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Cortés-Díaz D, Buitrago-Torres DL, Restrepo-Cardona JS, Estellés-Domingo I, López-López P. Bridging Evolutionary History and Conservation of New World Vultures. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3175. [PMID: 37893899 PMCID: PMC10603630 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The New World Vultures (Cathartidae) include seven species of obligate scavengers that, despite their ecological relevance, present critical information gaps around their evolutionary history and conservation. Insights into their phylogenetic relationships in recent years has enabled the addressing of such information gaps through approaches based on phylogeny. We reconstructed the ancestral area in America of the current species using two regionalization schemes and methods: Biogeography with Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis (BioGeoBears) and Bayesian Binary Model-Monte Carlo Markov Chains (BBM-MCMC). Then, we identified the priority species and areas for conservation by means of the Evolutionary Distinctiveness index (ED), as a proxy of the uniqueness of species according to phylogeny, and the Global Endangerment index (GE), mapping phylogenetic diversity. We found that the ancestral area of New World Vultures in America corresponds to South America, with dispersal processes that led to a recolonization of North America by Coragyps atratus, Gymnogyps californianus and Cathartes aura. We identified the Black Vulture, G. californianus and Vultur gryphus as priority species based on ED and "Evolutionary Distinct Globally Endangered" (EDGE) indexes, and the lowlands of Amazon River basin and the Orinoco basin and some tributaries areas of the Guiana Shield were identified as the priority areas when mapping the phylogenetic diversity. This study highlights the importance of filling knowledge gaps of species of conservation concern through the integration of evolutionary and ecological information and tools and, thus, developing adequate strategies to enhance the preservation of these species in the face of the current loss of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cortés-Díaz
- Semillero de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá 110151, Colombia;
| | | | - Juan Sebastián Restrepo-Cardona
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
- Fundación Cóndor Andino—Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador
| | - Irene Estellés-Domingo
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain;
| | - Pascual López-López
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain;
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2
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Navigating Storms: Examining Vultures’ Behavior in Response to Extreme Weather Events. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes have been found to change the spatial and temporal abundance of raptors by decreasing survival and forcing the emigration of individuals, or by increasing habitat heterogeneity and facilitating recolonization of disturbed areas. Nonetheless, little is known about how extreme weather events could affect raptors’ movements and their space use in areas disturbed by large-scale weather events. We studied how extreme weather affected the movements of black and turkey vultures (Coragyps atratus and Cathartes aura, respectively) in Mississippi, USA, facing Hurricane Zeta in November 2020, winter storm Viola in February 2021, and tornados MS-43 and MS-44 in May 2021. We GPS-tracked 28 vultures in the paths of these events. We compared movement rates, net-squared displacements, and use of forest cover, before, during, and after the events. Since storm avoidance behavior has been observed in other birds, we expected that vultures would shift their movements out of the path of these events before storms hit. Further, we forecasted that vultures would make greater use of forested areas as protection against harsh conditions such as strong winds and heavy rain. Vultures responded differently to each weather event; they shifted their movements out of the predicted path of the hurricane and tornadoes but not the snowstorm. These findings reveal that both species use avoidance behavior and adjust their navigation and hazard detection accordingly. Avoidance behavior was more pronounced in turkey vultures than in black vultures. In general, vultures did not make greater use of forest areas as we expected, but turkey vultures did select forest areas during the snowstorm. We propose that olfaction and audition may be key in vultures’ response to extreme weather events.
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3
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Barcelos DC, Costa Alvarenga G, Maia Gräbin D, Baccaro F, Esterci Ramalho E. Divergent effects of lure on multi-species camera-trap detections and quality of photos. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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4
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Naves-Alegre L, Morales-Reyes Z, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Sebastián-González E, Ovaskainen O. Scavenging in the realm of senses: smell and vision drive recruitment at carcasses in Neotropical ecosystems. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220843. [PMID: 36321491 PMCID: PMC9627704 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Social information, acquired through the observation of other individuals, is especially relevant among species belonging to the same guild. The unpredictable and ephemeral nature of carrion implies that social mechanisms may be selected among scavenger species to facilitate carcass location and consumption. Here, we apply a survival-modelling strategy to data obtained through the placement and monitoring of carcasses in the field to analyse possible information transmission cascades within a Neotropical scavenger community. Our study highlights how the use of different senses (smell and sight) within this guild facilitates carcass location through the transmission of social information between species with different carrion foraging efficiencies. Vultures with a highly developed sense of smell play a key role in this process, as they are the first to arrive at the carcasses and their presence seems to serve as a visual cue for other species to locate the resource. Our study supports the local enhancement hypothesis within scavengers, whereby individuals locate carcasses by following foraging heterospecifics, also suggesting the importance of the sense of smell in the maintenance of the community structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Naves-Alegre
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avinguda de la Universitat d'Elx, s/n, 03202, Elche, Spain
- Departament of Ecology, University of Alicante, Carr. de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avinguda de la Universitat d'Elx, s/n, 03202, Elche, Spain
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA), CSIC, Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Avinguda de la Universitat d'Elx, s/n, 03202, Elche, Spain
| | - Esther Sebastián-González
- Departament of Ecology, University of Alicante, Carr. de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Otso Ovaskainen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (Survontie 9C), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim N-7491, Norway
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5
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Mahr K, Nowack L, Knauer F, Hoi H. Songbirds use scent cues to relocate to feeding sites after displacement: An experiment in great tits (Parus major). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.858981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Air-borne chemicals are highly abundant sensory cues and their use in navigation might be one of the major evolutionary mechanisms explaining the development of olfaction in animals. Despite solid evidence for the importance of olfaction in avian life (e.g., foraging or mating), the importance of chemical cues in avian orientation remains controversial. In particular, songbirds are sorely neglected models, despite their remarkable orientation skills. Here we show that great tits (Parus major) require olfactory cues to orientate toward winter-feeding sites within their home range after displacement. Birds that received an olfaction-depriving treatment were impaired in homing. However, the return rates between olfaction-deprived and control individuals did not differ. Birds with decreased perception of olfactory cues required more time to return to the winter feeding sites. This effect became apparent when the distance between the releasing and capture sites was greater. Our results indicate that even in a familiar environment with possible visual landmarks, scent cues might serve as an important source of information for orientation.
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6
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Butler-Valverde MJ, DeVault TL, Beasley JC. Trophic interactions at avian carcasses: Do scavengers feed on vulture carrion? FOOD WEBS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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7
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Bragato PJ, Spencer EE, Dickman CR, Crowther MS, Tulloch A, Newsome TM. Effects of habitat, season and flood on corvid scavenging dynamics in Central Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J. Bragato
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Emma E. Spencer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Mathew S. Crowther
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Ayesha Tulloch
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
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Hill JE, Holland AE, Brohl LK, Kluever BM, Pfeiffer MB, DeVault TL, Belant JL. Diets of Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures in Coastal South Carolina, USA with a Review of Species' Dietary Information. SOUTHEAST NAT 2022. [DOI: 10.1656/058.021.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob E. Hill
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802
| | - Amanda E. Holland
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - Lisa K. Brohl
- Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, P.O. Box 461, Put-in-Bay, OH 43456
| | - Bryan M. Kluever
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, 2820 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641
| | - Morgan B. Pfeiffer
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Ohio Field Station, 6100 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, OH 44870
| | - Travis L. DeVault
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
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9
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Brunet MJ, Monteith KL, Huggler KS, Clapp JG, Thompson DJ, Burke PW, Zornes M, Lionberger P, Valdez M, Holbrook JD. Cats and dogs: A mesopredator navigating risk and reward provisioned by an apex predator. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8641. [PMID: 35228863 PMCID: PMC8861835 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Successfully perceiving risk and reward is fundamental to the fitness of an animal, and can be achieved through a variety of perception tactics. For example, mesopredators may “directly” perceive risk by visually observing apex predators, or may “indirectly” perceive risk by observing habitats used by predators. Direct assessments should more accurately characterize the arrangement of risk and reward; however, indirect assessments are used more frequently in studies concerning the response of GPS‐marked animals to spatiotemporally variable sources of risk and reward. We investigated the response of a mesopredator to the presence of risk and reward created by an apex predator, where risk and reward likely vary in relative perceptibility (i.e., degree of being perceptible). First, we tested whether coyotes (Canis latrans) use direct or indirect assessments to navigate the presence of mountain lions (Puma concolor; risk) and kills made by mountain lions (reward) in an area where coyotes were a common prey item for mountain lions. Second, we assessed the behavioral response of coyotes to direct encounters with mountain lions. Third, we evaluated spatiotemporal use of carrion by coyotes at kills made by mountain lions. Indirect assessments generally outperformed direct assessments when integrating analyses into a unified framework; nevertheless, our ability to detect direct perception in navigating to mountain lion kills was likely restricted by scale and sampling limitations (e.g., collar fix rates, unsampled kill sites). Rather than responding to the risk of direct encounters with mountain lions, coyotes facilitated encounters by increasing their movement rate, and engaged in risky behavior by scavenging at mountain lion kills. Coyotes appear to mitigate risk by using indirect perception to avoid mountain lions. Our predator–predator interactions and insights are nuanced and counter to the conventional predator–prey systems that have generated much of the predation risk literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J Brunet
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Kevin L Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Katey S Huggler
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | | | | | | | - Mark Zornes
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Wyoming USA
| | - Patrick Lionberger
- Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office Rock Springs Wyoming USA
| | - Miguel Valdez
- Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office Rock Springs Wyoming USA
| | - Joseph D Holbrook
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
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10
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New Remains of Scandiavis mikkelseni Inform Avian Phylogenetic Relationships and Brain Evolution. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13120651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although an increasing number of studies are combining skeletal and neural morphology data in a phylogenetic context, most studies do not include extinct taxa due to the rarity of preserved endocasts. The early Eocene avifauna of the Fur Formation of Denmark presents an excellent opportunity for further study of extinct osteological and endocranial morphology as fossils are often exceptionally preserved in three dimensions. Here, we use X-ray computed tomography to present additional material of the previously described taxon Scandiavis mikkelseni and reassess its phylogenetic placement using a previously published dataset. The new specimen provides novel insights into the osteological morphology and brain anatomy of Scandiavis. The virtual endocast exhibits a morphology comparable to that of modern avian species. Endocranial evaluation shows that it was remarkably similar to that of certain extant Charadriiformes, yet also possessed a novel combination of traits. This may mean that traits previously proposed to be the result of shifts in ecology later in the evolutionary history of Charadriiformes may instead show a more complex distribution in stem Charadriiformes and/or Gruiformes depending on the interrelationships of these important clades. Evaluation of skeletal and endocranial character state changes within a previously published phylogeny confirms both S. mikkelseni and a putative extinct charadriiform, Nahmavis grandei, as charadriiform. Results bolster the likelihood that both taxa are critical fossils for divergence dating and highlight a biogeographic pattern similar to that of Gruiformes.
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11
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Helander B, Krone O, Räikkönen J, Sundbom M, Ågren E, Bignert A. Major lead exposure from hunting ammunition in eagles from Sweden. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148799. [PMID: 34246138 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to lead (Pb) from ammunition in scavenging and raptorial birds has achieved worldwide recognition based on incidences of lethal poisoning, but exposure implies also sublethal levels with potential harmful effects. Background and elevated Pb levels in liver from 116 golden eagles (GE, Aquila chrysaetos) and 200 white-tailed sea eagles (WTSE, Haliaeetus albicilla) from Sweden 2003-2011 are here examined, with supporting data from a previous WTSE report and eagle owl (EO, Bubu bubo) report. GE and WTSE display seasonal patterns, with no Pb level exceeding a generally accepted threshold for subclinical effects during summer but strongly elevated levels from October. Fledged juveniles show significantly lower levels than all other age classes, but reach levels found in older birds in autumn after the start of hunting seasons. Pb levels in EO (non-scavenger) show no seasonal changes and indicate no influence from ammunition, and are close to levels observed in juvenile eagles before October. In all, 15% WTSE and 7% GE were lethally poisoned. In areas with high-exposure to hunting ammunition, 24% of WTSE showed lethal Pb levels, compared to 7% in both eagle species from low-exposure areas. Lethal poisoning of WTSE remained as frequent after (15%) as before (13%) a partial ban on use of Pb-based shotgun ammunition over shallow waters (2002). Pb levels increased significantly in WTSE 1981-2011, in contrast to other biota from the same period. A significant decrease of Pb in WTSE liver occurred below a threshold at 0.25 μg/g (dry weight), exceeded by 81% of the birds. Trend patterns in Pb isotope ratios lend further support to this estimated cut-off level for environmental background concentrations. Pb from spent ammunition affects a range of scavenging and predatory species. A shift to Pb-free ammunition to save wildlife from unnecessary harm is an important environmental and ethical issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Helander
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research & Monitoring (NRM), SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Oliver Krone
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jannikke Räikkönen
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research & Monitoring (NRM), SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Sundbom
- Department of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Ågren
- National Veterinary Institute, Department of Pathology and Wildlife Diseases (SVA), SE-75189 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Bignert
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research & Monitoring (NRM), SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Séguin K, Durand-Guévin A, Lavallée C, Ouimet F, Maisonhaute JÉ, Watson CJ, Forbes SL. The taphonomic impact of scavenger guilds in southern Quebec during summer and fall in two distinct habitats. J Forensic Sci 2021; 67:460-470. [PMID: 34725818 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Decomposition of human remains is a complex process impacted by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors. A less-studied extrinsic factor in forensic taphonomy are the scavengers that consume soft and hard tissue. Scavengers physically degrade and remove soft tissue, disperse, and destroy skeletal elements, which can make locating remains challenging. While invertebrate activity has been largely investigated, there is limited quantitative data available on vertebrate activity, particularly in Canada. This study aimed to determine which species (vertebrate and invertebrate) belong to the scavenger guilds in southern Quebec, and their potential taphonomic impact on the decomposition process. Two independent trials were conducted in 2020 using pig carcasses: one during summer in a forest habitat and one during fall in a grassland habitat. Each carcass was placed a minimum 100 m apart in semi-rural land. Vertebrate scavenger activity was recorded by continuous surveillance using trail cameras. Carcasses were also regularly visited to monitor the decomposition process and the activity of invertebrate scavengers. Overall, the vertebrate scavenger guilds included a narrow range of corvids, turkey vultures, coyotes, and skunks. The intensity of vertebrate scavengers was greater in the grassland habitat (fall), while the intensity of invertebrate scavengers was greater in the forest habitat (summer). With the exception of invertebrate scavengers, very few species visited during the fresh stage of decomposition, and the probability of body displacement increased as decomposition progressed. These results identify which scavengers have the greatest taphonomic impact and highlight the importance of incorporating scavenger impact when searching for human remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karelle Séguin
- Département d'Anatomie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Ariane Durand-Guévin
- Département d'Anatomie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Lavallée
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Frédérique Ouimet
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Julie-Éléonore Maisonhaute
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Département des Sciences de l'environnement, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | | | - Shari L Forbes
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,Centre Interuniversitaire de Criminologie Comparée, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
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13
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Brokaw AF, Davis E, Page RA, Smotherman M. Flying bats use serial sampling to locate odour sources. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210430. [PMID: 34665992 PMCID: PMC8526173 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory tracking generally sacrifices speed for sensitivity, but some fast-moving animals appear surprisingly efficient at foraging by smell. Here, we analysed the olfactory tracking strategies of flying bats foraging for fruit. Fruit- and nectar-feeding bats use odour cues to find food despite the sensory challenges derived from fast flight speeds and echolocation. We trained Jamaican fruit-eating bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) to locate an odour reward and reconstructed their flight paths in three-dimensional space. Results confirmed that bats relied upon olfactory cues to locate a reward. Flight paths revealed a combination of odour- and memory-guided search strategies. During 'inspection flights', bats significantly reduced flight speeds and flew within approximately 6 cm of possible targets to evaluate the presence or absence of the odour cue. This behaviour combined with echolocation explains how bats maximize foraging efficiency while compensating for trade-offs associated with olfactory detection and locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson F. Brokaw
- Interdisciplinary Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Evynn Davis
- Kreiger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Michael Smotherman
- Interdisciplinary Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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14
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Díaz-Siefer P, Tapia-Gatica J, Martínez-Harms J, Bergmann J, Celis-Diez JL. A larval aggregation pheromone as foraging cue for insectivorous birds. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210360. [PMID: 34582735 PMCID: PMC8478522 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although birds have traditionally been considered anosmic, increasing evidence indicates that olfaction plays an important role in the foraging behaviours of insectivorous birds. Recent studies have shown that birds can exploit herbivore-induced plant volatiles and sexual pheromones of adult insects to locate their prey. Many insectivorous birds prey on immature insects, providing relevant ecosystem services as pest regulators in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We asked whether birds could rely on chemical cues emitted by the immature stages of insects to prey on them. To address this question, we performed field experiments to evaluate if insectivorous birds can detect the aggregation pheromone produced by the larvae of the carpenter worm, Chilecomadia valdiviana. Groups of five artificial larvae were placed in branches of 72 adult trees in a remnant fragment of a sclerophyllous forest in central Chile. Each grouping of larvae contained a rubber septum loaded with either larval pheromone as treatment or solvent alone as control. We found that the number of larvae damaged by bird pecks was significantly higher in groups with dispensers containing the larval extract than in control groups. Our results show that birds can rely on immature insect-derived chemical cues used for larvae aggregation to prey on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Díaz-Siefer
- Centro Regional de Investigación e Innovación para la Sostenibilidad de la Agricultura y los Territorios Rurales, CERES, Quillota, Chile
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
| | - Jaime Tapia-Gatica
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
| | | | - Jan Bergmann
- Instituto de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Juan L. Celis-Diez
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
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15
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Keyes CA, Myburgh J, Brits D. Animal scavenging on pig cadavers in the Lowveld of South Africa. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 327:110969. [PMID: 34455398 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Scavenging animals often scatter skeletal remains of forensic interest and leave bite marks. This study aimed to identify scavenging animals in the rural Lowveld of South Africa and to describe their scattering pattern and bite marks on bone. Ten pig cadavers (Sus scrofa domesticus) (40-80 kg) were placed at the Wits Rural Facility, Limpopo, South Africa during the summer and winter seasons. Motion activated cameras recorded the scavenging. Scavenger species were identified and their behaviors, scattering pattern, and bite marks were described. Scavenging was primarily by vultures (hooded, white-backed, and lappet-faced). Marabou stork, slender and banded mongoose, genet, civet, warthog and honey badger also actively scavenged. Vultures began to scavenge the pig cadavers after 18hrs in summer and between 26 and 28 h in winter and skeletonized pig cadavers rapidly between 5 and 98 min. Skeletonization occurred more rapidly and diffusely in summer while winter cases were densely scattered. Overall the scattered remains were within an area of 157.9 m2/1705.5 ft2 with a radius of 7.09 m/23.3 ft. Vultures cleaned bones thoroughly with very minimal markings - primarily nonspecific scores. The described scattering pattern and bite marks will assist in the recovery and analysis of scavenged remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Keyes
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - J Myburgh
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - D Brits
- Human Variation and Identification Research Unit, School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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16
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Hill JE, Kellner KF, Kluever BM, Avery ML, Humphrey JS, Tillman EA, DeVault TL, Belant JL. Landscape transformations produce favorable roosting conditions for turkey vultures and black vultures. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14793. [PMID: 34285264 PMCID: PMC8292396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94045-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent increases in turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations in North America have been attributed in part to their success adapting to human-modified landscapes. However, the capacity for such landscapes to generate favorable roosting conditions for these species has not been thoroughly investigated. We assessed the role of anthropogenic and natural landscape elements on roosting habitat selection of 11 black and 7 turkey vultures in coastal South Carolina, USA using a GPS satellite transmitter dataset derived from previous research. Our dataset spanned 2006–2012 and contained data from 7916 nights of roosting. Landscape fragmentation, as measured by land cover richness, influenced roosting probability for both species in all seasons, showing either a positive relationship or peaking at intermediate values. Roosting probability of turkey vultures was maximized at intermediate road densities in three of four seasons, and black vultures showed a positive relationship with roads in fall, but no relationship throughout the rest of the year. Roosting probability of both species declined with increasing high density urban cover throughout most of the year. We suggest that landscape transformations lead to favorable roosting conditions for turkey vultures and black vultures, which has likely contributed to their recent proliferations across much of the Western Hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob E Hill
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA. .,Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.
| | - Kenneth F Kellner
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Bryan M Kluever
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - Michael L Avery
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - John S Humphrey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - Eric A Tillman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, Gainesville, FL, 32641, USA
| | - Travis L DeVault
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
| | - Jerrold L Belant
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
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17
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Smell of green leaf volatiles attracts white storks to freshly cut meadows. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12912. [PMID: 34145327 PMCID: PMC8213700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92073-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding food is perhaps the most important task for all animals. Birds often show up unexpectedly at novel food sources such as freshly tilled fields or mown meadows. Here we test whether wild European white storks primarily use visual, social, auditory or olfactory information to find freshly cut farm pastures where insects and rodents abound. Aerial observations of an entire local stork population documented that birds could not have become aware of a mown field through auditory, visual or social information. Only birds within a 75° downwind cone over 0.4–16.6 km approached any mown field. Placing freshly cut grass from elsewhere on selected unmown fields elicited similarly immediate stork approaches. Furthermore, uncut fields that were sprayed with a green leaf volatile organic compound mix ((Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, hexenyl acetate), the smell of freshly cut grass, immediately attracted storks. The use of long-distance olfactory information for finding food may be common in birds, contrary to current perception.
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18
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Newsome TM, Barton B, Buck JC, DeBruyn J, Spencer E, Ripple WJ, Barton PS. Monitoring the dead as an ecosystem indicator. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5844-5856. [PMID: 34141188 PMCID: PMC8207411 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dead animal biomass (carrion) is present in all terrestrial ecosystems, and its consumption, decomposition, and dispersal can have measurable effects on vertebrates, invertebrates, microbes, parasites, plants, and soil. But despite the number of studies examining the influence of carrion on food webs, there has been no attempt to identify how general ecological processes around carrion might be used as an ecosystem indicator. We suggest that knowledge of scavenging and decomposition rates, scavenger diversity, abundance, and behavior around carrion, along with assessments of vegetation, soil, microbe, and parasite presence, can be used individually or in combination to understand food web dynamics. Monitoring carrion could also assist comparisons of ecosystem processes among terrestrial landscapes and biomes. Although there is outstanding research needed to fully integrate carrion ecology and monitoring into ecosystem management, we see great potential in using carrion as an ecosystem indicator of an intact and functional food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Brandon Barton
- Department of Biological SciencesMississippi State UniversityMississippi StateMSUSA
| | - Julia C. Buck
- Biology and Marine BiologyUniversity of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmingtonNCUSA
| | - Jennifer DeBruyn
- Biosystems Engineering and Soil ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Emma Spencer
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - William J. Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisORUSA
| | - Philip S. Barton
- School of ScienceFederation University AustraliaMt HelenVICAustralia
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19
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Iwaniuk AN, Wylie DR. Sensory systems in birds: What we have learned from studying sensory specialists. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:2902-2918. [PMID: 32133638 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
"Diversity" is an apt descriptor of the research career of Jack Pettigrew as it ranged from the study of trees, to clinical conditions, to sensory neuroscience. Within sensory neuroscience, he was fascinated by the evolution of sensory systems across species. Here, we review some of his work on avian sensory specialists and research that he inspired in others. We begin with an overview of the importance of the Wulst in stereopsis and the need for further study of the Wulst in relation to binocularity across avian species. Next, we summarize recent anatomical, behavioral, and physiological studies on optic flow specializations in hummingbirds. Beyond vision, we discuss the first evidence of a tactile "fovea" in birds and how this led to detailed studies of tactile specializations in waterfowl and sensorimotor systems in parrots. We then describe preliminary studies by Pettigrew of two endemic Australian species, the plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) and letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus), that suggest the evolution of some unique auditory and visual specializations in relation to their unique behavior and ecology. Finally, we conclude by emphasizing the importance of a comparative and integrative approach to understanding avian sensory systems and provide an example of one system that has yet to be properly examined: tactile facial bristles in birds. Through reviewing this research and offering future avenues for discovery, we hope that others also embrace the comparative approach to understanding sensory system evolution in birds and other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Iwaniuk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas R Wylie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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20
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D’Elia J, Brandt J, Burnett LJ, Haig SM, Hollenbeck J, Kirkland S, Marcot BG, Punzalan A, West CJ, Williams-Claussen T, Wolstenholme R, Young R. Applying circuit theory and landscape linkage maps to reintroduction planning for California Condors. PLoS One 2020; 14:e0226491. [PMID: 31891594 PMCID: PMC6938332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation practitioners are increasingly looking to species translocations as a tool to recover imperiled taxa. Quantitative predictions of where animals are likely to move when released into new areas would allow managers to better address the social, institutional, and ecological dimensions of conservation translocations. Using >5 million California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) occurrence locations from 75 individuals, we developed and tested circuit-based models to predict condor movement away from release sites. We found that circuit-based models of electrical current were well calibrated to the distribution of condor movement data in southern and central California (continuous Boyce Index = 0.86 and 0.98, respectively). Model calibration was improved in southern California when additional nodes were added to the circuit to account for nesting and feeding areas, where condor movement densities were higher (continuous Boyce Index = 0.95). Circuit-based projections of electrical current around a proposed release site in northern California comported with the condor’s historical distribution and revealed that, initially, condor movements would likely be most concentrated in northwestern California and southwest Oregon. Landscape linkage maps, which incorporate information on landscape resistance, complement circuit-based models and aid in the identification of specific avenues for population connectivity or areas where movement between populations may be constrained. We found landscape linkages in the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada provided the most connectivity to a proposed reintroduction site in northern California. Our methods are applicable to conservation translocations for other species and are flexible, allowing researchers to develop multiple competing hypotheses when there are uncertainties about landscape or social attractants, or uncertainties in the landscape conductance surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D’Elia
- Pacific Regional Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Joseph Brandt
- California Condor Recovery Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, California, United States of America
| | - L. Joseph Burnett
- Ventana Wildlife Society, Monterey, California, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Haig
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hollenbeck
- The Northwest Habitat Institute, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Steve Kirkland
- California Condor Recovery Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, California, United States of America
| | - Bruce G. Marcot
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Arianna Punzalan
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. West
- Wildlife Program, Yurok Tribe, Klamath, California, United States of America
| | - Tiana Williams-Claussen
- Wildlife Program, Yurok Tribe, Klamath, California, United States of America
- Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, United States of America
| | - Rachel Wolstenholme
- Pinnacles National Park, U.S. National Park Service, Paicines, California, United States of America
| | - Rich Young
- Pacific Regional Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
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21
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Holland AE, Byrne ME, Hepinstall-Cymerman J, Bryan AL, DeVault TL, Rhodes OE, Beasley JC. Evidence of niche differentiation for two sympatric vulture species in the Southeastern United States. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2019; 7:31. [PMID: 31695917 PMCID: PMC6822427 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-019-0179-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As obligate scavengers utilizing similar habitats, interspecific competition undoubtedly occurs between resident black (Coragyps atratus) and turkey (Cathartes aura) vultures. In the interest of exploring how sympatric species coexist through habitat segregation, we examined resource selection of resident black and turkey vultures in the southeastern United States (US) for evidence of niche differentiation. METHODS Using fine-scale movement data, we assessed interspecific seasonal differences in monthly roost reuse frequency and roost site fidelity, as well as monthly flight, roost, and diurnal rest site resource selection based on > 2.8 million locations of 9 black vultures and 9 turkey vultures tracked from September 2013 to August 2015 using Groupe Spécial Mobile/Global Positioning System (GSM/GPS) transmitters. RESULTS Black vultures generally exhibited greater roost fidelity as well as a greater maximum number of nights spent at a single roost than turkey vultures. Patterns of flight, roost, and resting habitat selection within the home range varied monthly as well as between species, providing evidence for habitat segregation and niche differentiation by sympatric vultures. In particular, our results indicate the importance of wooded wetlands for resting and roosting locations for both species, and revealed clear differences in the use of forested habitats between species during flight, resting, and roosting behavioral states. CONCLUSIONS By examining differences in resource selection and spatial ecology of black and turkey vultures across a range of behaviors, this study demonstrates mechanisms of niche differentiation in these ecologically similar species, and enhances potential for conservation and informed management of this important group of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E. Holland
- Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC USA
| | - Michael E. Byrne
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC USA
- Present address: School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA
| | | | - A. Lawrence Bryan
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC USA
| | | | - Olin E. Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC USA
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC USA
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22
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Abstract
Abstract
Raptors from the orders Accipitriformes and Falconiformes have been considered to rely principally on vision. Historically, this assumption has led scientists to discount any possible sense of smell in these birds, until work on cathartid vultures indicated that these species at least rely on olfaction to find carrion. In this review I provide evidence that raptors in general have functional olfactory systems that they may use in a range of different contexts. Anatomical studies show that raptors have well-developed olfactory bulbs that are within the range of other bird species. Furthermore, all raptors studied have multiple functional olfactory genes, with, for instance, 283 olfactory genes in the Oriental honey buzzard, Pernis orientalis, of which 81.5% are functional. It has also been shown that some raptors species may functionally use olfactory cues to forage and, potentially, for communication. While further research is required, the available evidence suggests that olfaction may be a more important sensory modality in these birds than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Potier
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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23
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Doyle JM, Willoughby JR, Bell DA, Bloom PH, Bragin EA, Fernandez NB, Katzner TE, Leonard K, DeWoody JA. Elevated Heterozygosity in Adults Relative to Juveniles Provides Evidence of Viability Selection on Eagles and Falcons. J Hered 2019; 110:696-706. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractViability selection yields adult populations that are more genetically variable than those of juveniles, producing a positive correlation between heterozygosity and survival. Viability selection could be the result of decreased heterozygosity across many loci in inbred individuals and a subsequent decrease in survivorship resulting from the expression of the deleterious alleles. Alternatively, locus-specific differences in genetic variability between adults and juveniles may be driven by forms of balancing selection, including heterozygote advantage, frequency-dependent selection, or selection across temporal and spatial scales. We use a pooled-sequencing approach to compare genome-wide and locus-specific genetic variability between 74 golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), 62 imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca), and 69 prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) juveniles and adults. Although genome-wide genetic variability is comparable between juvenile and adult golden eagles and prairie falcons, imperial eagle adults are significantly more heterozygous than juveniles. This evidence of viability selection may stem from a relatively smaller imperial eagle effective population size and potentially greater genetic load. We additionally identify ~2000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms across the 3 species with extreme differences in heterozygosity between juveniles and adults. Many of these markers are associated with genes implicated in immune function or olfaction. These loci represent potential targets for studies of how heterozygote advantage, frequency-dependent selection, and selection over spatial and temporal scales influence survivorship in avian species. Overall, our genome-wide data extend previous studies that used allozyme or microsatellite markers and indicate that viability selection may be a more common evolutionary phenomenon than often appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M Doyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Janna R Willoughby
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Douglas A Bell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, CA
- Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
| | - Peter H Bloom
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Bloom Research Inc., Los Angeles, CA
| | - Evgeny A Bragin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Faculty of Natural Science, Kostanay State Pedagogical University, Kostanay, Kazakhstan
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID
- Science Department, Naurzum National Nature Reserve, Kostanay Oblast, Naurzumski Raijon, Karamendy, Kazakhstan
| | - Nadia B Fernandez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
| | - Todd E Katzner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID
| | - Kolbe Leonard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
| | - J Andrew DeWoody
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
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24
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Byrne ME, Holland AE, Turner KL, Bryan AL, Beasley JC. Using multiple data sources to investigate foraging niche partitioning in sympatric obligate avian scavengers. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Byrne
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E, Aiken Aiken South Carolina 29802 USA
| | - Amanda E. Holland
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E, Aiken Aiken South Carolina 29802 USA
| | - Kelsey L. Turner
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E, Aiken Aiken South Carolina 29802 USA
- Warnel School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia 180 E Green Street Athens Georgia 30602 USA
| | - A. Lawrence Bryan
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E, Aiken Aiken South Carolina 29802 USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia P.O. Drawer E, Aiken Aiken South Carolina 29802 USA
- Warnel School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia 180 E Green Street Athens Georgia 30602 USA
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25
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Roads do not increase carrion use by a vertebrate scavenging community. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16331. [PMID: 30397216 PMCID: PMC6218489 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34224-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife-vehicle collisions introduce a considerable amount of carrion into the environment, but scavenger use of this resource has not been extensively investigated. Scavengers may use roads for reliable foraging opportunities, but might also use roads for other purposes and encounter carrion opportunistically. We examined scavenging of carrion along linear features by placing 52 rabbit carcasses in each of three treatments in forested habitat during winter (Dec 2016-Mar 2017) in South Carolina, USA: roads, power line clearings (linear feature with fewer carcasses than roads due to lack of road kill), and forest interior. We used motion-activated cameras to compare arrival times and presence of vertebrate scavengers among treatments. There was no difference in proportion of carcasses scavenged or scavenger arrival time across treatments. No species arrived at roads quicker than other treatments. Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and coyotes (Canis latrans) scavenged equally across treatments, whereas gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) scavenged along roads and power lines, but not in forests. We suggest that scavenger use of carrion near roads at this location during winter relates to factors other than carrion availability. Because some scavengers readily consumed carrion on roads, this resource has the potential to influence the ecology of these species.
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26
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Potier S, Duriez O, Célérier A, Liegeois JL, Bonadonna F. Sight or smell: which senses do scavenging raptors use to find food? Anim Cogn 2018; 22:49-59. [PMID: 30367315 PMCID: PMC6326982 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1220-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Raptors are usually considered to be mainly visually dependent, and the use of other sensory modalities has rarely been studied in these birds. Here, we investigated experimentally which senses (vision and/or olfaction) Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and Southern caracaras (Caracara plancus) use to find hidden food. First, two identical stainless-steel perforated balls, one containing a putrefied piece of meat and the other an odorless control, were presented to birds in binary choice experiments. Both species interacted more with the smelling ball than with the control, suggesting that they were attracted by the odor of the hidden meat. In a second experiment, individuals were accustomed to eat in one specifically colored ball (blue or green). In the test phase, the meat was hidden in the opposite color with respect to the one each bird had become accustomed to. Vultures still interacted more with the smelly ball disregarding the color, while caracaras interacted equally with the two balls. The prevalence of olfaction in Turkey vultures may partly explain why they are the first raptors to find carcasses in tropical forests. In contrast, caracaras forage on the ground opportunistically, a strategy where both olfaction and sight may be involved. Our experiments suggest that both species are able to use olfactory cues for foraging. However, olfaction could be the predominant sense in Turkey vultures while olfaction and sight could play an equivalent role in Southern caracaras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Potier
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. .,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Olivier Duriez
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Aurélie Célérier
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Jean-Louis Liegeois
- Académie de Fauconnerie du Grand Parc du Puy du Fou, CS 70 025, 85590, Les Epesses, France
| | - Francesco Bonadonna
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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27
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Zepeda Mendoza ML, Roggenbuck M, Manzano Vargas K, Hansen LH, Brunak S, Gilbert MTP, Sicheritz-Pontén T. Protective role of the vulture facial skin and gut microbiomes aid adaptation to scavenging. Acta Vet Scand 2018; 60:61. [PMID: 30309375 PMCID: PMC6182802 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-018-0415-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vultures have adapted the remarkable ability to feed on carcasses that may contain microorganisms that would be pathogenic to most other animals. The holobiont concept suggests that the genetic basis of such adaptation may not only lie within their genomes, but additionally in their associated microbes. To explore this, we generated shotgun DNA sequencing datasets of the facial skin and large intestine microbiomes of the black vulture (Coragyps atratus) and the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). We characterized the functional potential and taxonomic diversity of their microbiomes, the potential pathogenic challenges confronted by vultures, and the microbial taxa and genes that could play a protective role on the facial skin and in the gut. Results We found microbial taxa and genes involved in diseases, such as dermatitis and pneumonia (more abundant on the facial skin), and gas gangrene and food poisoning (more abundant in the gut). Interestingly, we found taxa and functions with potential for playing beneficial roles, such as antilisterial bacteria in the gut, and genes for the production of antiparasitics and insecticides on the facial skin. Based on the identified phages, we suggest that phages aid in the control and possibly elimination, as in phage therapy, of microbes reported as pathogenic to a variety of species. Interestingly, we identified Adineta vaga in the gut, an invertebrate that feeds on dead bacteria and protozoans, suggesting a defensive predatory mechanism. Finally, we suggest a colonization resistance role through biofilm formation played by Fusobacteria and Clostridia in the gut. Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of complementing genomic analyses with metagenomics in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the host-microbial alliance and show the importance of microbiome-mediated health protection for adaptation to extreme diets, such as scavenging. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13028-018-0415-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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