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Macdonald KJ, Driscoll DA, Macdonald KJ, Hradsky B, Doherty TS. Meta-analysis reveals impacts of disturbance on reptile and amphibian body condition. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4949-4965. [PMID: 37401520 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem disturbance is increasing in extent, severity and frequency across the globe. To date, research has largely focussed on the impacts of disturbance on animal population size, extinction risk and species richness. However, individual responses, such as changes in body condition, can act as more sensitive metrics and may provide early warning signs of reduced fitness and population declines. We conducted the first global systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the impacts of ecosystem disturbance on reptile and amphibian body condition. We collated 384 effect sizes representing 137 species from 133 studies. We tested how disturbance type, species traits, biome and taxon moderate the impacts of disturbance on body condition. We found an overall negative effect of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition (Hedges' g = -0.37, 95% CI: -0.57, -0.18). Disturbance type was an influential predictor of body condition response and all disturbance types had a negative mean effect. Drought, invasive species and agriculture had the largest effects. The impact of disturbance varied in strength and direction across biomes, with the largest negative effects found within Mediterranean and temperate biomes. In contrast, taxon, body size, habitat specialisation and conservation status were not influential predictors of disturbance effects. Our findings reveal the widespread effects of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition and highlight the potential role of individual-level response metrics in enhancing wildlife monitoring. The use of individual response metrics alongside population and community metrics would deepen our understanding of disturbance impacts by revealing both early impacts and chronic effects within affected populations. This could enable early and more informed conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina J Macdonald
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Don A Driscoll
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kimberley J Macdonald
- Biodiversity Protection and Information Branch, Biodiversity Division, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bronwyn Hradsky
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tim S Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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2
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Emerson JD, DeSantis DL, Mata-Silva V, Wagler AE, Johnson JD. Movement, Home Range Size, and Habitat Use of Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus ornatus) in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. HERPETOLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-21-00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James D. Emerson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Dominic L. DeSantis
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Vicente Mata-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Amy E. Wagler
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, USA
| | - Jerry D. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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3
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Evidence of intrapopulation differences in rattlesnake defensive behavior across neighboring habitats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03100-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Lettoof DC, Thomson VA, Cornelis J, Bateman PW, Aubret F, Gagnon MM, von Takach B. Bioindicator snake shows genomic signatures of natural and anthropogenic barriers to gene flow. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259124. [PMID: 34714831 PMCID: PMC8555784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation alters landscapes, introduces wildlife to novel stressors, and fragments habitats into remnant 'islands'. Within these islands, isolated wildlife populations can experience genetic drift and subsequently suffer from inbreeding depression and reduced adaptive potential. The Western tiger snake (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) is a predator of wetlands in the Swan Coastal Plain, a unique bioregion that has suffered substantial degradation through the development of the city of Perth, Western Australia. Within the urban matrix, tiger snakes now only persist in a handful of wetlands where they are known to bioaccumulate a suite of contaminants, and have recently been suggested as a relevant bioindicator of ecosystem health. Here, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to explore the contemporary population genomics of seven tiger snake populations across the urban matrix. Specifically, we used population genomic structure and diversity, effective population sizes (Ne), and heterozygosity-fitness correlations to assess fitness of each population with respect to urbanisation. We found that population genomic structure was strongest across the northern and southern sides of a major river system, with the northern cluster of populations exhibiting lower heterozygosities than the southern cluster, likely due to a lack of historical gene flow. We also observed an increasing signal of inbreeding and genetic drift with increasing geographic isolation due to urbanisation. Effective population sizes (Ne) at most sites were small (< 100), with Ne appearing to reflect the area of available habitat rather than the degree of adjacent urbanisation. This suggests that ecosystem management and restoration may be the best method to buffer the further loss of genetic diversity in urban wetlands. If tiger snake populations continue to decline in urban areas, our results provide a baseline measure of genomic diversity, as well as highlighting which 'islands' of habitat are most in need of management and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian C. Lettoof
- Behavioural Ecology Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Vicki A. Thomson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jari Cornelis
- Behavioural Ecology Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- Behavioural Ecology Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Fabien Aubret
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, Moulis, France
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Marthe M. Gagnon
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Brenton von Takach
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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Hurtado G, Mayer G, Mabry KE. Does urbanization ameliorate the effect of endoparasite infection in kangaroo rats? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:13390-13400. [PMID: 34646477 PMCID: PMC8495810 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban development can fragment and degrade remnant habitat. Such habitat alterations can have profound impacts on wildlife, including effects on population density, parasite infection status, parasite prevalence, and body condition. We investigated the influence of urbanization on populations of Merriam's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) and their parasites. We predicted that urban development would lead to reduced abundance, increased parasite prevalence in urban populations, increased probability of parasite infection for individual animals, and decreased body condition of kangaroo rats in urban versus wildland areas. We live trapped kangaroo rats at 5 urban and 5 wildland sites in and around Las Cruces, NM, USA from 2013 to 2015, collected fecal samples from 209 kangaroo rats, and detected endoparasites using fecal flotation and molecular barcoding. Seven parasite species were detected, although only two parasitic worms, Mastophorus dipodomis and Pterygodermatites dipodomis, occurred frequently enough to allow for statistical analysis. We found no effects of urbanization on population density or probability of parasite infection. However, wildland animals infected with P. dipodomis had lower body condition scores than infected animals in urban areas or uninfected animals in either habitat. Our results suggest that urban environments may buffer Merriam's kangaroo rats from the detrimental impacts to body condition that P. dipodomis infections can cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizelle Hurtado
- Department of BiologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNMUSA
- Norris Natural History MuseumUniversity of California Santa CruzSanta CruzCAUSA
| | | | - Karen E. Mabry
- Department of BiologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNMUSA
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Schmidt DA, Govindarajulu P, Larsen KW, Russello MA. Genotyping-in-Thousands by sequencing reveals marked population structure in Western Rattlesnakes to inform conservation status. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7157-7172. [PMID: 32760519 PMCID: PMC7391313 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Delineation of units below the species level is critical for prioritizing conservation actions for species at-risk. Genetic studies play an important role in characterizing patterns of population connectivity and diversity to inform the designation of conservation units, especially for populations that are geographically isolated. The northernmost range margin of Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) occurs in British Columbia, Canada, where it is federally classified as threatened and restricted to five geographic regions. In these areas, Western Rattlesnakes hibernate (den) communally, raising questions about connectivity within and between den complexes. At present, Western Rattlesnake conservation efforts are hindered by a complete lack of information on genetic structure and degree of isolation at multiple scales, from the den to the regional level. To fill this knowledge gap, we used Genotyping-in-Thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) to genotype an optimized panel of 362 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from individual samples (n = 461) collected across the snake's distribution in western Canada and neighboring Washington (USA). Hierarchical STRUCTURE analyses found evidence for population structure within and among the five geographic regions in BC, as well as in Washington. Within these regions, 11 genetically distinct complexes of dens were identified, with some regions having multiple complexes. No significant pattern of isolation-by-distance and generally low levels of migration were detected among den complexes across regions. Additionally, snakes within dens generally were more related than those among den complexes within a region, indicating limited movement. Overall, our results suggest that the single, recognized designatable unit for Western Rattlesnakes in Canada should be re-assessed to proactively focus conservation efforts on preserving total genetic variation detected range-wide. More broadly, our study demonstrates a novel application of GT-seq for investigating patterns of diversity in wild populations at multiple scales to better inform conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A. Schmidt
- Department of BiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaOkanagan CampusKelownaBCCanada
| | - Purnima Govindarajulu
- British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change StrategyVictoriaBCCanada
| | - Karl W. Larsen
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesThompson Rivers UniversityKamloopsBCCanada
| | - Michael A. Russello
- Department of BiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaOkanagan CampusKelownaBCCanada
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Harvey JA, Larsen KW. Rattlesnake migrations and the implications of thermal landscapes. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:21. [PMID: 32514356 PMCID: PMC7251723 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00202-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of thermal resources to terrestrial ectotherms has been well documented but less often considered in larger-scale analyses of habitat use and selection, such as those routinely conducted using standard habitat features such as vegetation and physical structure. Selection of habitat based on thermal attributes may be of particular importance for ectothermic species, especially in colder climates. In Canada, Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) reach their northern limits, with limited time to conduct annual migratory movements between hibernacula and summer habitat. We radio-tracked 35 male snakes departing from 10 different hibernacula. We examined coarse-scale differences in migratory movements across the region, and then compared the route of each snake with thermal landscapes and ruggedness GIS maps generated for different periods of the animals' active season. RESULTS We observed dichotomous habitat use (grasslands versus upland forests) throughout most of the species' northern range, reflected in different migratory movements of male snakes emanating from different hibernacula. Snakes utilizing higher-elevation forests moved further during the course of their annual migrations, and these snakes were more likely to use warmer areas of the landscape. CONCLUSION In addition to thermal benefits, advantages gained from selective migratory patterns may include prey availability and outbreeding. Testing these alternative hypotheses was beyond the scope of this study, and to collect the data to do so will require overcoming certain challenges. Still, insight into migratory differences between rattlesnake populations and the causal mechanism(s) of migrations will improve our ability to assess the implications of landscape change, management, and efficacy of conservation planning. Our findings suggest that such assessments may need to be tailored to individual dens and the migration strategies of their inhabitants. Additionally, local and landscape-scale migration patterns, as detected in this study, will have repercussions for snakes under climate-induced shifts in ecosystem boundaries and thermal regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Harvey
- Environmental Science Program, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, Canada
- Victoria, Canada
| | - Karl W. Larsen
- Department of Natural Resource Science, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8 Canada
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Winton SA, Bishop CA, Larsen KW. When protected areas are not enough: low-traffic roads projected to cause a decline in a northern viper population. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Maida JR, Bishop CA, Larsen KW. Migration and disturbance: impact of fencing and development on Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) spring movements in British Columbia. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, including land-use transformation globally, the natural process of animal migration is undergoing alterations across many taxa. Small-scale migrants provide useful systems at workable scales for investigating the influence of disturbance and landscape barriers on natural movement patterns and migrations. The Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus Holbrook, 1840) in British Columbia, Canada, is a small, migrant predator that undertakes seasonal spring movements from its communal hibernaculum to summer hunting and mating grounds and reverses its movements in autumn. From 2011 to 2016, we examined changes to spring migration movements in 27 male Western Rattlesnakes encountering both mitigative fencing barriers and disturbed habitats. Individuals moving through disturbed habitats or intercepted by mitigative fencing demonstrated shorter migration distances and reduced spring path sinuosity compared with individuals migrating in undisturbed habitats. Specifically, individuals encountering a fence during spring movements completed shorter total spring migration path lengths and occupied smaller home ranges over the course of the entire active season. Total spring migration distance also was strongly associated with the distance that individuals traveled until they first encountered human disturbance. This study contributes significantly to our knowledge of how fencing barriers may impact normal behavioural patterns in smaller vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared R. Maida
- Environmental Science Program, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Christine A. Bishop
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Wildlife Research Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Karl W. Larsen
- Department of Natural Resource Science, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
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Lomas E, Maida JR, Bishop CA, Larsen KW. Movement Ecology of Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus o. oreganus) in Response to Disturbance. HERPETOLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1655/d-17-00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Lomas
- Environmental Science Program, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Jared R. Maida
- Environmental Science Program, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Christine A. Bishop
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Wildlife Research Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Karl W. Larsen
- Department of Natural Resource Science, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
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Mata-Silva V, DeSantis DL, Wagler AE, Johnson JD. Spatial Ecology of Rock Rattlesnakes (Crotalus lepidus) in Far West Texas. HERPETOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-16-00030.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Mata-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Dominic L. DeSantis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Amy E. Wagler
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Jerry D. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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