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Sisson D, Beechler B, Jabbar A, Jolles A, Hufschmid J. Epidemiology of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale infections in African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) from Kruger National Park, South Africa. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:47-54. [PMID: 37124669 PMCID: PMC10140747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Image 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Sisson
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Brianna Beechler
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Magruder Hall, 700 SW 30th St, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
| | - Anna Jolles
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Magruder Hall, 700 SW 30th St, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Cordley Hall, 3029, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Jasmin Hufschmid
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
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Rao P, Gouaux E. Purification and biochemical analysis of native AMPA receptors from three different mammalian species. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0275351. [PMID: 36930594 PMCID: PMC10022779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of fast, excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS) is mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs), which are glutamate-activated ion channels integral to synaptic plasticity, motor coordination, learning, and memory. Native AMPARs are multiprotein assemblies comprised of a tetrameric receptor core that co-assembles with a broad range of peripheral auxiliary proteins which shape subcellular localization and signaling properties of the resulting complexes. Structure determination of AMPARs has traditionally relied on recombinant expression systems; however, these methods are not well suited to elucidate the diverse array of AMPAR assemblies that are differentially expressed in mammalian brains. While recent studies of native receptor complexes have advanced our understanding of endogenous assemblies, receptors thus far have only been isolated from rodent brain tissue. Here, we employed an immunoaffinity purification strategy to isolate native AMPARs from the brains of three different mammals-pigs, sheep, and cows. Compared to rodents, pigs, sheep, and cows are ungulate mammals, animals with closer genomic identity with humans. Here we determined the molecular size, overall yield, and purity of native AMPARs isolated from these three mammals, thereby demonstrating that structural determination and biochemical analysis is possible from a clade of mammals evolutionarily distinct from rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Rao
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States of America
| | - Eric Gouaux
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States of America
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3
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Wigley-Coetsee C, Strydom T, Govender D, Thompson DI, Govender N, Botha J, Simms C, Manganyi A, Kruger L, Venter J, Greaver C, Smit IP. Reflecting on research produced after more than 60 years of exclosures in the Kruger National Park. KOEDOE: AFRICAN PROTECTED AREA CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v64i1.1674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Herbivores are a main driver of ecosystem patterns and processes in semi-arid savannas, with their effects clearly observed when they are excluded from landscapes. Starting in the 1960s, various herbivore exclosures have been erected in the Kruger National Park (KNP), for research and management purposes. These exclosures vary from very small (1 m2) to relatively large (almost 900 ha), from short-term (single growing season) to long-term (e.g. some of the exclosures were erected more than 60 years ago), and are located on different geologies and across a rainfall gradient. We provide a summary of the history and specifications of various exclosures. This is followed by a systematic overview of mostly peer-reviewed literature resulting from using KNP exclosures as research sites. These 75 articles cover research on soils, vegetation dynamics, herbivore exclusion on other faunal groups and disease. We provide general patterns and mechanisms in a synthesis section, and end with recommendations to increase research outputs and productivity for future exclosure experiments.Conservation Implications: Herbivore exclosures in the KNP have become global research platforms, that have helped in the training of ecologists, veterinarians and field biologists, and have provided valuable insights into savanna dynamics that would otherwise have been hard to gain. In an age of dwindling conservation funding, we make the case for the value added by exclosures and make recommendations for their continued use as learning tools in complex African savannas.
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Benedict BM, Barboza PS. Adverse effects of Diptera flies on northern ungulates:
Rangifer
,
Alces
, and
Bison. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M. Benedict
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University 2258 TAMU, 534 John Kimbrough Blvd College Station TX77843USA
| | - Perry S. Barboza
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University 2258 TAMU, 534 John Kimbrough Blvd College Station TX77843USA
- Department of Rangelands Wildlife and Fisheries Management Texas A&M University 2258 TAMU, 534 John Kimbrough Blvd College Station TX77843USA
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LaCava MEF, Malmberg JL, Edwards WH, Johnson LNL, Allen SE, Ernest HB. Spatio-temporal analyses reveal infectious disease-driven selection in a free-ranging ungulate. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210802. [PMID: 34430048 PMCID: PMC8355672 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases play an important role in wildlife population dynamics by altering individual fitness, but detecting disease-driven natural selection in free-ranging populations is difficult due to complex disease-host relationships. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal infectious prion disease in cervids for which mutations in a single gene have been mechanistically linked to disease outcomes, providing a rare opportunity to study disease-driven selection in wildlife. In Wyoming, USA, CWD has gradually spread across mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations, producing natural variation in disease history to evaluate selection pressure. We used spatial variation and a novel temporal comparison to investigate the relationship between CWD and a mutation at codon 225 of the mule deer prion protein gene that slows disease progression. We found that individuals with the 'slow' 225F allele were less likely to test positive for CWD, and the 225F allele was more common in herds exposed to CWD longer. We also found that in the past 2 decades, the 225F allele frequency increased more in herds with higher CWD prevalence. This study expanded on previous research by analysing spatio-temporal patterns of individual and herd-based disease data to present multiple lines of evidence for disease-driven selection in free-ranging wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie E. F. LaCava
- Wildlife Genomics and Disease Ecology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Malmberg
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82070, USA
| | - William H. Edwards
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Laramie, WY 82070, USA
| | - Laura N. L. Johnson
- Wildlife Genomics and Disease Ecology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Samantha E. Allen
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82070, USA
| | - Holly B. Ernest
- Wildlife Genomics and Disease Ecology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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Barroso P, Acevedo P, Vicente J. The importance of long-term studies on wildlife diseases and their interfaces with humans and domestic animals: A review. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:1895-1909. [PMID: 33179417 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Long-term wildlife disease research (LTWDR) and its interfaces with humans and domestic animals provide perspective to understand the diseases' main drivers and how they operate. In a systematic review, we analysed the temporal trend of the studies on LTWDR, their aims, and the hosts, pathogens and geographic areas studied. We also evaluated the added value that such studies provide. For analysis, we selected a total of 538 articles from 1993 to 2017 with a study period greater than or equal to 4 consecutive years. A marked increase in the number of studies published during the last 20 years was observed that reflects a growing awareness of the outstanding role of wildlife as a reservoir of diseases. The most studied pathogen agents were viruses (39.2%), bacteria (38.5%) and protozoans (15.8%). Concerning the hosts, mammals (84.9%), particularly ungulates (40%) and carnivores (30.9%), and birds (12.5%) were the most represented in these long-term studies. Most articles reached conclusions concerning the effect of the disease on the infection/host dynamics (98.7%) and over 40% considered the economic consequences or proposed management and control measures. The research was mainly located in the Northern Hemisphere. While the definition of LTWDR is not only determined by the duration of the monitoring, the study must be long enough to: (a) address ecological and epidemiological questions that cannot be resolved with short-term observations or experiments, and (b) clarify the effects of different drivers. This review demonstrates that LTWDR has provided information about the causes and consequences of disease change that otherwise could not have been obtained. It may be used to inform decisions related to the emergence of disease and might help to design early warning systems of disease based on retrospective investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Barroso
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Joaquin Vicente
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.,E.T.S. de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Ciudad Real, Ronda de Calatrava, Ciudad Real, Spain
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Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. Heterogeneity in social network connections is density-dependent: implications for disease dynamics in a gregarious ungulate. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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8
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Dugovich BS, Crane LL, Alcantar BB, Beechler BR, Dolan BP, Jolles AE. Multiple innate antibacterial immune defense elements are correlated in diverse ungulate species. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225579. [PMID: 31774834 PMCID: PMC6881064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to evaluate to what extent different assays of innate immunity reveal similar patterns of variation across ungulate species. We compared several measures of innate antibacterial immune function across seven different ungulate species using blood samples obtained from captive animals maintained in a zoological park. We measured mRNA expression of two receptors involved in innate pathogen detection, toll-like receptors 2 and 5 (TLR2 and 5), the bactericidal capacity of plasma, as well as the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes. Species examined included aoudad (Ammotragus lervia), American bison (Bison bison bison), yak (Bos grunniens), Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti), fallow deer (Dama dama), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and Damara zebra (Equus quagga burchellii). Innate immunity varied among ungulate species. However, we detected strong, positive correlations between the different measures of innate immunity-specifically, TLR2 and TLR5 were correlated, and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was positively associated with TLR2, TLR5, and bacterial killing ability. Our results suggest that ecoimmunological study results may be quite robust to the choice of assays, at least for antibacterial innate immunity; and that, despite the complexity of the immune system, important sources of variation in immunity in natural populations may be discoverable with comparatively simple tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S. Dugovich
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Lucie L. Crane
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Benji B. Alcantar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- Wildlife Safari, Winston, OR, United States of America
| | - Brianna R. Beechler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Brian P. Dolan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Anna E. Jolles
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
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Pisano SRR, Zimmermann F, Rossi L, Capt S, Akdesir E, Bürki R, Kunz F, Origgi FC, Ryser-Degiorgis MP. Spatiotemporal spread of sarcoptic mange in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Switzerland over more than 60 years: lessons learnt from comparative analysis of multiple surveillance tools. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:521. [PMID: 31690337 PMCID: PMC6833187 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3762-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcoptic mange is a contagious skin disease of wild and domestic mammals caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Reports of sarcoptic mange in wildlife increased worldwide in the second half of the 20th century, especially since the 1990s. The aim of this study was to provide new insights into the epidemiology of mange by (i) documenting the emergence of sarcoptic mange in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the last decades in Switzerland; and (ii) describing its spatiotemporal spread combining data obtained through different surveillance methods. METHODS Retrospective analysis of archived material together with prospective data collection delivered a large dataset from the 19th century to 2018. Methods included: (i) a review of historical literature; (ii) screening of necropsy reports from general health surveillance (1958-2018); (iii) screening of data on mange (1968-1992) collected during the sylvatic rabies eradication campaign; (iv) a questionnaire survey (<1980-2017) and (v) evaluation of camera-trap bycatch data (2005-2018). RESULTS Sarcoptic mange in red foxes was reported as early as 1835 in Switzerland. The first case diagnosed in the framework of the general health surveillance was in 1959. Prior to 1980, sarcoptic mange occurred in non-adjacent surveillance districts scattered all over the country. During the period of the rabies epidemic (1970s-early 1990s), the percentage of foxes tested for rabies with sarcoptic mange significantly decreased in subregions with rabies, whereas it remained high in the few rabies-free subregions. Sarcoptic mange re-emerged in the mid-1990s and continuously spread during the 2000-2010s, to finally extend to the whole country in 2017. The yearly prevalence of mange in foxes estimated by camera-trapping ranged from 0.1-12%. CONCLUSIONS Sarcoptic mange has likely been endemic in Switzerland as well as in other European countries at least since the mid-19th century. The rabies epidemics seem to have influenced the pattern of spread of mange in several locations, revealing an interesting example of disease interaction in free-ranging wildlife populations. The combination of multiple surveillance tools to study the long-term dynamics of sarcoptic mange in red foxes in Switzerland proved to be a successful strategy, which underlined the usefulness of questionnaire surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Roberto Rolando Pisano
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI), Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, PO Box, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fridolin Zimmermann
- KORA – Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri, Switzerland
| | - Luca Rossi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Simon Capt
- Info Fauna, Swiss Centre for the Cartography of the Fauna, Bellevaux 51, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ezgi Akdesir
- Swiss Rabies Centre, Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, PO Box, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Bürki
- KORA – Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri, Switzerland
| | - Florin Kunz
- KORA – Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Carlo Origgi
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI), Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, PO Box, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI), Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, PO Box, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
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Hayward AD, Pilkington JG, Wilson K, McNeilly TN, Watt KA. Reproductive effort influences intra‐seasonal variation in parasite‐specific antibody responses in wild Soay sheep. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam D. Hayward
- Moredun Research Institute Penicuik UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
| | | | - Kenneth Wilson
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | | | - Kathryn A. Watt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology Ashworth Laboratories Edinburgh UK
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11
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Stephens PR, Altizer S, Ezenwa VO, Gittleman JL, Moan E, Han B, Huang S, Pappalardo P. Parasite sharing in wild ungulates and their predators: Effects of phylogeny, range overlap, and trophic links. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1017-1028. [PMID: 30921468 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Understanding factors that facilitate interspecific pathogen transmission is a central issue for conservation, agriculture, and human health. Past work showed that host phylogenetic relatedness and geographical proximity can increase cross-species transmission, but further work is needed to examine the importance of host traits, and species interactions such as predation, in determining the degree to which parasites are shared between hosts. Here we consider the factors that predict patterns of parasite sharing across a diverse assemblage of 116 wild ungulates (i.e., hoofed mammals in the Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla) and nearly 900 species of micro- and macroparasites, controlling for differences in total parasite richness and host sampling effort. We also consider the effects of trophic links on parasite sharing between ungulates and carnivores. We tested for the relative influence of range overlap, phylogenetic distance, body mass, and ecological dissimilarity (i.e., the distance separating species in a Euclidean distance matrix based on standardized traits) on parasite sharing. We also tested for the effects of variation in study effort as a potential source of bias in our data, and tested whether carnivores reported to feed on ungulates have more ungulate parasites than those that use other resources. As in other groups, geographical range overlap and phylogenetic similarity predicted greater parasite community similarity in ungulates. Ecological dissimilarity showed a weak negative relationship with parasite sharing. Counter to our expectations, differences, not similarity, in host body mass predicted greater parasite sharing between pairs of ungulate hosts. Pairs of well-studied host species showed higher overlap than poorly studied species, although including sampling effort did not reduce the importance of biological traits in our models. Finally, carnivores that feed on ungulates harboured a greater richness of ungulate helminths. Overall, we show that the factors that predict parasite sharing in wild ungulates are similar to those known for other mammal groups, and demonstrate the importance of controlling for heterogeneity in host sampling effort in future analyses of parasite sharing. We also show that ecological interactions, in this case trophic links via predation, can allow sharing of some parasite species among distantly related host species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Vanessa O Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | | | - Emili Moan
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Barbara Han
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York
| | - Shan Huang
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Frankfurt (Main), Germany
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Pérez-Espona S, Goodall-Copestake WP, Savirina A, Bobovikova J, Molina-Rubio C, Pérez-Barbería FJ. First assessment of MHC diversity in wild Scottish red deer populations. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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13
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Lambert S, Ezanno P, Garel M, Gilot-Fromont E. Demographic stochasticity drives epidemiological patterns in wildlife with implications for diseases and population management. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16846. [PMID: 30442961 PMCID: PMC6237989 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34623-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases raise many concerns for wildlife and new insights must be gained to manage infected populations. Wild ungulates provide opportunities to gain such insights as they host many pathogens. Using modelling and data collected from an intensively monitored population of Pyrenean chamois, we investigated the role of stochastic processes in governing epidemiological patterns of pestivirus spread in both protected and hunted populations. We showed that demographic stochasticity led to three epidemiological outcomes: early infection fade-out, epidemic outbreaks with population collapse, either followed by virus extinction or by endemic situations. Without re-introduction, the virus faded out in >50% of replications within 4 years and did not persist >20 years. Test-and-cull of infected animals and vaccination had limited effects relative to the efforts devoted, especially in hunted populations in which only quota reduction somewhat improve population recovery. Success of these strategies also relied on the maintenance of a high level of surveillance of hunter-harvested animals. Our findings suggested that, while surveillance and maintenance of population levels at intermediate densities to avoid large epidemics are useful at any time, a 'do nothing' approach during epidemics could be the 'least bad' management strategy in populations of ungulates species facing pestivirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Lambert
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558 Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France.
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, 5 allée de Bethléem - ZI Mayencin, 38610, Gières, France.
| | | | - Mathieu Garel
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, 5 allée de Bethléem - ZI Mayencin, 38610, Gières, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558 Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy l'Etoile, France
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14
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Albery GF, Kenyon F, Morris A, Morris S, Nussey DH, Pemberton JM. Seasonality of helminth infection in wild red deer varies between individuals and between parasite taxa. Parasitology 2018; 145:1410-1420. [PMID: 29519265 PMCID: PMC6137381 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018000185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Parasitism in wild mammals can vary according to myriad intrinsic and extrinsic factors, many of which vary seasonally. However, seasonal variation in parasitism is rarely studied using repeated samples from known individuals. Here we used a wild population of individually recognized red deer (Cervus elaphus) on the Isle of Rum to quantify seasonality and intrinsic factors affecting gastrointestinal helminth parasitism over the course of a year. We collected 1020 non-invasive faecal samples from 328 known individuals which we then analysed for propagules of three helminth taxa: strongyle nematodes, the common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and the tissue nematode Elaphostrongylus cervi. Zero-inflated Poisson models were used to investigate how season, age and sex were associated with parasite prevalence and count intensity, while Poisson models were used to quantify individual repeatability within and between sampling seasons. Parasite intensity and prevalence varied according to all investigated factors, with opposing seasonality, age profiles and sex biases between parasite taxa. Repeatability was moderate, decreased between seasons and varied between parasites; both F. hepatica and E. cervi showed significant between-season repeatability, while strongyle nematode counts were only repeatable within-season and showed no repeatability within individuals across the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F. Albery
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Fiona Kenyon
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Alison Morris
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Sean Morris
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Daniel H. Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Josephine M. Pemberton
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
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15
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Characteristics of Winter Wolf Kill Sites in the Southern Yellowstone Ecosystem. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.3996/032016-jfwm-024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the spatial use of wolves and how that might relate to prey species may help predict areas with increased likelihood of wolf–prey interactions, areas where wolves may have a higher impact on prey populations, or areas of wolf–livestock conflict. After reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, wolves Canis lupus expanded south and recolonized areas in and around Grand Teton National Park in the southern Yellowstone ecosystem in Wyoming, USA. Elk Cervus elaphus in this area are supplementally fed at three feedgrounds artificially increasing elk density. We tracked radio-collared and uncollared wolves annually in winter (December–March) from 2000 to 2008 to investigate kill sites. Our objective was to investigate potential differences in habitat variables (e.g., canopy cover, elevation) between kill sites (n = 295) and available (random; n = 2,360) locations and investigate whether factors influencing winter wolf kill sites differed in a natural setting (i.e., native winter range) vs. an artificial setting (i.e., near or on feedgrounds). Wolf kills occurred at sites with lower elevation, canopy cover, and terrain roughness compared with random locations. Wolf kills were also slightly farther from packed surfaces (i.e., roads or groomed snowmobile trails) and elk feedgrounds, although still in areas of higher intensity of use by elk compared with random locations. Kill sites on native winter range were considerably more rough (odds ratio = 4.47) than those on feedgrounds. Our results suggest wolves hunt where the likelihood of encountering prey is high, although in areas where prey distribution is more sparse (i.e., native winter range), wolves may need to rely on rougher terrain for successful hunts. The relationship between areas of high prey use and increased wolf activity has important implications for both wildlife managers and livestock producers. In the future, managers will continue to face the issue of having high concentrations of ungulates, either wild or domestic, and the obvious attraction this has for wolves.
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Beechler BR, Jolles AE, Budischak SA, Corstjens PLAM, Ezenwa VO, Smith M, Spaan RS, van Dam GJ, Steinauer ML. Host immunity, nutrition and coinfection alter longitudinal infection patterns of schistosomes in a free ranging African buffalo population. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006122. [PMID: 29253882 PMCID: PMC5755937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes are trematode parasites of global importance, causing infections in millions of people, livestock, and wildlife. Most studies on schistosomiasis, involve human subjects; as such, there is a paucity of longitudinal studies investigating parasite dynamics in the absence of intervention. As a consequence, despite decades of research on schistosomiasis, our understanding of its ecology in natural host populations is centered around how environmental exposure and acquired immunity influence acquisition of parasites, while very little is known about the influence of host physiology, coinfection and clearance in the absence of drug treatment. We used a 4-year study in free-ranging African buffalo to investigate natural schistosome dynamics. We asked (i) what are the spatial and temporal patterns of schistosome infections; (ii) how do parasite burdens vary over time within individual hosts; and (iii) what host factors (immunological, physiological, co-infection) and environmental factors (season, location) explain patterns of schistosome acquisition and loss in buffalo? Schistosome infections were common among buffalo. Microgeographic structure explained some variation in parasite burdens among hosts, indicating transmission hotspots. Overall, parasite burdens ratcheted up over time; however, gains in schistosome abundance in the dry season were partially offset by losses in the wet season, with some hosts demonstrating complete clearance of infection. Variation among buffalo in schistosome loss was associated with immunologic and nutritional factors, as well as co-infection by the gastrointestinal helminth Cooperia fuelleborni. Our results demonstrate that schistosome infections are surprisingly dynamic in a free-living mammalian host population, and point to a role for host factors in driving variation in parasite clearance, but not parasite acquisition which is driven by seasonal changes and spatial habitat utilization. Our study illustrates the power of longitudinal studies for discovering mechanisms underlying parasite dynamics in individual animals and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna R. Beechler
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Anna E. Jolles
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Budischak
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Paul L. A. M. Corstjens
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Mireya Smith
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Robert S. Spaan
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Govert J. van Dam
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle L. Steinauer
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the PNW, Western University of Health Sciences, Lebanon, OR, United States of America
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Marchand P, Freycon P, Herbaux JP, Game Y, Toïgo C, Gilot-Fromont E, Rossi S, Hars J. Sociospatial structure explains marked variation in brucellosis seroprevalence in an Alpine ibex population. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15592. [PMID: 29142204 PMCID: PMC5688143 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15803-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In a context of (re)emerging infectious diseases with wildlife reservoirs, understanding how animal ecology shapes epidemiology is a key issue, particularly in wild ungulates that share pathogens with domestic herbivores and have similar food requirements. For the first time in Europe, brucellosis (Brucella melitensis), a virulent zoonosis, persisted in an Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) population and was transmitted to cattle and humans. To better understand disease dynamics, we investigated the relationships between the spatial ecology of ibex and the epidemiology of brucellosis. Combining home range overlap between 37 GPS-collared individuals and visual observations of 148 visually-marked individuals monitored during the 2013-2016 period, we showed that females were spatially segregated in at least 4 units all year round, whereas males were more prone to move between female units, in particular during the rutting period. In addition to ibex age, the spatial structure in females largely contributed to variation in seroprevalence in the whole population. These results suggest that non-sexual routes are the most likely pathways of intraspecific transmission, crucial information for management. Accounting for wildlife spatial ecology was hence decisive in improving our ability to better understand this health challenge involving a wildlife reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Marchand
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, Les Portes du soleil, 147 avenue de Lodève, F-34990, Juvignac, France.
| | - Pauline Freycon
- UMR CNRS 5558 Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, VetAgro Sup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, F-69280, Marcy L'Etoile, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Herbaux
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Service Départemental de la Haute-Savoie, 90 route du col de Leschaux, F-74320, Sévrier, France
| | - Yvette Game
- Laboratoire départemental d'analyses vétérinaires de la Savoie, 321 chemin des moulins, F-73000, Chambéry, France
| | - Carole Toïgo
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, Les Portes du soleil, 147 avenue de Lodève, F-34990, Juvignac, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- UMR CNRS 5558 Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, VetAgro Sup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, F-69280, Marcy L'Etoile, France
| | - Sophie Rossi
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Sanitaire de la Faune, Micropolis - La Bérardie, 05000, Gap, France
| | - Jean Hars
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Sanitaire de la Faune, 5 allée de Béthléem, F-38610, Gières, France
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Ezenwa VO. Helminth-microparasite co-infection in wildlife: lessons from ruminants, rodents and rabbits. Parasite Immunol 2017; 38:527-34. [PMID: 27426017 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Co-infection is now recognized as the natural state of affairs in most hosts and co-infecting parasites interact in a variety of ways that can impact host health and parasite fitness. Interactions between helminths and microparasites have captured particular attention in this regard owing to the ubiquity of helminth infections in many host populations. The mechanistic underpinnings and health implications of co-infection are typically studied in laboratory and clinical settings, but recently studies of wild species have begun to tackle similar issues. Case studies from three wild mammal groups-ruminants, rodents and rabbits-serve to highlight how wild studies are contributing to the broader co-infection literature. This work suggests that wildlife research can generate new and unique insights about helminth-microparasite co-infection that are fostered in part by studying parasite interactions in a natural context. For this reason, increased integration of wild studies with research in human, laboratory and veterinary animal populations can help pave the way towards a more complete understanding of the issue of co-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- V O Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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Negative covariance between parasite load and body condition in a population of feral horses. Parasitology 2016; 143:983-97. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016000408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYIn wild and domestic animals, gastrointestinal parasites can have significant impacts on host development, condition, health, reproduction and longevity. Improving our understanding of the causes and consequences of individual-level variation in parasite load is therefore of prime interest. Here we investigated the relationship between strongyle fecal egg count (FEC) and body condition in a unique, naturalized population of horses that has never been exposed to anthelmintic drugs (Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada). We first quantified variation in FEC and condition for 447 individuals according to intrinsic (sex, age, reproductive status, social status) and extrinsic (group size, location, local density) variables. We then quantified the repeatability of measurements obtained over a field season and tested for covariance between FEC and condition. FECs were high relative to other horse populations (mean eggs per gram ± SD = 1543·28 ± 209·94). FECs generally decreased with age, were higher in lactatingvsnon-lactating females, and unexpectedly lower in males in some part of the island. FECs and condition were both spatially structured, with patterns depending on age, sex and reproductive status. FECs and condition were both repeatable. Most notably, FECs and condition were negatively correlated, especially in adult females.
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Dearing MD, Clay C, Lehmer E, Dizney L. The roles of community diversity and contact rates on pathogen prevalence. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyu025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Schauber EM, Nielsen CK, Kjær LJ, Anderson CW, Storm DJ. Social affiliation and contact patterns among white-tailed deer in disparate landscapes: implications for disease transmission. J Mammal 2015; 96:16-28. [PMID: 26937044 PMCID: PMC4668922 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyu027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In social species, individuals contact members of the same group much more often than those of other groups, particularly for contacts that could directly transmit disease agents. This disparity in contact rates violates the assumptions of simple disease models, hinders disease spread between groups, and could decouple disease transmission from population density. Social behavior of white-tailed deer has important implications for the long-term dynamics and impact of diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease (CWD), so expanding our understanding of their social system is important. White-tailed deer form matrilineal groups, which inhabit stable home ranges that overlap somewhat with others-a pattern intermediate between mass-action and strict territoriality. To quantify how group membership affects their contact rates and document the spectrum of social affiliation, we analyzed location data from global positioning system (GPS) collars on female and juvenile white-tailed deer in 2 study areas: near Carbondale in forest-dominated southern Illinois (2002-2006) and near Lake Shelbyville in agriculture-dominated central Illinois (2006-2009). For each deer dyad (i.e., 2 individual deer with sufficient overlapping GPS data), we measured space-use overlap, correlation of movements, direct contact rate (simultaneous GPS locations < 10 m apart), and indirect contact rate (GPS locations < 10 m apart when offset by 1 or 3 days). Direct contact rates were substantially higher for within-group dyads than between-group dyads, but group membership had little apparent effect on indirect contact rates. The group membership effect on direct contact rates was strongest in winter and weakest in summer, with no apparent difference between study areas. Social affiliations were not dichotomous, with some deer dyads showing loose but positive affiliation. Even for obvious within-group dyads, their strength of affiliation fluctuated between years, seasons, and even days. Our findings highlight the poor fit between deer behavior and simple models of disease transmission and, combined with previous infection data, suggest that direct contact is the primary driver of CWD transmission among free-living female and juvenile white-tailed deer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clayton K. Nielsen
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6504), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, CKN, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6501), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 4411), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(CKN)
- Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 317), Carbondale, IL62901, USA(EMS, CKN)
| | - Lene J. Kjær
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6504), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, CKN, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6501), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 4411), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(CKN)
- Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 317), Carbondale, IL62901, USA(EMS, CKN)
| | - Charles W. Anderson
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6504), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, CKN, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6501), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 4411), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(CKN)
- Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 317), Carbondale, IL62901, USA(EMS, CKN)
| | - Daniel J. Storm
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6504), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, CKN, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 6501), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(EMS, LJK, CWA, DJS)
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 4411), Carbondale, IL 62901, USA(CKN)
- Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University(Mail Code 317), Carbondale, IL62901, USA(EMS, CKN)
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