conducted a …
Healthy Western Lands: A Proposal For Healthy Rangelands, Wildlife, And Free-Roaming Horses And Burros,
2022
University of Nevada, Reno
Healthy Western Lands: A Proposal For Healthy Rangelands, Wildlife, And Free-Roaming Horses And Burros, James S. Sedinger, Rebekah Stetson
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The Coalition for Healthy Nevada Lands, Wildlife and Free-roaming Horses (CHNL) is dedicated to proper management of free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) and burros (E. asinus) so rangelands are healthy, which benefits wildlife and the horses and burros themselves. The CHNL proposes the rapid reduction of horses and burros on designated public lands to achieve appropriate management levels (AML). After these reductions, the use of fertility control, supplemented with some gathers and adoption of gathered horses, should allow the Bureau of Land Management to economically maintain horse and burro populations at AML. The CHNL believes this approach …
Bat Mortality At Ontario Wind Farms Quantified And Compared Using Four Candidate Estimator Equations,
2022
Ontario, Canada
Bat Mortality At Ontario Wind Farms Quantified And Compared Using Four Candidate Estimator Equations, Bethany G. Thurber, Catherine B. Jardine, J. Ryan Zimmerling
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Wind farm development is expanding globally. While wind energy is a low-cost option for new electricity supply, the impacts to wildlife populations, including bats (Chiroptera), are of ecological concern. To quantify these impacts, scientists have developed estimator equations to estimate bat mortality, which vary in assumptions related to correction factors. We compared the results of 4 estimators applied to post-construction monitoring data from Ontario, Canada, wind farms to evaluate the effects of field methods and correction factors on estimator consistency. To conduct our study, we obtained data from 21 wind farms between 2011 and 2017 for a total of 26 …
In Memory: James E. “Jim” Miller,
2022
University of Wisconsin - Madison
In Memory: James E. “Jim” Miller, Scott R. Craven
Human–Wildlife Interactions
This "In Memory" article honors the life and contributions of James E. “Jim” Miller.
Stakeholder Acceptance Of Wild Equid Fertility Control Mirrors Global Shifts In Attitudes To Wildlife Management,
2022
Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control
Stakeholder Acceptance Of Wild Equid Fertility Control Mirrors Global Shifts In Attitudes To Wildlife Management, Giovanna Massei, Stephanie L. Boyles Griffin
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Wild equid (horses [Equus ferus] and burros [E. asinus]) populations have increased on public lands in the United States since the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. As of March 1, 2022, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimated that wild equid populations on designated herd management areas (HMAs) may exceed 82,000 animals. In 2020, the total population of wild equids in the United States was estimated to exceed 300,000 animals. The BLM sets an appropriate management level (AML) for wild horse and burro herds on each HMA and removes animals …
Beetle Diversity In Temperate Deciduous Forests With Different Management History In Central Illinois,
2022
Eastern Illinois University
Beetle Diversity In Temperate Deciduous Forests With Different Management History In Central Illinois, Syue Ru Chien
Masters Theses
No abstract provided.
Phylogenetic Origins And Age-Based Proportions Of Malacho (Elops Smithi) Relative To Ladyfish (Elops Saurus): Species On The Move In The Western Gulf Of Mexico,
2022
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Phylogenetic Origins And Age-Based Proportions Of Malacho (Elops Smithi) Relative To Ladyfish (Elops Saurus): Species On The Move In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Damon Williford, Nicolette S. Beeken, Joel Anderson, Polly Hajovsky, Roberta Weixelman
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Two species of ladyfish occur in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Elops saurus and Elops smithi, that are morphologically indistinguishable except for vertebral counts but can also be identified by mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. Here we expand on previous work, most of which has occurred in Florida, and examine the demography, phylogenetics, geographic distribution, and age—structure of ladyfishes in Texas estuaries. Fishery—independent gill net data demonstrated that ladyfishes increase in abundance from north to south along the Texas coast. The abundance of ladyfishes also increased in Texas waters from 1982–2021, which coincides with recent trends of warmer winters. Genetic data …
Fish And Invertebrate Use Of Restored Vs. Natural Oyster Reefs In A Shallow Temperate Latitude Estuary,
2022
Northeastern University
Fish And Invertebrate Use Of Restored Vs. Natural Oyster Reefs In A Shallow Temperate Latitude Estuary, Jonathan H. Grabowski, Christopher J. Baillie, Adam Baukus, Rachael Carlyle, F. Joel Fodrie, Rachel K. Gittman, A. Randall Hughes, David L. Kimbro, Juhyung Lee, Hunter S. Lenihan, Sean P. Powers, Kevin Sullivan
University Faculty and Staff Publications
Coastal marine habitats continue to be degraded, thereby compelling largescale restoration in many parts of the world. Whether restored habitats function similarly to natural habitats and fully recover lost ecosystem services is unclear. In estuaries, oyster reefs have been degraded by multiple anthropogenic activities including destructive fishing practices and reduced water quality, motivating restoration to maintain oyster fisheries and other ecosystem services, often at relatively high cost. We compared fish and invertebrate communities on recently restored (0–1 year post-restoration), older restored (3–4 years post-restoration), and natural oyster reefs to determine if and when restored reefs support functionally similar faunal communities. …
Can Gdp Be Predictive Of Fertility Rates In Sweden?,
2022
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Can Gdp Be Predictive Of Fertility Rates In Sweden?, Hannah Coleman
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
Fertility rates in a country vary and can be influenced by numerous different aspects of an individual’s life and the society in which they live. One aspect that may influence fertility rates at the national level is the gross domestic product (GDP). GDP is an indicator of a country’s economic productivity. Because fertility is linked to both economic development and individual resources, GDP may be a useful indicator of fertility rates. If so, knowing or predicting GDP could be used to project the fertility rates of a population years into the future. To determine if a reasonable connection between GDP …
Degradation And Nitrogen Cycling In The Context Of Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Relationships In The Inquiline Bacterial Community Of Darlingtonia Californica,
2022
Humboldt State University
Degradation And Nitrogen Cycling In The Context Of Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Relationships In The Inquiline Bacterial Community Of Darlingtonia Californica, Megan Teigen
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) research aims to explain how species and their environments interact with each other. Microbial communities engage in vital biogeochemical pathways in a variety of natural ecosystems, and yet there are large knowledge gaps about the specific metabolic pathways in which they are involved. Degradation specifically contributes to nitrogen cycling globally through the breakdown of large organic nitrogen compounds into small inorganic nitrogen that is necessary for the survival of many other organisms. In this study, I focused on the degradative function of the inquiline microbial communities found within the carnivorous pitcher plant, Darlingtonia californica. Darlingtonia grows in …
