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Olejarz A, Podgórski T. No evidence for the consistent effect of supplementary feeding on home range size in terrestrial mammals. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232889. [PMID: 38864336 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Food availability and distribution are key drivers of animal space use. Supplemental food provided by humans can be more abundant and predictable than natural resources. It is thus believed that supplementary feeding modifies the spatial behaviour of wildlife. Yet, such effects have not been tested quantitatively across species. Here, we analysed changes in home range size owing to supplementary feeding in 23 species of terrestrial mammals using a meta-analysis of 28 studies. Additionally, we investigated the moderating effect of factors related to (i) species biology (sex, body mass and taxonomic group), (ii) feeding regimen (duration, amount and purpose), and (iii) methods of data collection and analysis (source of data, estimator and spatial confinement). We found no consistent effect of supplementary feeding on changes in home range size. While an overall tendency of reduced home range was observed, moderators varied in the direction and strength of the trends. Our results suggest that multiple drivers and complex mechanisms of home range behaviour can make it insensitive to manipulation with supplementary feeding. The small number of available studies stands in contrast with the ubiquity and magnitude of supplementary feeding worldwide, highlighting a knowledge gap in our understanding of the effects of supplementary feeding on ranging behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Olejarz
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz Podgórski
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
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2
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van Oosterhout C. AI-informed conservation genomics. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:1-4. [PMID: 38151537 PMCID: PMC10798949 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cock van Oosterhout
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
- Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Gland, Switzerland.
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3
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Marshall AF, Balloux F, Hemmings N, Brekke P. Systematic review of avian hatching failure and implications for conservation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:807-832. [PMID: 36635252 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Avian hatching failure is a widespread phenomenon, affecting around 10% of all eggs that are laid and not lost to predation, damage, or desertion. Our understanding of hatching failure is limited in terms of both its underpinning mechanisms and its occurrence across different populations. It is widely acknowledged that rates of hatching failure are higher in threatened species and in populations maintained in captivity compared to wild, non-threatened species, but these differences have rarely been quantified and any broader patterns remain unexplored. To examine the associations between threat status, management interventions, and hatching failure across populations we conducted a phylogenetically controlled multilevel meta-analysis across 231 studies and 241 species of birds. Our data set included both threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable) and non-threatened (Near Threatened and Least Concern) species across wild and captive populations, as well as 'wild managed' ('free-living') populations. We found the mean overall rate of hatching failure across all populations to be 16.79%, with the hatching failure rate of wild, non-threatened species being 12.40%. We found that populations of threatened species experienced significantly higher mean hatching failure than populations of non-threatened species. Different levels of management were also associated with different rates of hatching failure, with wild populations experiencing the lowest rate of hatching failure, followed by wild managed populations, and populations in captivity experiencing the highest rate. Similarly, populations that were subject to the specific management interventions of artificial incubation, supplementary feeding, and artificial nest provision displayed significantly higher rates of hatching failure than populations without these interventions. The driver of this correlation between hatching failure and management remains unclear, but could be an indirect result of threatened species being more likely to have lower hatching success and also being more likely to be subject to management, indicating that conservation efforts are fittingly being focused towards the species potentially most at risk from extinction. This is the most comprehensive comparative analysis of avian hatching failure that has been conducted to date, and the first to quantify explicitly how threat status and management are associated with the rate of hatching failure in a population. We discuss the implications of our results, focusing on their potential applications to conservation. Although we identified several factors clearly associated with variation in hatching failure, a significant amount of heterogeneity was not explained by our meta-analytical model, indicating that other factors influencing hatching failure were not included here. We discuss what these factors might be and suggest avenues for further research. Finally, we discuss the inconsistency in how hatching failure is defined and reported within the literature, and propose a standardised definition to be used in future studies which will enable better comparison across populations and ensure that the most accurate information is used to support management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh F Marshall
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - François Balloux
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nicola Hemmings
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Patricia Brekke
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
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4
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Duntsch L, Whibley A, de Villemereuil P, Brekke P, Bailey S, Ewen JG, Santure AW. Genomic signatures of inbreeding depression for a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand passerine. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1893-1907. [PMID: 36655901 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
For small and isolated populations, the increased chance of mating between related individuals can result in a substantial reduction in individual and population fitness. Despite the increasing availability of genomic data to measure inbreeding accurately across the genome, inbreeding depression studies for threatened species are still scarce due to the difficulty of measuring fitness in the wild. Here, we investigate inbreeding and inbreeding depression for the extensively monitored Tiritiri Mātangi island population of a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand passerine, the hihi (Notiomystis cincta). First, using a custom 45 k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, we explore genomic inbreeding patterns by inferring homozygous segments across the genome. Although all individuals have similar levels of ancient inbreeding, highly inbred individuals are affected by recent inbreeding, which can probably be explained by bottleneck effects such as habitat loss after European arrival and their translocation to the island in the 1990s. Second, we investigate genomic inbreeding effects on fitness, measured as lifetime reproductive success, and its three components, juvenile survival, adult annual survival and annual reproductive success, in 363 hihi. We find that global inbreeding significantly affects juvenile survival but none of the remaining fitness traits. Finally, we employ a genome-wide association approach to test the locus-specific effects of inbreeding on fitness, and identify 13 SNPs significantly associated with lifetime reproductive success. Our findings suggest that inbreeding depression does impact hihi, but at different genomic scales for different traits, and that purging has therefore failed to remove all variants with deleterious effects from this population of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Duntsch
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (CBB), School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Annabel Whibley
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (CBB), School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Pierre de Villemereuil
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL, MNHN, CNRS, SU, UA, Paris, France
| | - Patricia Brekke
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Bailey
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (CBB), School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John G Ewen
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Anna W Santure
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity (CBB), School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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5
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Which birds are Brazilians seeing on urban and non-urban feeders? An analysis based on a collective online birding. ORNITHOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [PMCID: PMC9116275 DOI: 10.1007/s43388-022-00094-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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6
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Crone EE, Schultz CB. Host plant limitation of butterflies in highly fragmented landscapes. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-021-00527-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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7
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Li SH, Liu Y, Yeh CF, Fu Y, Yeung CKL, Lee CC, Chiu CC, Kuo TH, Chan FT, Chen YC, Ko WY, Yao CT. Not out of the woods yet: Signatures of the prolonged negative genetic consequences of a population bottleneck in a rapidly re-expanding wader, the black-faced spoonbill Platalea minor. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:529-545. [PMID: 34726290 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16260] [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: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The long-term persistence of a population which has suffered a bottleneck partly depends on how historical demographic dynamics impacted its genetic diversity and the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Here we provide genomic evidence for the genetic effect of a recent population bottleneck in the endangered black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) after its rapid population recovery. Our data suggest that the bird's effective population size, Ne , had been relatively stable (7500-9000) since 22,000 years ago; however, a recent brief yet severe bottleneck (Ne = 20) which we here estimated to occur around the 1940s wiped out >99% of its historical Ne in roughly three generations. Despite a >15-fold population recovery since 1988, we found that black-faced spoonbill population has higher levels of inbreeding (7.4 times more runs of homozygosity) than its sister species, the royal spoonbill (P. regia), which is not thought to have undergone a marked population contraction. Although the two spoonbills have similar levels of genome-wide genetic diversity, our results suggest that selection on more genes was relaxed in the black-faced spoonbill; moreover individual black-faced spoonbills carry more putatively deleterious mutations (Grantham's score > 50), and may therefore express more deleterious phenotypic effects than royal spoonbills. Here we demonstrate the value of using genomic indices to monitor levels of genetic erosion, inbreeding and mutation load in species with conservation concerns. To mitigate the prolonged negative genetic effect of a population bottleneck, we recommend that all possible measures should be employed to maintain population growth of a threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Hsien Li
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chia-Fen Yeh
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuchen Fu
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Chun-Cheng Lee
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Cheng Chiu
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Fang-Tse Chan
- Division of Zoology, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chia Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, National Yanming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Ya Ko
- Department of Life Sciences, National Yanming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Te Yao
- High Altitude Research Station, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan
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8
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Fenn SR, Bignal EM, Bignal S, Trask AE, McCracken DI, Monaghan P, Reid JM. Within‐year and among‐year variation in impacts of targeted conservation management on juvenile survival in a threatened population. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Fenn
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | | | - Sue Bignal
- Scottish Chough Study Group Isle of Islay UK
| | | | - Davy I. McCracken
- Department of Integrated Land Management Scotland’s Rural College Ayr UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health & Comparative Medicine Graham Kerr Building University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Jane M. Reid
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Institutt for Biologi NTNU Trondheim Norway
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9
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Feeding sites promoting wildlife-related tourism might highly expose the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) to parasite transmission. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15817. [PMID: 34349189 PMCID: PMC8339071 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95166-5] [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: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have found that the implementation of feeding sites for wildlife-related tourism can affect animal health, behaviour and reproduction. Feeding sites can favour high densities, home range overlap, greater sedentary behaviour and increased interspecific contacts, all of which might promote parasite transmission. In the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti), human interventions via provisioning monkeys at specific feeding sites have led to the sub-structuring of a group into genetically differentiated sub-groups. The fed subgroup is located near human hamlets and interacts with domesticated animals. Using high-throughput sequencing, we investigated Entamoeba species diversity in a local host assemblage strongly influenced by provisioning for wildlife-related tourism. We identified 13 Entamoeba species or lineages in faeces of Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, humans and domesticated animals (including pigs, cattle, and domestic chicken). In Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, Entamoeba prevalence and OTU richness were higher in the fed than in the wild subgroup. Entamoeba polecki was found in monkeys, pigs and humans, suggesting that this parasite might circulates between the wild and domestic components of this local social–ecological system. The highest proportion of faeces positive for Entamoeba in monkeys geographically coincided with the presence of livestock and humans. These elements suggest that feeding sites might indirectly play a role on parasite transmission in the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey. The implementation of such sites should carefully consider the risk of creating hotspots of disease transmission, which should be prevented by maintaining a buffer zone between monkeys and livestock/humans. Regular screenings for pathogens in fed subgroup are necessary to monitor transmission risk in order to balance the economic development of human communities dependent on wildlife-related tourism, and the conservation of the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.
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10
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A modelling framework for integrating reproduction, survival and count data when projecting the fates of threatened populations. Oecologia 2021; 195:627-640. [PMID: 33646386 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04871-5] [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: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A key goal of ecological research is to obtain reliable estimates of population demographic rates, abundance and trends. However, a common challenge when studying wildlife populations is imperfect detection or breeding observation, which results in unknown survival status and reproductive output for some individuals. It is important to account for undetected individuals in population models because they contribute to population abundance and dynamics, and can have implications for population management. Promisingly, recent methodological advances provide us with the tools to integrate data from multiple independent sources to gain insights into the unobserved component of populations. We use data from five reintroduced populations of a threatened New Zealand bird, the hihi (Notiomystis cincta), to develop an integrated population modelling framework that allows missing values for survival status, sex and reproductive output to be modelled. Our approach combines parallel matrices of encounter and reproduction histories from marked individuals, as well as counts of unmarked recruits detected at the start of each breeding season. Integrating these multiple data types enabled us to simultaneously model survival and reproduction of detected individuals, undetected individuals and unknown (never detected) individuals to derive parameter estimates and projections based on all available data, thereby improving our understanding of population dynamics and enabling full propagation of uncertainty. The methods presented will be especially useful for management programmes for populations that are intensively monitored but where individuals are still imperfectly detected, as will be the case for most threatened wild populations.
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11
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The resilient frugivorous fauna of an urban forest fragment and its potential role in vegetation enrichment. Urban Ecosyst 2021; 24:943-958. [PMID: 33432262 PMCID: PMC7787706 DOI: 10.1007/s11252-020-01080-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Anthropocentric defaunation affects critical ecological processes, such as seed dispersal, putting ecosystems and biomes at risk, and leading to habitat impoverishment. Diverse restoration techniques could reverse the process of habitat impoverishment. However, in most of the restoration efforts, only vegetation cover is targeted. Fauna and flora are treated as isolated components, neglecting a key component of ecosystems’ functioning, the ecological interactions. We tested whether the resilient frugivorous generalist fauna can improve habitat quality by dispersing native plant species through the use of fruit feeders as in a semideciduous seasonal urban forest fragment. A total of 32 sampling points was selected at a heavily degraded 251-ha urban forest fragment, with feeders installed at two heights monitored by camera-traps. Variable quantities of native fruits of 27 zoochorous species were offered alternately in the feeders. Based on more than 36,000 h of video records, Turdus leucomelas (Class Aves), Sapajus nigritus (Class Mammalia), and Salvator merianae (Class Reptilia) were recorded ingesting the highest fruit species richness. Didelphis albiventris (Class Mammalia) was the most frequent visitor but consumed only pulp in most of the visits. The frugivorous birds were recorded at a high visitation rate and consumed a wider variety of fruits. Our study opens a new avenue to combine the traditional approach of ecosystems recovery and ecological interactions restauration in an urban forest fragment.
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12
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Silva WR, Zaniratto CP, Ferreira JOV, Rigacci EDB, Oliveira JF, Morandi MEF, Killing JG, Nemes LG, Abreu LB. Inducing seed dispersal by generalist frugivores: A new technique to overcome dispersal limitation in restoration. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley R. Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Animal Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Cristiane P. Zaniratto
- Graduate Program in Ecology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - José O. V. Ferreira
- Graduate Program in Ecology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Eduardo D. B. Rigacci
- Graduate Program in Ecology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Jasmim F. Oliveira
- Graduate Program in Ecology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Maria E. F. Morandi
- Undergraduate Course in Biology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Jéssica G. Killing
- Undergraduate Course in Biology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Larissa G. Nemes
- Undergraduate Course in Biology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
| | - Laura B. Abreu
- Undergraduate Course in Biology Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Campinas Brazil
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13
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Fenn SR, Bignal EM, Trask AE, McCracken DI, Monaghan P, Reid JM. Collateral benefits of targeted supplementary feeding on demography and growth rate of a threatened population. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Fenn
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | - Eric M. Bignal
- Scottish Chough Study Group Kindrochaid, Bridgend, Isle of Islay Argyll UK
| | | | - Davy I. McCracken
- Department of Integrated Land Management Scotland's Rural College Ayr UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health & Comparative MedicineUniversity of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Jane M. Reid
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Institutt for Biologi Realfagbygget, NTNU Trondheim Norway
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14
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Patterns of Feeding by Householders Affect Activity of Hedgehogs ( Erinaceus europaeus) during the Hibernation Period. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081344. [PMID: 32759762 PMCID: PMC7460126 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Urban areas are thought to represent a stronghold habitat for the West European hedgehog population in the UK. However, little is known about hibernation patterns in residential areas and if overwinter activity is influenced by any ”urban-associated” factors. We monitored hedgehog activity in gardens during the winter hibernation period of 2017–2018 using weekly presence/absence surveys. Hedgehogs were more likely to be present in gardens where householders had provided food in previous seasons or where food was supplied more regularly in a given season. Such relationships could have positive or negative effects on the survival or condition of hedgehogs across the hibernation period. Consequently, further research is needed to identify the effects of supplementary feeding on hibernation biology to help inform conservation guidelines for householders. Abstract West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are likely to encounter unusual ecological features in urban habitats, such as anthropogenic food sources and artificial refugia. Quantifying how these affect hedgehog behaviour is vital for informing conservation guidelines for householders. We monitored hedgehog presence/absence in gardens in the town of Reading, UK, over the winter of 2017–2018 using a volunteer-based footprint tunnel survey, and collected data on garden characteristics, supplementary feeding (SF) habits, and local environmental conditions. Over a 20-week survey period, hedgehog presence was lowest between January and March. Occupancy analysis indicated that SF significantly affected hedgehog presence/absence before, during, and after hibernation. The number of nesting opportunities available in gardens, average temperatures, and daylength were also supported as important factors at different stages. In particular, our results suggest that SF could act to increase levels of activity during the winter when hedgehogs should be hibernating. Stimulating increased activity at this sensitive time could push hedgehogs into a net energy deficit or, conversely, help some individuals survive which might not otherwise do so. Therefore, further research is necessary to determine whether patterns of feeding by householders have a positive or negative effect on hedgehog populations during the hibernation period.
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15
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Ferrière C, Zuël N, Ewen JG, Jones CG, Tatayah V, Canessa S. Assessing the risks of changing ongoing management of endangered species. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Ferrière
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Vacoas Mauritius
- Ebony Forest Reserve Chamarel Chamarel Mauritius
| | - N. Zuël
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Vacoas Mauritius
- Ebony Forest Reserve Chamarel Chamarel Mauritius
| | - J. G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
| | - C. G. Jones
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Vacoas Mauritius
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust St Helier UK
| | - V. Tatayah
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Vacoas Mauritius
| | - S. Canessa
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
- Wildlife Health Ghent Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ghent University Merelbeke Belgium
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16
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Frank SC, Blaalid R, Mayer M, Zedrosser A, Steyaert SMJG. Fear the reaper: ungulate carcasses may generate an ephemeral landscape of fear for rodents. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191644. [PMID: 32742677 PMCID: PMC7353961 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Animal carcasses provide an ephemeral pulse of nutrients for scavengers that use them. Carcass sites can increase species interactions and/or ephemeral, localized landscapes of fear for prey within the vicinity. Few studies have applied the landscape of fear to carcasses. Here, we use a mass die-off of reindeer caused by lightning in Norway to test whether rodents avoided larger scavengers (e.g. corvids and fox). We used the presence and abundance of faeces as a proxy for carcass use over the course of 2 years and found that rodents showed the strongest avoidance towards changes in raven abundance (β = -0.469, s.e. = 0.231, p-value = 0.0429), but not fox, presumably due to greater predation risk imposed by large droves of raven. Moreover, the emergence of rodent occurrence within the carcass area corresponded well with the disappearance of raven during the second year of the study. We suggest that carcasses have the potential to shape the landscape of fear for prey, but that the overall effects of carcasses on individual fitness and populations of species ultimately depend on the carcass regime, e.g. carcass size, count, and areal extent, frequency and the scavenger guild. We discuss conservation implications and how carcass provisioning and landscapes of fear could be potentially used to manage populations and ecosystems, but that there is a gap in understanding that must first be bridged.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. C. Frank
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
| | - R. Blaalid
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen
| | - M. Mayer
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - A. Zedrosser
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
- Department of Integrative Biology, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - S. M. J. G. Steyaert
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, 7711 Steinkjer, Norway
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17
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Thierry A, De Bouillane De Lacoste N, Ulvund K, Andersen R, MeÅs R, Eide NE, Landa A. Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne‐Mathilde Thierry
- Norsk institutt for naturforskning (NINA) P.O. Box 5685, Torgard, NO‐7485 Trondheim Norway
| | | | | | - Roy Andersen
- NINA P.O. Box 5685, Torgard, NO‐7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Roger MeÅs
- NINA P.O. Box 5685, Torgard, NO‐7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Nina E. Eide
- NINA P.O. Box 5685, Torgard, NO‐7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Arild Landa
- NINA Thormøhlens gate 55, NO‐5006 Bergen Norway
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18
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Canessa S, Taylor G, Clarke RH, Ingwersen D, Vandersteen J, Ewen JG. Risk aversion and uncertainty create a conundrum for planning recovery of a critically endangered species. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Canessa
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineGhent University Merelbeke Belgium
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
| | - Gemma Taylor
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & EnvironmentCentre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, University College London London UK
| | - Rohan H. Clarke
- School of Biological SciencesMonash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Dean Ingwersen
- BirdLife Australia, Conservation Department Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - James Vandersteen
- School of Biological SciencesMonash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
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19
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Bailes EJ, Bagi J, Coltman J, Fountain MT, Wilfert L, Brown MJF. Host density drives viral, but not trypanosome, transmission in a key pollinator. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20191969. [PMID: 31910787 PMCID: PMC7003466 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental feeding of wildlife populations can locally increase the density of individuals, which may in turn impact disease dynamics. Flower strips are a widely used intervention in intensive agricultural systems to nutritionally support pollinators such as bees. Using a controlled experimental semi-field design, we asked how density impacts transmission of a virus and a trypanosome parasite in bumblebees. We manipulated bumblebee density by using different numbers of colonies within the same area of floral resource. In high-density compartments, slow bee paralysis virus was transmitted more quickly, resulting in higher prevalence and level of infection in bumblebee hosts. By contrast, there was no impact of density on the transmission of the trypanosome Crithidia bombi, which may reflect the ease with which this parasite is transmitted. These results suggest that agri-environment schemes such as flower strips, which are known to enhance the nutrition and survival of bumblebees, may also have negative impacts on pollinators through enhanced disease transmission. Future studies should assess how changing the design of these schemes could minimize disease transmission and thus maximise their health benefits to wild pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Bailes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Bourne Building, Egham TW20 0EX, UK.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Judit Bagi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Bourne Building, Egham TW20 0EX, UK.,Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Jake Coltman
- Expedia Group, Angel Building, 407 St John Street, London EC1V 4AD, UK
| | | | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Bourne Building, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
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20
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Mertes K, Stabach JA, Songer M, Wacher T, Newby J, Chuven J, Al Dhaheri S, Leimgruber P, Monfort S. Management Background and Release Conditions Structure Post-release Movements in Reintroduced Ungulates. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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21
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Panfylova J, Ewen JG, Armstrong DP. Making structured decisions for reintroduced populations in the face of uncertainty. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Panfylova
- Wildlife Ecology GroupMassey University Palmerston North New Zealand
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
| | - Doug P. Armstrong
- Wildlife Ecology GroupMassey University Palmerston North New Zealand
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22
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Dayer AA, Rosenblatt C, Bonter DN, Faulkner H, Hall RJ, Hochachka WM, Phillips TB, Hawley DM. Observations at backyard bird feeders influence the emotions and actions of people that feed birds. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A. Dayer
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia
| | - Connor Rosenblatt
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia
| | | | | | - Richard J. Hall
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia Athens Georgia
| | | | | | - Dana M. Hawley
- Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia
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23
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Hygiene and biosecurity protocols reduce infection prevalence but do not improve fledging success in an endangered parrot. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4779. [PMID: 30886308 PMCID: PMC6423005 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41323-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) are recognised as global extinction drivers of threatened species. Unfortunately, biodiversity managers have few tested solutions to manage them when often the desperate need for solutions necessitates a response. Here we test in situ biosecurity protocols to assess the efficacy of managing Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), one of the most common and emergent viral diseases in wild parrots (Psittaciformes) that is currently affecting numerous threatened species globally. In response to an outbreak of PBFD in Mauritius “echo” parakeets (Psittacula eques), managers implemented a set of biosecurity protocols to limit transmission and impact of Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV). Here we used a reciprocal design experiment on the wild population to test whether BFDV management reduced viral prevalence and viral load, and improved nestling body condition and fledge success. Whilst management reduced the probability of nestling infection by approximately 11% there was no observed impact on BFDV load and nestling body condition. In contrast to expectations there was lower fledge success in nests with added BFDV biosecurity (83% in untreated vs. 79% in treated nests). Our results clearly illustrate that management for wildlife conservation should be critically evaluated through targeted monitoring and experimental manipulation, and this evaluation should always focus on the fundamental objective of conservation.
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24
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The cascading effects of human food on hibernation and cellular aging in free-ranging black bears. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2197. [PMID: 30792484 PMCID: PMC6385323 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38937-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human foods have become a pervasive subsidy in many landscapes, and can dramatically alter wildlife behavior, physiology, and demography. While such subsidies can enhance wildlife condition, they can also result in unintended negative consequences on individuals and populations. Seasonal hibernators possess a remarkable suite of adaptations that increase survival and longevity in the face of resource and energetic limitations. Recent work has suggested hibernation may also slow the process of senescence, or cellular aging. We investigated how use of human foods influences hibernation, and subsequently cellular aging, in a large-bodied hibernator, black bears (Ursus americanus). We quantified relative telomere length, a molecular marker for cellular age, and compared lengths in adult female bears longitudinally sampled over multiple seasons. We found that bears that foraged more on human foods hibernated for shorter periods of time. Furthermore, bears that hibernated for shorter periods of time experienced accelerated telomere attrition. Together these results suggest that although hibernation may ameliorate cellular aging, foraging on human food subsidies could counteract this process by shortening hibernation. Our findings highlight how human food subsidies can indirectly influence changes in aging at the molecular level.
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25
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Lawson B, Robinson RA, Toms MP, Risely K, MacDonald S, Cunningham AA. Health hazards to wild birds and risk factors associated with anthropogenic food provisioning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29531146 PMCID: PMC5882997 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Provision of supplementary food for wild birds at garden feeding stations is a common, large-scale and year-round practice in multiple countries including Great Britain (GB). While these additional dietary resources can benefit wildlife, there is a concomitant risk of disease transmission, particularly when birds repeatedly congregate in the same place at high densities and through interactions of species that would not normally associate in close proximity. Citizen science schemes recording garden birds are popular and can integrate disease surveillance with population monitoring, offering a unique opportunity to explore inter-relationships between supplementary feeding, disease epidemiology and population dynamics. Here, we present findings from a national surveillance programme in GB and note the dynamism of endemic and emerging diseases over a 25-year period, focusing on protozoal (finch trichomonosis), viral (Paridae pox) and bacterial (passerine salmonellosis) diseases with contrasting modes of transmission. We also examine the occurrence of mycotoxin contamination of food residues in bird feeders, which present both a direct and indirect (though immunosuppression) risk to wild bird health. Our results inform evidence-based mitigation strategies to minimize anthropogenically mediated health hazards, while maintaining the benefits of providing supplementary food for wild birds.This article is part of the theme issue 'Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host-parasite dynamics in wildlife'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becki Lawson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Robert A Robinson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Mike P Toms
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Kate Risely
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Susan MacDonald
- Fera Science Ltd, National Agri-Food Innovation Campus, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
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26
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Becker DJ, Hall RJ, Forbes KM, Plowright RK, Altizer S. Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host-parasite dynamics in wildlife. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29531141 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Becker
- Odum School of Ecology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA .,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Infectious Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kristian M Forbes
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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27
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Fležar U, Costa B, Bordjan D, Jerina K, Krofel M. Free food for everyone: artificial feeding of brown bears provides food for many non-target species. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1237-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Tollington S, Ewen JG, Newton J, McGill RAR, Smith D, Henshaw A, Fogell DJ, Tatayah V, Greenwood A, Jones CG, Groombridge JJ. Individual consumption of supplemental food as a predictor of reproductive performance and viral infection intensity. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Tollington
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and EcologySchool of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
- North of England Zoological Society Chester UK
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
| | - Jason Newton
- NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry FacilitySUERC East Kilbride UK
| | | | - Donal Smith
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
- School of Environment and Life SciencesUniversity of Salford Salford UK
| | | | - Deborah J. Fogell
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and EcologySchool of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of London London UK
| | | | | | - Carl G. Jones
- School of Environment and Life SciencesUniversity of Salford Salford UK
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Jersey UK
| | - Jim J. Groombridge
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and EcologySchool of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
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29
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Citizen science reveals widespread supplementary feeding of African woolly-necked storks in suburban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Urban Ecosyst 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-018-0774-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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30
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Plummer KE, Bearhop S, Leech DI, Chamberlain DE, Blount JD. Effects of winter food provisioning on the phenotypes of breeding blue tits. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:5059-5068. [PMID: 29876081 PMCID: PMC5980576 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the Western World, huge numbers of people regularly supply food for wild birds. However, evidence of negative impacts of winter feeding on future reproduction has highlighted a need to improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms shaping avian responses to supplementary food. Here, we test the possibility that carry-over effects are mediated via their impact on the phenotypes of breeding birds, either by influencing the phenotypic structure of populations through changes in winter survival and/or by more direct effects on the condition of breeding birds. Using a landscape-scale 3-year study of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), we demonstrate the importance of nutritional composition of supplementary food in determining carry-over effect outcomes. We show that breeding populations which had access to vitamin E-rich foods during the previous winter were comprised of individuals with reduced feather carotenoid concentrations, indicative of lower pre-feeding phenotypic condition, compared to fat-fed and unfed populations. This suggests that supplementary feeding in winter can result in altered population phenotypic structure at the time of breeding, perhaps by enhancing survival and recruitment of lower quality individuals. However, supplementation of a fat-rich diet during winter was detrimental to the oxidative state of breeding birds, with these phenotypic differences ultimately found to impact upon reproductive success. Our findings demonstrate the complex nature by which supplementary feeding can influence wild bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E. Plummer
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
- British Trust for OrnithologyThe NunneryThetfordNorfolkUK
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
| | - David I. Leech
- British Trust for OrnithologyThe NunneryThetfordNorfolkUK
| | - Dan E. Chamberlain
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologià dei SistemiUniversità degli Studi di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
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31
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Reed JH, Bonter DN. Supplementing non-target taxa: bird feeding alters the local distribution of mammals. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:761-770. [PMID: 29509299 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Although the effects of bird feeding on avian species have been extensively examined, few studies evaluate the indirect effects of bird feeding on non-target taxa. Bird seed could provide direct nourishment to several mammalian species (e.g., Lagomorpha, Rodentia, and Cetartiodactyla), potentially altering their distribution and behavior with possible unintended consequences for some avian populations, particularly those not directly benefiting from the resource. To examine how bird feeders may influence the presence and behavior of mammals, we used camera traps to quantify differences in the distribution and richness of mammal species frequenting sites with bird feeders and control sites (lacking feeders) in Ithaca, New York, USA. We recorded 15,684 images capturing 12 mammal species with gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and raccoon (Procyon lotor) detected significantly more often at feeder sites than at control sites. Detections of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) marginally increased near feeders whereas detections of several carnivorous species were unrelated to the presence of bird feeders. We recorded larger gray squirrel and raccoon group sizes and greater mammal richness at feeder sites than at nearby control sites. We detected squirrels and raccoons less when snow covered the ground than on snow-free days. Ambient temperature was not a strong predictor of mammal detections. Camera trapping revealed strong, species-specific patterns in the timing of daily visitation to areas with feeders. Because many mammals depredate bird nests, the local increases in mammal richness and activity near bird feeders may create an ecological trap for avian species nesting in close proximity to supplemental feeding stations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hunter Reed
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Morrison Hall, 507 Tower Road, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - David N Bonter
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York, 14850, USA
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32
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Becker DJ, Streicker DG, Altizer S, Derryberry E. Using host species traits to understand the consequences of resource provisioning for host-parasite interactions. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:511-525. [PMID: 29023699 PMCID: PMC5836909 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental food provided to wildlife by human activities can be more abundant and predictable than natural resources, and subsequent changes in wildlife ecology can have profound impacts on host-parasite interactions. Identifying traits of species associated with increases or decreases in infection outcomes with resource provisioning could improve assessments of wildlife most prone to disease risks in changing environments. We conducted a phylogenetic meta-analysis of 342 host-parasite interactions across 56 wildlife species and three broad taxonomic groups of parasites to identify host-level traits that influence whether provisioning is associated with increases or decreases in infection. We predicted dietary generalists that capitalize on novel food would show greater infection in provisioned habitats owing to population growth and food-borne exposure to contaminants and parasite infectious stages. Similarly, species with fast life histories could experience stronger demographic and immunological benefits from provisioning that affect parasite transmission. We also predicted that wide-ranging and migratory behaviours could increase infection risks with provisioning if concentrated and non-seasonal foods promote dense aggregations that increase exposure to parasites. We found that provisioning increased infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa (i.e. microparasites) most for wide-ranging, dietary generalist host species. Effect sizes for ectoparasites were also highest for host species with large home ranges but were instead lowest for dietary generalists. In contrast, the type of provisioning was a stronger correlate of infection outcomes for helminths than host species traits. Our analysis highlights host traits related to movement and feeding behaviour as important determinants of whether species experience greater infection with supplemental feeding. These results could help prioritize monitoring wildlife with particular trait profiles in anthropogenic habitats to reduce infectious disease risks in provisioned populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Becker
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious DiseaseUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
| | - Daniel G. Streicker
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious DiseaseUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
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33
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Boggie MA, Carleton SA, Collins DP, Vradenburg J, Sroka CJ. Using stable isotopes to estimate reliance on agricultural food subsidies and migration timing for a migratory bird. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Boggie
- Department of Biology; New Mexico State University; Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
| | - Scott A. Carleton
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Migratory Bird Office, Region 2; Albuquerque New Mexico 87103 USA
| | - Daniel P. Collins
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Migratory Bird Office, Region 2; Albuquerque New Mexico 87103 USA
| | - John Vradenburg
- Kalamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Tulelake California 96134 USA
| | - Christopher J. Sroka
- Department of Economics, Applied Statistics, & International Business; College of Business; New Mexico State University; Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
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34
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Franks VR, Thorogood R. Older and wiser? Age differences in foraging and learning by an endangered passerine. Behav Processes 2017; 148:1-9. [PMID: 29273549 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Birds use cues when foraging to help relocate food resources, but natural environments provide many potential cues and choosing which to use may depend on previous experience. Young animals have less experience of their environment compared to adults, so may be slower to learn cues or may need to sample the environment more. Whether age influences cue use and learning has, however, received little experimental testing in wild animals. Here we investigate effects of age in a wild population of hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened New Zealand passerine. We manipulated bird feeders using a novel colour cue to indicate a food reward; once hihi learned its location, we rotated the feeder to determine whether the birds followed the colour or returned to the previous location. Both age groups made fewer errors over trials and learned the location of the food reward, but juveniles continued to sample unrewarding locations more than adults. Following a second rotation, more adults preferred to forage from the hole indicated by the colour cue than juveniles, despite this no longer being rewarding. Overall, juveniles spent longer in the feeder arena to reach the same proportion of foraging time as adults. Combined, these results suggest that juveniles and adults may use an "explore and exploit" foraging strategy differently, and this affects how efficiently they forage. Further work is needed to understand how juveniles may compensate for their inexperience in learning and foraging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Franks
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Rose Thorogood
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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35
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TryjanowskI P, Panek M, Karg J, Szumacher-Strabel M, CieśLak A, Ciach M. Long-term changes in the quantity and quality of supplementary feeding of wildlife: are influenced by game managers? FOLIA ZOOLOGICA 2017. [DOI: 10.25225/fozo.v66.i4.a6.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr TryjanowskI
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
| | - Marek Panek
- Polish Hunting Association, Research Station, 64-020 Czempiń, Poland
| | - Jerzy Karg
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Nature Conservation, University of Zielona Góra, Szafrana 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Szumacher-Strabel
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
| | - Adam CieśLak
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Ciach
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Institute of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
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36
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37
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Chatterton J, Pas A, Alexander S, Leech M, Jakob-Hoff R, Jensen BP, Digby A. Concentrations of calcium and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (vitamin D 3) in plasma of wild kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) living on two islands in New Zealand. N Z Vet J 2017; 65:198-203. [PMID: 28372517 DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2017.1314795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This preliminary study had the objectives of describing the concentrations of ionised calcium and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D3) in the blood of wild kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) living on two islands in New Zealand, and to determine the effects of supplementary feeding on these blood parameters. METHODS Blood samples were obtained from 33 kākāpō living on two offshore islands during routine health checks in 2015. Birds on Hauturu were sampled in May (n=5) and birds on Whenua Hou were sampled in July (n=15) and November (n=26). Of the birds sampled on Whenua Hou in November, 15 received supplementary food prior to sampling. Samples were analysed for pH, and concentrations of ionised calcium, total calcium, phosphorous, total protein, albumin, globulin, uric acid and 25(OH)D3. RESULTS Concentrations of ionised calcium did not differ between unsupplemented birds on the two islands, nor between supplemented (median 1.17 (95% CI=1.12-1.20) mmol/L) and unsupplemented (median 1.09 (95% CI=1.08-1.14) mmol/L) birds sampled in November on Whenua Hou (p>0.05), and were comparable with published normal ranges for other psittacines. Concentrations of 25(OH)D3 did not differ between unsupplemented birds on the two islands (p>0.05), but were higher in supplemented (median 8.00 (95% CI=4.76-8.45) nmol/L) than unsupplemented (median 0.00 (95% CI=-0.16-0.48) nmol/L) birds on Whenua Hou (p<0.001). All values were much lower than published ranges for healthy psittacines. There was no difference between male and female birds on Whenua Hou for any parameter measured (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The calcium status of the kākāpō in this study was comparable to other wild psittacines, however concentrations of 25(OH)D3 were much lower. The concentrations of 25(OH)D3 may be within the normal range for the species, however further data are required to confirm this. The significant increase in concentrations of 25(OH)D3 in supplementary fed birds suggests that this food was providing more of the nutrient than the wild diet at that time of year, although the effects of this are unknown. Further investigation is required into the calcium and vitamin D3 status of kākāpō, across a wider range of locations, seasons and ages. This would help define normal ranges for these parameters, allow interpretation in clinically abnormal individuals, and guide the refinement of supplementary foods. This information would, therefore, assist the future conservation management of this critically endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Chatterton
- a New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine , Auckland Zoo , Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022 , New Zealand
| | - A Pas
- a New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine , Auckland Zoo , Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022 , New Zealand
| | - S Alexander
- a New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine , Auckland Zoo , Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022 , New Zealand
| | - M Leech
- a New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine , Auckland Zoo , Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022 , New Zealand
| | - R Jakob-Hoff
- a New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine , Auckland Zoo , Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022 , New Zealand
| | - B P Jensen
- b Canterbury Health Laboratories , 524 Hagley Avenue, Christchurch 8011 , New Zealand
| | - A Digby
- c Department of Conservation , Kakapo Recovery Programme , Level 7, 33 Don Street, Invercargill 9810 , New Zealand
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Williams PJ, Kendall WL. A guide to multi-objective optimization for ecological problems with an application to cackling goose management. Ecol Modell 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Moreno-Opo R, Trujillano A, Margalida A. Optimization of supplementary feeding programs for European vultures depends on environmental and management factors. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00009.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Read JL, Peacock D, Wayne AF, Moseby KE. Toxic Trojans: can feral cat predation be mitigated by making their prey poisonous? WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Predation, along with competition and disease transmission from feral domestic cats (Felis catus), poses the key threat to many in situ and reintroduced populations of threatened species globally. Feral cats are more challenging to control than pest canids because cats seldom consume poison baits or enter baited traps when live prey are readily available. Novel strategies for sustainably protecting threatened wildlife from feral cats are urgently required. Emerging evidence suggests that once they have successfully killed a challenging species, individual feral cats can systematically eradicate threatened prey populations. Here we propose to exploit this selective predation through three targeted strategies to improve the efficacy of feral cat control. Toxic collars and toxic implants, fitted or inserted during monitoring or reintroduction programs for threatened species, could poison the offending cat before it can effect multiple kills of the target species. A third strategy is informed by evidence that consumption of prey species that are relatively tolerant to natural plant toxins, can be lethal to more sensitive cats. Within key habitats of wildlife species susceptible to cat predation, we advocate increasing the accessibility of these toxins in the food chain, provided negative risks can be mediated. Deliberate poisoning using live and unaffected ‘toxic Trojan prey’ enables ethical feral cat management that takes advantage of cats’ physiological and behavioural predilection for hunting live prey while minimising risks to many non-targets, compared with conventional baiting.
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