1
|
Rietz J, Ischebeck S, Conraths FJ, Probst C, Zedrosser A, Fiderer C, Reckel F, von Hoermann C, Müller J, Heurich M. Scavenger-induced scattering of wild boar carcasses over large distances and its implications for disease management. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121554. [PMID: 38905791 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Vertebrate scavengers provide essential ecosystem services such as accelerating carrion decomposition by consuming carcasses, exposing tissues to microbial and invertebrate decomposers, and recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. Some scavengers do not consume carcasses on site but rather scatter their remains in the surroundings, which might have important implications for nutrient transport, forensic investigations and the spread of diseases such as African Swine Fever. However, only a few studies have investigated and measured the scatter distances. Using wild boar (Sus scrofa) carcasses and limbs, we monitored scavenging behavior and measured scatter distances of mammals. We placed 20 carcasses (up to 25 kg) and 21 separate limbs equipped with very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and monitored scavenger activity using camera traps in a mountainous region in southeast Germany. Except for one carcass, all other carcasses and limbs were scattered. We measured 72 scatter distances (of 89 scattering events; mean = 232 m, maximum = 1250 m), of which 75% were dispersed up to 407 m. Scavengers moved scattered pieces into denser vegetation compared to the half-open vegetation at provisioning sites. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were the most common scavenger species, contributing to 72 scattering events (58 measured scatter distances). Our results provide evidence of scatter distances farther than previously assumed and have far-reaching implications for disease management or forensic investigations, as the broader surroundings of carcasses must be included in search efforts to remove infectious material or relevant body parts for forensic analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janine Rietz
- Department of National Park Monitoring and Animal Management, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany; Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Sophia Ischebeck
- Department of National Park Monitoring and Animal Management, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany; Department of Integrative Biology, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz J Conraths
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Carolina Probst
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Integrative Biology, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, i Telemark, Norway
| | - Christian Fiderer
- Department of National Park Monitoring and Animal Management, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany; Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Frank Reckel
- Bavarian State Criminal Police Office, SG 204, Microtraces/Biology, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian von Hoermann
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Marco Heurich
- Department of National Park Monitoring and Animal Management, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany; Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Orihuela-Torres A, Morales-Reyes Z, Hermoso V, Picazo F, Sánchez Fernández D, Pérez-García JM, Botella F, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Sebastián-González E. Carrion ecology in inland aquatic ecosystems: a systematic review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1425-1443. [PMID: 38509722 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13075] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Carrion ecology, i.e. the decomposition and recycling of dead animals, has traditionally been neglected as a key process in ecosystem functioning. Similarly, despite the large threats that inland aquatic ecosystems (hereafter, aquatic ecosystems) face, the scientific literature is still largely biased towards terrestrial ecosystems. However, there has been an increasing number of studies on carrion ecology in aquatic ecosystems in the last two decades, highlighting their key role in nutrient recirculation and disease control. Thus, a global assessment of the ecological role of scavengers and carrion in aquatic ecosystems is timely. Here, we systematically reviewed scientific articles on carrion ecology in aquatic ecosystems to describe current knowledge, identify research gaps, and promote future studies that will deepen our understanding in this field. We found 206 relevant studies, which were highly biased towards North America, especially in lotic ecosystems, covering short time periods, and overlooking seasonality, a crucial factor in scavenging dynamics. Despite the low number of studies on scavenger assemblages, we recorded 55 orders of invertebrates from 179 families, with Diptera and Coleoptera being the most frequent orders. For vertebrates, we recorded 114 species from 40 families, with birds and mammals being the most common. Our results emphasise the significance of scavengers in stabilising food webs and facilitating nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems. Studies were strongly biased towards the assessment of the ecosystem effects of carrion, particularly of salmon carcasses in North America. The second most common research topic was the foraging ecology of vertebrates, which was mostly evaluated through sporadic observations of carrion in the diet. Articles assessing scavenger assemblages were scarce, and only a limited number of these studies evaluated carrion consumption patterns, which serve as a proxy for the role of scavengers in the ecosystem. The ecological functions performed by carrion and scavengers in aquatic ecosystems were diverse. The main ecological functions were carrion as food source and the role of scavengers in nutrient cycling, which appeared in 52.4% (N = 108) and 46.1% (N = 95) of publications, respectively. Ecosystem threats associated with carrion ecology were also identified, the most common being water eutrophication and carrion as source of pathogens (2.4%; N = 5 each). Regarding the effects of carrion on ecosystems, we found studies spanning all ecosystem components (N = 85), from soil or the water column to terrestrial vertebrates, with a particular focus on aquatic invertebrates and fish. Most of these articles found positive effects of carrion on ecosystems (e.g. higher species richness, abundance or fitness; 84.7%; N = 72), while a minority found negative effects, changes in community composition, or even no effects. Enhancing our understanding of scavengers and carrion in aquatic ecosystems is crucial to assessing their current and future roles amidst global change, mainly for water-land nutrient transport, due to changes in the amount and speed of nutrient movement, and for disease control and impact mitigation, due to the predicted increase in occurrence and magnitude of mortality events in aquatic ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Orihuela-Torres
- Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA), CSIC, Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7, Córdoba, 14004, Spain
| | - Virgilio Hermoso
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD) - CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Félix Picazo
- Department of Ecology/Research Unit Modeling Nature (MNat), University of Granada, Faculty of Sciences, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, Granada, 18071, Spain
- Water Institute (IdA), University of Granada, Ramón y Cajal 4, Granada, 18003, Spain
| | - David Sánchez Fernández
- Department of Ecology and Hidrology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Juan M Pérez-García
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Francisco Botella
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - José A Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Esther Sebastián-González
- Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Castillo-Castillo JM, Rufino-Moya PJ, Martínez-Moreno Á, Salvador Castaño Á, Martínez-Moreno FJ, Leva RZ. Revealing the Prevalence of Toxoplasma in Sierra Morena's Wild Boar: An ELISA-Based Study Using Meat Juice. Pathogens 2024; 13:281. [PMID: 38668236 PMCID: PMC11053865 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040281] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This research work focused on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boar from the Sierra Morena region. We conducted an ELISA analysis using meat juice samples. A total of 892 samples from six hunting seasons (2013-2019) were collected from the provinces that constitute the Sierra Morena Mountain range. These samples were analyzed using the Pigtype® ELISA kit, specifically developed for detecting T. gondii in meat juice. The overall prevalence of T. gondii in Sierra Morena was 23.2%. The highest prevalences were observed in Córdoba (31.6%) and Jaén (25.9%). These provinces exhibit the highest density of wild boar as well as the greatest presence of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). Further in-depth studies are necessary, but it appears that the presence of wild felids and scavenger behavior may be associated with this observation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Francisco Javier Martínez-Moreno
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal (Parasitología), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz km 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (J.M.C.-C.); (P.J.R.-M.); (Á.M.-M.); (Á.S.C.); (R.Z.L.)
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Carrera A, Navas I, María-Mojica P, García-Fernández AJ. Greater predisposition to second generation anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) weakened by suspected infectious disease. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167780. [PMID: 37865245 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) exposure in wild carnivores is a current and global concern due to continuous and widespread use worldwide. We studied the prevalence of ARs in liver samples of 25 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 3 European badgers (Meles meles) and 2 genets (Genneta genneta) from Alicante (Spanish Levante region) obtained in 2021 and 2022. In addition to trauma, poisoning by pesticides is the most frequent cause of death in wild carnivores in this region. The present research aims to explain a possible association between the fact of suffering from an infectious disease and the increase in ARs concentrations in the affected animals. Both first- and second-generation ARs were analysed by HPLC/MS/TOF in liver samples. Apart from the cause of death, the influence of other variables such as age, sex and body weight were also assessed on AR liver concentrations. Potential health risks for individuals and populations in the study area have also been studied. Our research detected higher AR concentrations in the group of red foxes clinically diagnosed with infectious disease compared to the group of apparently healthy red foxes, mostly killed by trauma. Furthermore, our results lead us to suggest that red fox could be considered a good sentinel species for the risk of exposure to ARs in other wild mammals. All the livers analysed contained ARs and the most detected compounds in red fox were difenacoum, bromadiolone, brodifacoum, present in all the samples analysed, and flocoumafen (in 96 %). Additionally, 53 % of the animals had at least one second generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) above the threshold value reported as triggering adverse health effects (200 ng/g). Regarding this, the level of risk in red fox in this area might be classified as high and worrying. Moreover, we suggest that individuals and populations with weakened health due to other diseases (for example, infectious or parasitic diseases) might be more prone to high exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides and, very probably, would be more sensitive to suffering serious effects at lower doses of ARs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Carrera
- Servicio de Toxicología y Veterinaria Forense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Isabel Navas
- Servicio de Toxicología y Veterinaria Forense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, Campus de Ciencias de la Salud El Palmar, Universidad de Murcia, Spain.
| | - Pedro María-Mojica
- Servicio de Toxicología y Veterinaria Forense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Santa Faz (Alicante), VAERSA-Servicio de Vida Silvestre, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain
| | - Antonio J García-Fernández
- Servicio de Toxicología y Veterinaria Forense, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Campus de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, Campus de Ciencias de la Salud El Palmar, Universidad de Murcia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
de Freitas BR, da Rosa G, Roman IJ, Cunha RC, Gressler LT, Cargnelutti JF, Vogel FSF. Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis spp in tissues of Sus scrofa slaughtered in southern Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2023; 32:e004623. [PMID: 37585953 PMCID: PMC10449315 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612023048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the presence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp. and Neospora caninum, in tissues of wild boars slaughtered in southern Brazil. A total of 156 samples were collected from different organs of 25 wild boars, and DNA from at least one of the protozoa investigated was detected in 79 samples. To differentiate between infectious agents, restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed using the restriction enzymes DdeI and HpaII. For N. caninum, conventional PCR was performed with specific primers. The DNA of at least one of the studied pathogens was detected in each animal: 26.58% for T. gondii, 68.36% for Sarcocystis spp. and 5.06% for N. caninum. Coinfection between T. gondii and Sarcocystis spp. occurred in 14 animals, between T. gondii and N. caninum in only one male animal, between Sarcocystis spp. and N. caninum in a female, while co-infection with the three agents was equally observed in only one male animal. Considering the high frequency of detection and its zoonotic risk, especially T. gondii, it appears that wild boars can be potential sources of transmission of infectious agents and the adoption of monitoring measures in these populations should be prioritized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bibiana Rodrigues de Freitas
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Campus Capão do Leão, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Gilneia da Rosa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
| | - Isac Junior Roman
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Casquero Cunha
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Campus Capão do Leão, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Letícia Trevisan Gressler
- Laboratório de Microbiologia e Imunologia Veterinária, Instituto Federal Farroupilha, Campus Frederico Westphalen, Frederico Westphalen, RS, Brasil
| | - Juliana Felipetto Cargnelutti
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flôres Vogel
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Carpio AJ, Queirós J, Laguna E, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Vicente J, Alves PC, Acevedo P. Understanding the impact of wild boar on the European wild rabbit and red-legged partridge populations using a diet metabarcoding approach. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01647-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
AbstractEuropean wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) are main small game species of conservation concern in Mediterranean ecosystems. To date, their presence in wild boar’s (Sus scrofa) diet and factors driving their consumption have been little investigated. A genetic metabarcoding approach was used on 80 wild boar faeces collected from four hunting estates devoted to small game hunting during two different seasons. Abundances of wild boar, rabbits and partridges were first estimated. Results showed DNA of seventeen chordate species. The highest frequency of occurrence (FO) corresponded to mammals and birds, with 77.6 and 22.3%, respectively. DNA of game species was detected in 39/71 (FO = 55.0%) samples, highlighting the presence of European wild rabbit in 27 (FO = 38.0%) and red-legged partridge in eight (FO = 11.3%). Dietary composition varied between seasons and estates, being rabbit the main responsible (explaining 35.26% and 39.45% of differences, respectively). Rabbit FO in the diet was positively related to the abundance of wild boar and rabbit density on the estate. It was greater in autumn and in estates where rabbits were hunted. Regarding red-legged partridge, a significant and positive relationship between its population density and its diet FO was observed, without significant differences between seasons or estates. Overall, our results suggest wild boar as an opportunistic species whose diet is largely determined by the relative availability of different food resources. Its ecological role concerning small game species in Mediterranean agroecosystems seems to be more related to consumption of carrion during the hunting season than to direct predation.
Collapse
|
8
|
Competitive interactions with dominant carnivores affect carrion acquisition of striped hyena in a semi-arid landscape of Rajasthan, India. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00663-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
9
|
Parsons AW, Wikelski M, Keeves von Wolff B, Dodel J, Kays R. Intensive hunting changes human-wildlife relationships. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14159. [PMID: 36248718 PMCID: PMC9563281 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife alter their behaviors in a trade-off between consuming food and fear of becoming food themselves. The risk allocation hypothesis posits that variation in the scale, intensity and longevity of predation threats can influence the magnitude of antipredator behavioral responses. Hunting by humans represents a threat thought to be perceived by wildlife similar to how they perceive a top predator, although hunting intensity and duration varys widely around the world. Here we evaluate the effects of hunting pressure on wildlife by comparing how two communities of mammals under different management schemes differ in their relative abundance and response to humans. Using camera traps to survey wildlife across disturbance levels (yards, farms, forests) in similar landscapes in southern Germany and southeastern USA, we tested the prediction of the risk allocation hypothesis: that the higher intensity and longevity of hunting in Germany (year round vs 3 months, 4x higher harvest/km2/year) would reduce relative abundance of hunted species and result in a larger fear-based response to humans (i.e., more spatial and temporal avoidance). We further evaluated how changes in animal abundance and behavior would result in potential changes to ecological impacts (i.e., herbivory and predation). We found that hunted species were relatively less abundant in Germany and less associated with humans on the landscape (i.e., yards and urban areas), but did not avoid humans temporally in hunted areas while hunted species in the USA showed the opposite pattern. These results are consistent with the risk allocation hypothesis where we would expect more spatial avoidance in response to threats of longer duration (i.e., year-round hunting in Germany vs. 3-month duration in USA) and less spatial avoidance but more temporal avoidance for threats of shorter duration. The expected ecological impacts of mammals in all three habitats were quite different between countries, most strikingly due to the decreases in the relative abundance of hunted species in Germany, particularly deer, with no proportional increase in unhunted species, resulting in American yards facing the potential for 25x more herbivory than German yards. Our results suggest that the duration and intensity of managed hunting can have strong and predictable effects on animal abundance and behavior, with the potential for corresponding changes in the ecological impacts of wildlife. Hunting can be an effective tool for reducing wildlife conflict due to overabundance but may require more intensive harvest than is seen in much of North America.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arielle Waldstein Parsons
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America,Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany,Max Planck-Yale Center for Biodiversity Movement and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | | | | | - Roland Kays
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America,North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Almaraz P, Martínez F, Morales-Reyes Z, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Blanco G. Long-term demographic dynamics of a keystone scavenger disrupted by human-induced shifts in food availability. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2579. [PMID: 35279905 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Scavenging is a key ecological process controlling energy flow in ecosystems and providing valuable ecosystem services worldwide. As long-lived species, the demographic dynamics of vultures can be disrupted by spatiotemporal fluctuations in food availability, with dramatic impacts on their population viability and the ecosystem services provided. In Europe, the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 2001 prompted a restrictive sanitary regulation banning the presence of livestock carcasses in the wild on a continental scale. In long-lived vertebrate species, the buffering hypothesis predicts that the demographic traits with the largest contribution to population growth rate should be less temporally variable. The BSE outbreak provides a unique opportunity to test for the impact of demographic buffering in a keystone scavenger suffering abrupt but transient food shortages. We studied the 42-year dynamics (1979-2020) of one of the world's largest breeding colonies of Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). We fitted an inverse Bayesian state-space model with density-dependent demographic rates to the time series of stage-structured abundances to investigate shifts in vital rates and population dynamics before, during, and after the implementation of a restrictive sanitary regulation. Prior to the BSE outbreak the dynamics was mainly driven by adult survival: 83% of temporal variance in abundance was explained by variability in this rate. Moreover, during this period the regulation of population size operated through density-dependent fecundity and subadult survival. However, after the onset of the European ban, a 1-month delay in average laying date, a drop in fecundity, and a reduction in the number of fledglings induced a transient increase in the impact of fledgling and subadult recruitment on dynamics. Although adult survival rate remained constantly high, as predicted by the buffering hypothesis, its relative impact on the temporal variance in abundance dropped to 71% during the sanitary regulation and to 54% after the ban was lifted. A significant increase in the relative impact of environmental stochasticity on dynamics was modeled after the BSE outbreak. These results provide empirical evidence on how abrupt environmental deterioration may induce dramatic demographic and dynamic changes in the populations of keystone scavengers, with far-reaching impacts on ecosystem functioning worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Almaraz
- Department of Ecology and Coastal Management, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, ICMAN-CSIC, Campus Río San Pedro, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Félix Martínez
- Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Móstoles, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
| | - José A Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Oliva‐Vidal P, Sebastián‐González E, Margalida A. Scavenging in changing environments: woody encroachment shapes rural scavenger assemblages in Europe. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Oliva‐Vidal
- Inst. for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM) Ciudad Real Spain
- Dept of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, Univ. of Lleida Lleida Spain
| | | | - Antoni Margalida
- Inst. for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM) Ciudad Real Spain
- Pyrenean Inst. of Ecology (CSIC) Jaca Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Jain V, Bugnyar T, Cunningham SJ, Gallego-Abenza M, Loretto MC, Sumasgutner P. The spatial and temporal exploitation of anthropogenic food sources by common ravens (Corvus corax) in the Alps. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:35. [PMID: 36008849 PMCID: PMC9414151 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropogenic food sources (AFSs) are widespread in human-transformed landscapes and the current scale at which they occur drives ecological change at the individual, population, and community levels. AFSs are exploited extensively by common ravens, Corvus corax. Understanding how raven populations use AFSs can provide insight into their ecological responses to AFSs. METHODS We equipped 81 ravens in the Austrian Alps with GPS-transmitters over a period of 2.75 years. Using these tracking data, we investigated how cohort differences (i.e., age, sex, and origin) and seasonal changes influence raven movement patterns (i.e., occurrence distribution and maximum daily displacement) and AFS-use (i.e., number of AFSs visited and probability of being present at any AFS) at 45 extensively exploited sites. RESULTS We found that proxies for experience and dominance, inferred by age (i.e., juvenile versus adult) and origin (i.e., wild-caught versus captive-bred-released) cohorts, influenced movement patterns and the number of AFSs visited. However, all individuals were equally likely to be present at AFSs, highlighting the importance of AFSs for non-breeders in the study population. Seasonal changes in environmental conditions that affect energetic demands, the availability of natural and anthropogenic food, and foraging competition, influenced individuals' occurrence distributions and AFS-use. We found that under harsher conditions in autumn and winter, individuals ranged wider and depended on AFSs to a larger degree. However, contrary to expectation, they were less likely to be present at AFSs in these seasons compared to spring and summer, suggesting a trade-off between time spent moving and exploiting resources. We attribute the small ranging movements exhibited by non-breeders in spring and summer to the presence of highly territorial and socially dominant breeders. As breeders mostly stay and forage within their territories during these seasons, competition at AFSs decrease, thereby increasing the likelihood of individuals being present at any AFS. CONCLUSIONS We emphasize that movement and AFS-use differ according to cohort differences and the seasonality of the environment. Our results highlight that predictable AFSs affect foraging strategies among non-breeding ravens. The extent of AFS-exploitation among non-breeding ravens in our study emphasize the potential of AFSs in shaping raven movement and resource-use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Varalika Jain
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Doktorberg 6, 83471, Berchtesgaden, Germany
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Butler-Valverde MJ, DeVault TL, Beasley JC. Trophic interactions at avian carcasses: Do scavengers feed on vulture carrion? FOOD WEBS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
14
|
Large-Scale Quantification and Correlates of Ungulate Carrion Production in the Anthropocene. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00763-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
15
|
Barros MAS, Iannuzzi L, Holanda Silva IL, Otálora‐Ardila A, Bernard E. Factors affecting searcher efficiency and scavenger removal of bat carcasses in Neotropical wind facilities. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marília A. S. Barros
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n Recife 50670‐420 PE Brazil
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n Recife 50670‐420 PE Brazil
| | - Luciana Iannuzzi
- Laboratório de Taxonomia e Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n Recife 50670‐420 PE Brazil
| | - Isabelle Leite Holanda Silva
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n 50670‐420 PE Brazil
| | - Aída Otálora‐Ardila
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n Recife 50670‐420 PE Brazil
- Grupo en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Av. Carrera 30 No. 45‐03 Bogotá 111321 DC Colombia
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada à Conservação da Biodiversidade, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n Recife 50670‐420 PE Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Temporal resource partitioning mediates vertebrate coexistence at carcasses: the role of competitive and facilitative interactions. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
17
|
Turner KL, Conner LM, Beasley JC. Effects of red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) control on carrion use by vertebrate scavengers. FOOD WEBS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2021.e00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
18
|
Lizana V, Gortázar C, Muniesa A, Cabezón Ó, Martí-Marco A, López-Ramon J, Cardells J. Human and environmental factors driving Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in wild boar (Sus scrofa). Res Vet Sci 2021; 141:56-62. [PMID: 34678600 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
As one of the most relevant foodborne diseases, it is essential to know the factors related to the transmission, persistence and prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection. Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) might play a relevant role in T.gondii's life cycle. This species is the most consumed big game animal in Spain and may act as a source of infection if the meat is eaten raw or undercooked or due to cross-contaminations. Additionally, wild boar can act as an excellent bioindicator of T.gondii circulation in the ecosystem, because its natural behaviour leads to exposure to oocysts from the soil when rooting and tissular bradyzoites when scavenging. A total of 1003 wild boar were sampled from 2010 to 2017 in Mediterranean Spain. Blood samples were tested with an indirect ELISA test giving a total of 14.1% (95% confidence interval 12.0-16.4%) positive results. The prevalence was not homogeneous in neither the animals nor the sampled districts. Significant differences were found regarding age, climatic conditions and human space occupancy. Human population aggregation, assessed by Demangeon's index, was identified as an influential factor in T.gondii infection risk. This multiple approach allows us to evaluate local risks for human and environmental contamination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Lizana
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain; Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Christian Gortázar
- SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Ana Muniesa
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Área de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Óscar Cabezón
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alba Martí-Marco
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Jordi López-Ramon
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain; Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jesús Cardells
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain; Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Smart carnivores think twice: Red fox delays scavenging on conspecific carcasses to reduce parasite risk. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 243:105462. [PMID: 34602687 PMCID: PMC8464160 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The recent SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has highlighted the need to prevent emerging and re-emerging diseases, which means that we must approach the study of diseases from a One Health perspective. The study of pathogen transmission in wildlife is challenging, but it is unquestionably key to understand how epidemiological interactions occur at the wildlife-domestic-human interface. In this context, studying parasite avoidance behaviours may provide essential insights on parasite transmission, host-parasite coevolution, and energy flow through food-webs. However, the strategies of avoiding trophically transmitted parasites in mammalian carnivores have received little scientific attention. Here, we explore the behaviour of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and other mammalian carnivores at conspecific and heterospecific carnivore carcasses using videos recorded by camera traps. We aim to determine 1) the factors influencing the probability of foxes to practice cannibalism, and 2) whether the scavenging behaviour of foxes differ when facing conspecific vs. heterospecific carcasses. We found that red foxes were generally reluctant to consume mesocarnivore carrion, especially of conspecifics. When recorded, consumption by foxes was delayed several days (heterospecific carcasses) or weeks (conspecific carcasses) after carcass detection. Other mammalian scavengers showed a similar pattern. Also, meat-borne parasite transmission from wild carnivore carcasses to domestic dogs and cats was highly unlikely. Our findings challenge the widespread assumption that cannibalistic or intra-specific scavenging is a major transmission route for Trichinella spp. and other meat-borne parasites, especially for the red fox. Overall, our results suggest that the feeding decisions of scavengers are probably shaped by two main contrasting forces, namely the nutritional reward provided by carrion of phylogenetically similar species and the risk of acquiring meat-borne parasites shared with these species. This study illustrates how the detailed monitoring of carnivore behaviour is essential to assess the epidemiological role of these hosts in the maintenance and dispersion of parasites of public and animal health relevance.
Collapse
|
20
|
Tobajas J, Oliva‐Vidal P, Piqué J, Afonso‐Jordana I, García‐Ferré D, Moreno‐Opo R, Margalida A. Scavenging patterns of generalist predators in forested areas: The potential implications of increase in carrion availability on a threatened capercaillie population. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Tobajas
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Pilar Oliva‐Vidal
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
- Department of Animal Science Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering University of Lleida Lleida Spain
| | | | | | | | - Rubén Moreno‐Opo
- Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico. Pza. San Juan de la Cruz s/n Madrid Spain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
- Department of Animal Science Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering University of Lleida Lleida Spain
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Tobajas J, Descalzo E, Ferreras P, Mateo R, Margalida A. Effects on carrion consumption in a mammalian scavenger community when dominant species are excluded. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00163-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCarrion is a valuable resource exploited not only by obligate scavengers but also by a wide variety of facultative scavengers. These species provide several important ecosystem services which can suffer if the scavenger community composition is altered, thus reducing the ecosystem provided. We studied the response of the Mediterranean facultative scavenger community to the exclusion of larger scavenger species (red fox Vulpes vulpes, European badger Meles meles, and wild boar Sus scrofa) using an exclusion fence permeable to small scavenger species (mainly Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon, common genet Genetta genetta, and stone marten Martes foina). The exclusion of dominant facultative scavengers led to a significant reduction in the amount of carrion consumed and an increase in carrion available for smaller species and decomposers, over a longer period of time. Although carrion consumption by the non-excluded species increased inside the exclusion area relative to the control area, it was insufficient to compensate for the carrion not eaten by the dominant scavengers. Of the small scavenger species, only the Egyptian mongoose significantly increased its carrion consumption in the exclusion area, and was the main beneficiary of the exclusion of dominant facultative scavengers. Therefore, altering the facultative scavenger community in Mediterranean woodlands can reduce the efficiency of small carcass removal and benefit other opportunistic species, such as the Egyptian mongoose, by increasing the carrion available to them. This interaction could have substantial implications for disease transmission, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem function.
Collapse
|
22
|
Bassi E, Facoetti R, Ferloni M, Pastorino A, Bianchi A, Fedrizzi G, Bertoletti I, Andreotti A. Lead contamination in tissues of large avian scavengers in south-central Europe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:146130. [PMID: 33714099 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Lead poisoning from spent ammunition is known to affect many avian species. Birds of prey ingest lead when feeding on game shot with lead gunshot or bullets. Raptors with scavenging habits are particularly vulnerable to ingesting lead in areas with intensive hunting and are good indicators of the risk of poisoning from lead ammunition. To assess how much facultative and obligate avian scavengers suffer lead contamination in south-central Europe, between 2005 and 2019 we collected and analysed 595 tissue samples from 252 carcasses of 4 species (golden eagle, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, cinereous vulture). Lead concentrations in organs showed a similar pattern across species with long and small bones revealing the highest median values (5.56 and 6.8 mg/kg w.w., respectively), the brain the lowest (0.12), and the liver and kidney the intermediate (0.47 and 0.284). Overall, 111 individuals (44.0%) had lead concentrations above background thresholds in at least one tissue (i.e. >2 mg/kg w.w. in soft tissues, >8.33 in bone) and 66 (26.2%) had values indicating clinical poisoning (>6 mg/kg w.w. in liver, >4 in kidney, >16.6 in bone). Tissue lead concentrations and incidence of clinical and sub-clinical poisoning were higher in golden eagles and griffon vultures than in bearded and cinereous vultures, likely due to different feeding habits. In all species we found a rapid increase in lead values with age, but differences between age classes were significant only in the golden eagle. Birds with lead fragments in their digestive tract, as detected by X-rays, had higher median lead concentrations, suggesting that hunting ammunition is the main source of lead poisoning. Our results imply that lead impacts the demography of these long-lived species with delayed sexual maturity and low reproduction rate. A rapid transition towards lead-free bullets and gunshot is therefore required across Europe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Bassi
- ERSAF - Direzione Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio Nationalpark Stilfserjoch, Via De Simoni 42, 23038 Bormio, Italy
| | | | - Maria Ferloni
- Provincia di Sondrio, Via XXV Aprile, 22, 23100 Sondrio, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Bianchi
- IZSLER "Bruno Ubertini" - Sede Territoriale di Sondrio, Via Bormio 30, 23100 Sondrio, Italy
| | - Giorgio Fedrizzi
- IZSLER "Bruno Ubertini" - Dipartimento sicurezza alimentare, Via Fiorini 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Irene Bertoletti
- IZSLER "Bruno Ubertini" - Sede Territoriale di Sondrio, Via Bormio 30, 23100 Sondrio, Italy
| | - Alessandro Andreotti
- ISPRA - Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Understanding potential implications for non-trophic parasite transmission based on vertebrate behavior at mesocarnivore carcass sites. Vet Res Commun 2021; 45:261-275. [PMID: 34176034 PMCID: PMC8235911 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-021-09806-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
High infection risk is often associated with aggregations of animals around attractive resources. Here, we explore the behavior of potential hosts of non-trophically transmitted parasites at mesocarnivore carcass sites. We used videos recorded by camera traps at 56 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses and 10 carcasses of other wild carnivore species in three areas of southeastern Spain. Scavenging species, especially wild canids, mustelids and viverrids, showed more frequent rubbing behavior at carcass sites than non-scavenging and domestic species, suggesting that they could be exposed to a higher potential infection risk. The red fox was the species that most frequently contacted carcasses and marked and rubbed carcass sites. Foxes contacted heterospecific carcasses more frequently and earlier than conspecific ones and, when close contact occurred, it was more likely to be observed at heterospecific carcasses. This suggests that foxes avoid contact with the type of carcass and time period that have the greatest risk as a source of parasites. Overall, non-trophic behaviors of higher infection risk were mainly associated with visitor-carcass contact and visitor contact with feces and urine, rather than direct contact between visitors. Moreover, contact events between scavengers and carnivore carcasses were far more frequent than consumption events, which suggests that scavenger behavior is more constrained by the risk of acquiring meat-borne parasites than non-trophically transmitted parasites. This study contributes to filling key gaps in understanding the role of carrion in the landscape of disgust, which may be especially relevant in the current global context of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.
Collapse
|
24
|
Spencer EE, Dickman CR, Greenville A, Crowther MS, Kutt A, Newsome TM. Carcasses attract invasive species and increase artificial nest predation in a desert environment. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
|
25
|
Newsome TM, Barton B, Buck JC, DeBruyn J, Spencer E, Ripple WJ, Barton PS. Monitoring the dead as an ecosystem indicator. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5844-5856. [PMID: 34141188 PMCID: PMC8207411 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dead animal biomass (carrion) is present in all terrestrial ecosystems, and its consumption, decomposition, and dispersal can have measurable effects on vertebrates, invertebrates, microbes, parasites, plants, and soil. But despite the number of studies examining the influence of carrion on food webs, there has been no attempt to identify how general ecological processes around carrion might be used as an ecosystem indicator. We suggest that knowledge of scavenging and decomposition rates, scavenger diversity, abundance, and behavior around carrion, along with assessments of vegetation, soil, microbe, and parasite presence, can be used individually or in combination to understand food web dynamics. Monitoring carrion could also assist comparisons of ecosystem processes among terrestrial landscapes and biomes. Although there is outstanding research needed to fully integrate carrion ecology and monitoring into ecosystem management, we see great potential in using carrion as an ecosystem indicator of an intact and functional food web.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Brandon Barton
- Department of Biological SciencesMississippi State UniversityMississippi StateMSUSA
| | - Julia C. Buck
- Biology and Marine BiologyUniversity of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmingtonNCUSA
| | - Jennifer DeBruyn
- Biosystems Engineering and Soil ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Emma Spencer
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - William J. Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisORUSA
| | - Philip S. Barton
- School of ScienceFederation University AustraliaMt HelenVICAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Many large predators are also facultative scavengers that may compete with and depredate other species at carcasses. Yet, the ecological impacts of facultative scavenging by large predators, or their "scavenging effects," still receive relatively little attention in comparison to their predation effects. To address this knowledge gap, we comprehensively examine the roles played by, and impacts of, facultative scavengers, with a focus on large canids: the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), dhole (Cuon alpinus), dingo (Canis dingo), Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), gray wolf (Canis lupus), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and red wolf (Canis rufus). Specifically, after defining facultative scavenging as use or usurpation of a carcass that a consumer has not killed, we (1) provide a conceptual overview of the community interactions around carcasses that can be initiated by facultative scavengers, (2) review the extent of scavenging by and the evidence for scavenging effects of large canids, (3) discuss external factors that may diminish or enhance the effects of large canids as scavengers, and (4) identify aspects of this phenomenon that require additional research attention as a guide for future work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Wirsing
- School of Environment and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas M Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Walker MA, Uribasterra M, Asher V, Getz WM, Ryan SJ, Ponciano JM, Blackburn JK. Factors influencing scavenger guilds and scavenging efficiency in Southwestern Montana. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4254. [PMID: 33608624 PMCID: PMC7895951 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Scavenging of carrion shapes ecological landscapes by influencing scavenger population demography, increasing inter- and intra-specific interactions, and generating ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and disease moderation. Previous research found the cues promoting, or the constraints limiting, an individual's propensity or ability to scavenge vary widely, depending on anthropogenic and environmental factors. Here we investigated differences in scavenging patterns in a complex scavenger guild in Southwestern Montana. We used camera traps established at 13 carcass sites to monitor carcass detection, visitation, and consumption times, during 2016-2018 and generalized linear models to explore the influence of carcass characteristics, habitat features, and seasonality, on carcass selection and scavenging efficiency. We found that scavenger species diversity was higher at higher elevations and in grassland habitats. Scavenging efficiency was influenced inter alia by seasonality, distance to water, and elevation. We found that most carcass consumption was via facultative scavengers (bears, wolves, magpies, Corvus spp.) rather than turkey vultures, the only obligate scavengers in the study area. However, growing populations of turkey vultures may lead to increased competition with facultative scavengers over carrion, and could have cascading effects on food webs in this ecosystem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan A Walker
- Spatial Epidemiology & Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Maria Uribasterra
- Spatial Epidemiology & Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Valpa Asher
- Turner Enterprises Inc., 1123 Research Drive, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, USA.,School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sadie J Ryan
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Quantitative Disease Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Jason K Blackburn
- Spatial Epidemiology & Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. .,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gil-Sánchez JM, Aguilera-Alcalá N, Moleón M, Sebastián-González E, Margalida A, Morales-Reyes Z, Durá-Alemañ CJ, Oliva-Vidal P, Pérez-García JM, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Biases in the Detection of Intentionally Poisoned Animals: Public Health and Conservation Implications from a Field Experiment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031201. [PMID: 33572837 PMCID: PMC7908198 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intentional poisoning is a global wildlife problem and an overlooked risk factor for public health. Managing poisoning requires unbiased and high-quality data through wildlife monitoring protocols, which are largely lacking. We herein evaluated the biases associated with current monitoring programmes of wildlife poisoning in Spain. We compared the national poisoning database for the 1990-2015 period with information obtained from a field experiment during which we used camera-traps to detect the species that consumed non-poisoned baits. Our findings suggest that the detection rate of poisoned animals is species-dependent: Several animal groups (e.g., domestic mammalian carnivores and vultures) tended to be over-represented in the poisoning national database, while others (e.g., corvids and small mammals) were underrepresented. As revealed by the GLMM analyses, the probability of a given species being overrepresented was higher for heaviest, aerial, and cryptic species. In conclusion, we found that monitoring poisoned fauna based on heterogeneous sources may produce important biases in detection rates; thus, such information should be used with caution by managers and policy-makers. Our findings may guide to future search efforts aimed to reach a more comprehensive understanding of the intentional wildlife poisoning problem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José M. Gil-Sánchez
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
| | - Natividad Aguilera-Alcalá
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Avda. de Fuente Nueva, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Esther Sebastián-González
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), E-13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (A.M.); (P.O.-V.)
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
| | - Carlos J. Durá-Alemañ
- International Center for Environmental Law Studies, CIEDA-CIEMAT, Bernardo Robles Square 9, 42002 Soria, Spain;
| | - Pilar Oliva-Vidal
- Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), E-13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (A.M.); (P.O.-V.)
- Department of Animal Science (Division of Wildlife), Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, E-25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Juan M. Pérez-García
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
| | - José A. Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, E-03202 Elche, Spain; (J.M.G.-S.); (E.S.-G.); (Z.M.-R.); (J.M.P.-G.); (J.A.S.-Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Not avian but mammalian scavengers efficiently consume carcasses under heavy snowfall conditions: a case from northern Japan. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00097-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractInterest in trophic interactions and ecosystem functions derived from carcass consumption by scavengers has been increasing. Here, we conducted the first evaluation of scavenging processes in an ecosystem with heavy snow, located in northern Japan, which is characterized by the limitations of visual and odor cues to detect carcasses. In this study, we verified the behavioral traits and assemblage compositions of avian and mammalian scavengers, which consumed six different carcass types buried in snow. We measured the visits of scavengers using camera traps between 2010 and 2020. The total scavenger richness observed was relatively low (only 12 species) compared to warmer biomes. We observed seven avian scavenger species, but their visit frequencies were extremely low compared with those of nocturnal mammalian scavengers, such as raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and martens (Martes melampus), which were able to detect carcasses more rapidly and frequently. Our findings imply that large snow piles significantly prevent avian scavengers from detecting carcasses. In contrast, the snow piles could protect carcasses from the freezing air and ensure the occurrence of a basal level of microbial decomposition, possibly leading to carcass decomposition. This probably results in carcasses still providing odor cues for mammalian scavengers with heightened sense of smell. Moreover, considering the high carcass consumption rate (91.3% of full-body carcass; n = 23) and short carcass detection times (approximately 90 h) observed, it is possible that scavenging in heavy snowfall conditions has become systematically integrated into the foraging tactics of many mammalian scavengers.
Collapse
|
30
|
Lincoln A, Wirsing A, Quinn T. Prevalence and patterns of scavenging by brown bears ( Ursus arctos) on salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) carcasses. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Scavenging, an underappreciated mechanism of prey consumption for many predators, can contribute substantially to nutritional intake. Facultative scavengers such as brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) may both kill and scavenge Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus Suckley, 1861), though the extent of scavenging and factors affecting this behavior are unclear. We tagged 899 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum in Artedi, 1792)) carcasses and placed them on streambanks over 5 years at multiple sites in southwestern Alaska (USA) where brown bears annually prey on spawning sockeye salmon. Examination of carcasses revealed overall scavenging rates of 15% after 1 day and 54% after 3 days. Scavenging rate varied by site and year and increased throughout the salmon run. Contrary to predictions, scavenging was more frequent in senescent or bear-killed carcasses than ripe carcasses. Carcass consumption ranged from minimal to almost complete; body and brain tissues were most frequently consumed after 3 days (68% and 63% of carcasses, respectively). We also documented secondary scavenging (i.e., tissue consumption on two separate events) and delayed scavenging (i.e., scavenging observed after 3 days but not 1 day). Taken together, the results indicated that scavenging in these streams contributes significantly to total consumption of salmon by bears, with ramifications for other components of these salmon-dependent ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A.E. Lincoln
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - A.J. Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - T.P. Quinn
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Higgins SA, Panke-Buisse K, Buckley DH. The biogeography of Streptomyces in New Zealand enabled by high-throughput sequencing of genus-specific rpoB amplicons. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:1452-1468. [PMID: 33283920 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated Streptomyces biogeography in soils along a 1200 km latitudinal transect across New Zealand (NZ). Streptomyces diversity was examined using high-throughput sequencing of rpoB amplicons generated with a Streptomyces specific primer set. We detected 1287 Streptomyces rpoB operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with 159 ± 92 (average ± SD) rpoB OTUs per site. Only 12% (n = 149) of these OTUs matched rpoB sequences from cultured specimens (99% nucleotide identity cutoff). Streptomyces phylogenetic diversity (Faith's PD) was correlated with soil pH, mean annual temperature and plant community richness (Spearman's r: 0.77, 0.64 and -0.79, respectively; P < 0.05), but not with latitude. In addition, soil pH and plant community richness both explained significant variation in Streptomyces beta diversity. Streptomyces communities exhibited both high dissimilarity and strong dominance of one or a few species at each site. Taken together, these results suggest that dispersal limitation due to competitive interactions limits the colonization success of spores that relocate to new sites. Cultivated Streptomyces isolates represent a major source of clinically useful antibiotics, but only a small fraction of extant diversity within the genus have been identified and most species of Streptomyces have yet to be described.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S A Higgins
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.,Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - K Panke-Buisse
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.,USDA Agricultural Research Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Gomo G, Rød‐Eriksen L, Andreassen HP, Mattisson J, Odden M, Devineau O, Eide NE. Scavenger community structure along an environmental gradient from boreal forest to alpine tundra in Scandinavia. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12860-12869. [PMID: 33304499 PMCID: PMC7713988 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Scavengers can have strong impacts on food webs, and awareness of their role in ecosystems has increased during the last decades. In our study, we used baited camera traps to quantify the structure of the winter scavenger community in central Scandinavia across a forest-alpine continuum and assess how climatic conditions affected spatial patterns of species occurrences at baits. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the main habitat type (forest or alpine tundra) and snow depth was main determinants of the community structure. According to a joint species distribution model within the HMSC framework, species richness tended to be higher in forest than in alpine tundra habitat, but was only weakly associated with temperature and snow depth. However, we observed stronger and more diverse impacts of these covariates on individual species. Occurrence at baits by habitat generalists (red fox, golden eagle, and common raven) typically increased at low temperatures and high snow depth, probably due to increased energetic demands and lower abundance of natural prey in harsh winter conditions. On the contrary, occurrence at baits by forest specialists (e.g., Eurasian jay) tended to decrease in deep snow, which is possibly a consequence of reduced bait detectability and accessibility. In general, the influence of environmental covariates on species richness and occurrence at baits was lower in alpine tundra than in forests, and habitat generalists dominated the scavenger communities in both forest and alpine tundra. Following forecasted climate change, altered environmental conditions are likely to cause range expansion of boreal species and range contraction of typical alpine species such as the arctic fox. Our results suggest that altered snow conditions will possibly be a main driver of changes in species community structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gjermund Gomo
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology (Fac. Appl. Ecol.)Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN)KoppangNorway
| | - Lars Rød‐Eriksen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
- Department of BiologyCentre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Harry P. Andreassen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology (Fac. Appl. Ecol.)Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN)KoppangNorway
| | - Jenny Mattisson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Morten Odden
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology (Fac. Appl. Ecol.)Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN)KoppangNorway
| | - Olivier Devineau
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology (Fac. Appl. Ecol.)Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN)KoppangNorway
| | - Nina E. Eide
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Cabrera-García ME, Olea PP, Mateo-Tomás P. Livestock prevalence in the Egyptian vulture diet during European sanitary restrictions on carcass disposal. FOOD WEBS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2020.e00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
34
|
Curveira‐Santos G, Sutherland C, Santos‐Reis M, Swanepoel LH. Responses of carnivore assemblages to decentralized conservation approaches in a South African landscape. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Curveira‐Santos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Chris Sutherland
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Margarida Santos‐Reis
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Lourens H. Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
- African Institute for Conservation Ecology Levubu South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Gutiérrez‐Cánovas C, Moleón M, Mateo‐Tomás P, Olea PP, Sebastián‐González E, Sánchez‐Zapata JA. Large home range scavengers support higher rates of carcass removal. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cayetano Gutiérrez‐Cánovas
- Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management (FEHM) Lab Departament de Biologia Evolutiva Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Facultat de Biologia Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal Barcelona Spain
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) Department of Biology University of Minho Braga Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio‐Sustainability (IB‐S) University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Zoology University of Granada Granada Spain
| | - Patricia Mateo‐Tomás
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA) Oviedo University Mieres Spain
- Centre for Functional Ecology Department of Life Sciences University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Pedro P. Olea
- Departamento de Ecología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC‐UAM) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Miranker M, Giordano A, Spradley K. Phase II spatial patterning of vulture scavenged human remains. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 314:110392. [PMID: 32619777 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This project expands on a pilot study by Spradley, Hamilton, and Giordano (2012) that investigated the patterns and effect of vulture scavenging of human remains, with special focus on the effect of microenvironments. Five donated bodies from the Willed Body Donation Program at Texas State University were placed in various locations at the university's Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF). The bodies were monitored by motion capture cameras and after each vulture scavenging event the dispersal and location of the bodies' skeletal elements were mapped with a high accuracy GPS unit. The degree and direction of dispersal by vultures were then analyzed with GIS. Phase II revealed that vultures will begin scavenging at variable times, will continue to return to and move remains after a body has been skeletonized, and tend to move remains from higher elevations to lower elevations. The data also suggested that vultures may scavenge in larger groups (n > 20) in cooler temperatures, but in warm to hot temperatures they may scavenge more frequently in smaller groups (n ≈ 5). Future directions for vulture scavenging profiles are briefly discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly Miranker
- Department of Geography, Texas State University-San Marcos, TX, United States.
| | - Alberto Giordano
- Department of Geography, Texas State University-San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Kate Spradley
- Department of Anthropology, Texas State University-San Marcos, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Stiegler J, Hoermann C, Müller J, Benbow ME, Heurich M. Carcass provisioning for scavenger conservation in a temperate forest ecosystem. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Stiegler
- Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
| | - Christian Hoermann
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - M. Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
- Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Marco Heurich
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Pascual-Rico R, Martín-López B, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Morales-Reyes Z. Scientific priorities and shepherds' perceptions of ungulate's contributions to people in rewilding landscapes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 705:135876. [PMID: 31837862 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Nature's contributions to people (NCP) are all the contributions of living nature, both beneficial and detrimental, to the societies' life's quality. Ungulates play this dual role of providers of beneficial and detrimental NCP, as they are responsible of the supply of benefits (e.g. extractive experiences, habitat maintenance) and detriments (e.g. crops damage, traffic collisions). Our aim was to analyze the NCP provided by wild ungulates through examining the scientific priorities and the shepherds' perceptions in peninsular Spain. We reviewed scientific articles of NCP provided by ungulates in Spain and conducted questionnaires regarding NCP to shepherds in farming systems where domestic and wild ungulates cohabit. Then, we compared whether the scientific priorities match with those perceived by shepherds. Both stakeholders highlight more detrimental than beneficial NCP, although there are some mismatches between scientific priorities and shepherds' perceptions. Regarding detrimental NCP, soil alteration, silvicultural damage, human safety or traffic collision were included in scientific literature but not mentioned by shepherds. Contrarywise, shepherds mainly considered grazing competence and damage to animals (i.e. game species and livestock) as important detrimental NCP. Concerning beneficial NCP, whilst hunting was prominent in the publications, shepherds did not conceived it as an important beneficial contribution and considered the regulation of organisms (i.e. scavenging alternative prey) important benefits. These results can have twofold implications. The emphasis on detrimental NCP (studied and perceived) can reinforce the idea that ungulates can threaten humans rather than contribute to societies' wellbeing. The fact that research does not address the interests of shepherds can affect the social tolerance towards ungulates as the damages experienced or perceived by shepherds are not studied. Our results show the relevance of considering local knowledge held by shepherds and their perceptions, something highlighted by the NCP approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Pascual-Rico
- Department of Applied Biology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Av. De la Universidad S/N, 03202 Elche, Spain.
| | - Berta Martín-López
- Faculty of Sustainability, Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - José Antonio Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Av. De la Universidad S/N, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Department of Applied Biology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Av. De la Universidad S/N, 03202 Elche, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Martin-Díaz P, Cortés-Avizanda A, Serrano D, Arrondo E, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Donázar JA. Rewilding processes shape the use of Mediterranean landscapes by an avian top scavenger. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2853. [PMID: 32071326 PMCID: PMC7028937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59591-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mediterranean biome has seen a great decline in its rural population. This trend has been followed by an abandonment of agricultural and livestock practices, which has provided an opportunity for rewilding to take place. Rewilding processes can modify the availability of carrion resources for avian obligate scavengers and reduce accessible open areas due to the increase of shrub and forest. We examined how changes in landscape configuration in the past five decades (1956–2011) mediate the foraging behaviour of griffon vultures. Particularly, we examined whether vultures use those areas under natural succession and with a high availability of wild ungulate carcasses. We used GPS information yielded by 30 adult griffon vultures exploiting large regions of southern Spain. We determined (a) habitat use considering land uses and food availability and (b) how tracked individuals responded to areas in different stages of rewilding. Our results showed that vultures preferentially used Mediterranean scrublands, woodlands and the agroforest Mediterranean ecosystem called dehesa, as well as areas with high food resources, namely wild ungulates in winter and a mixture of wild ungulates and livestock in summer. Due to a higher abundance of wild ungulates, vultures forage preferentially in areas with low levels of rewilding, either for being in the first stages of natural succession or for not having experienced further rewilding since the middle of the last century. Rewilding processes are expected to continue in the future affecting the scavenger guild structure and function deeply. Improved management will be essential to preserve ecological processes, ecosystem services and populations of endangered species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Martin-Díaz
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - A Cortés-Avizanda
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain. .,Animal Ecology and Demography Unit, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Balearic Islands (Mallorca), Spain.
| | - D Serrano
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - E Arrondo
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - J A Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of applied Biology, University Miguel Hernández, Elche (Alicante), Spain
| | - J A Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Turner KL, Conner LM, Beasley JC. Effect of mammalian mesopredator exclusion on vertebrate scavenging communities. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2644. [PMID: 32060353 PMCID: PMC7021701 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59560-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Carrion is a valuable resource used by facultative scavengers across the globe. Due to conflicts with humans, many vertebrate scavengers have experienced population declines due to direct persecution or indirect effects of human activities. However, little is known about the implications of altered scavenger community composition on the fate and efficiency of carrion removal within ecosystems. In particular, mammalian mesopredators are efficient scavengers that are often subjected to control, thus, it is important to understand how the reduction of this scavenger guild influences the fate of carrion resources and efficiency of carrion removal within ecosystems. We evaluated the influence of the absence of mammalian mesopredators on vertebrate scavenging dynamics by comparing the efficiency of carrion removal and species composition at carrion between sites where we experimentally manipulated mesopredator abundance and paired control sites. Overall scavenging rates were high, even within our mesopredator exclusion sites (79% of carcasses). Despite the exclusion of an entire guild of dominant scavengers, we saw little effect on scavenging dynamics due to the extensive acquisition of carrion by avian scavengers. However, we observed a slight reduction in vertebrate scavenging efficiency in sites where mesopredators were excluded. Our results suggest vertebrate communities are highly efficient at carrion removal, as we saw a functional response by avian scavengers to increased carrion availability. These data provide insights into the impact of mesopredator control on food web dynamics, and build upon the growing body of knowledge investigating the role of vertebrate scavengers on ecosystem services provided through carrion removal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L Turner
- University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, P.O. Box Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.,USDA-APHIS-WS, 400 Northeast Dr Suite L, Columbia, SC, 29203, USA
| | - L Mike Conner
- The Jones Center at Ichauway, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, GA, 39870, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, P.O. Box Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Inagaki A, Allen ML, Maruyama T, Yamazaki K, Tochigi K, Naganuma T, Koike S. Vertebrate scavenger guild composition and utilization of carrion in an East Asian temperate forest. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1223-1232. [PMID: 32076509 PMCID: PMC7029075 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Scavenging is a common feeding behavior by many species that plays an important role in ecosystem stability and function while also providing ecosystem services. Despite its importance, facultative scavenging on large animal carcasses has generally been overlooked in Asian temperate forest ecosystems. The aim of this study was to determine the composition and feeding behavior of the facultative scavenger guild as it relates to sika deer (Cervus nippon) carcasses in Japanese forests. There are no obligate scavengers or large predators that kill adult ungulates, but humans fill the role of large predators by culling deer for population management. We documented nine vertebrate species scavenging on deer carcasses and found that mammals were more frequent scavengers than birds and also fed for longer durations. This result suggests that there is a facultative scavenger guild composed mainly of mammals in our forest ecosystem and that carcass utilization by birds was restricted to only forest species. Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) were the most frequent scavenger species and also fed for longer durations than other scavengers. There were significant seasonal differences in scavenging by Asian black bear, Japanese marten (Martes melampus), and mountain hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis), suggesting the availability of other food resources may alter facultative scavenging by each species. Our results support that scavenging is widespread in this system and likely has important functions including building links in the food web.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akino Inagaki
- Graduate School of AgricultureTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuTokyoJapan
| | | | - Tetsuya Maruyama
- Nature Preservation DivisionTochigi PrefectureUtsunomiyaTochigiJapan
| | - Koji Yamazaki
- Department of Forest ScienceTokyo University of AgricultureSetagayaTokyoJapan
| | - Kahoko Tochigi
- Graduate School of AgricultureTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuTokyoJapan
| | - Tomoko Naganuma
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuJapan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Institute of AgricultureTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuJapan
- Institute of Global Innovation ResearchTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuJapan
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Arrondo E, Morales-Reyes Z, Moleón M, Cortés-Avizanda A, Donázar JA, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Rewilding traditional grazing areas affects scavenger assemblages and carcass consumption patterns. Basic Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2019.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
43
|
Gordon IJ. Adopting a utilitarian approach to culling wild animals for conservation in National Parks. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Iain J. Gordon
- Division of Tropical Environments & SocietiesJames Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyAustralian National University Acton Australian Capital Territory Australia
- The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UK
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Sebastián-González E, Barbosa JM, Pérez-García JM, Morales-Reyes Z, Botella F, Olea PP, Mateo-Tomás P, Moleón M, Hiraldo F, Arrondo E, Donázar JA, Cortés-Avizanda A, Selva N, Lambertucci SA, Bhattacharjee A, Brewer A, Anadón JD, Abernethy E, Rhodes OE, Turner K, Beasley JC, DeVault TL, Ordiz A, Wikenros C, Zimmermann B, Wabakken P, Wilmers CC, Smith JA, Kendall CJ, Ogada D, Buechley ER, Frehner E, Allen ML, Wittmer HU, Butler JRA, du Toit JT, Read J, Wilson D, Jerina K, Krofel M, Kostecke R, Inger R, Samson A, Naves-Alegre L, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Scavenging in the Anthropocene: Human impact drives vertebrate scavenger species richness at a global scale. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:3005-3017. [PMID: 31127672 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the distribution of biodiversity across the Earth is one of the most challenging questions in biology. Much research has been directed at explaining the species latitudinal pattern showing that communities are richer in tropical areas; however, despite decades of research, a general consensus has not yet emerged. In addition, global biodiversity patterns are being rapidly altered by human activities. Here, we aim to describe large-scale patterns of species richness and diversity in terrestrial vertebrate scavenger (carrion-consuming) assemblages, which provide key ecosystem functions and services. We used a worldwide dataset comprising 43 sites, where vertebrate scavenger assemblages were identified using 2,485 carcasses monitored between 1991 and 2018. First, we evaluated how scavenger richness (number of species) and diversity (Shannon diversity index) varied among seasons (cold vs. warm, wet vs. dry). Then, we studied the potential effects of human impact and a set of macroecological variables related to climatic conditions on the scavenger assemblages. Vertebrate scavenger richness ranged from species-poor to species rich assemblages (4-30 species). Both scavenger richness and diversity also showed some seasonal variation. However, in general, climatic variables did not drive latitudinal patterns, as scavenger richness and diversity were not affected by temperature or rainfall. Rainfall seasonality slightly increased the number of species in the community, but its effect was weak. Instead, the human impact index included in our study was the main predictor of scavenger richness. Scavenger assemblages in highly human-impacted areas sustained the smallest number of scavenger species, suggesting human activity may be overriding other macroecological processes in shaping scavenger communities. Our results highlight the effect of human impact at a global scale. As species-rich assemblages tend to be more functional, we warn about possible reductions in ecosystem functions and the services provided by scavengers in human-dominated landscapes in the Anthropocene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jomar Magalhães Barbosa
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Juan M Pérez-García
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | | | - Francisco Botella
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
| | - Pedro P Olea
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Mateo-Tomás
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Biodiversity Research Unit (UMIB), UO-CSIC-PA, Oviedo University, Mieres, Spain
| | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Fernando Hiraldo
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Eneko Arrondo
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - José A Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Ainara Cortés-Avizanda
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, Spain
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Nuria Selva
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Sergio A Lambertucci
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Bilogía de la Conservación, Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA (CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Aishwarya Bhattacharjee
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
- Biology Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Alexis Brewer
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
- Biology Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - José D Anadón
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
- Biology Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Erin Abernethy
- Integrative Biology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Olin E Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina
| | - Kelsey Turner
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina
| | - Travis L DeVault
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Sandusky, Ohio
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Camilla Wikenros
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Barbara Zimmermann
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
| | - Petter Wabakken
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
| | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Justine A Smith
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California
| | | | - Darcy Ogada
- Ornithology Section, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho
| | - Evan R Buechley
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- HawkWatch International, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Ethan Frehner
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Maximilian L Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Heiko U Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Johan T du Toit
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
| | - John Read
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Klemen Jerina
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Richard Inger
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Arockianathan Samson
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, The Nilgiris, India
| | - Lara Naves-Alegre
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Muñoz-Lozano C, Martín-Vega D, Martínez-Carrasco C, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Morales-Reyes Z, Gonzálvez M, Moleón M. Avoidance of carnivore carcasses by vertebrate scavengers enables colonization by a diverse community of carrion insects. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221890. [PMID: 31465519 PMCID: PMC6715269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Carrion resources sustain a complex and diverse community of both vertebrate and invertebrate scavengers, either obligate or facultative. However, although carrion ecology has received increasing scientific attention in recent years, our understanding of carrion partitioning in natural conditions is severely limited as most studies are restricted either to the vertebrate or the insect scavenger communities. Moreover, carnivore carcasses have been traditionally neglected as study model. Here, we provide the first data on the partitioning between vertebrate and invertebrate scavengers of medium-sized carnivore carcasses, red fox (Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus)), in two mountainous Mediterranean areas of south-eastern Spain. Carcasses were visited by several mammalian and avian scavengers, but only one carcass was partially consumed by golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus). These results provide additional support to the carnivore carrion-avoidance hypothesis, which suggests that mammalian carnivores avoid the consumption of carnivore carcasses to prevent disease transmission risk. In turn, the absence of vertebrate scavengers at carnivore carcasses enabled a diverse and well-structured successional community of insects to colonise the carcasses. The observed richness and abundance of the most frequent families was more influenced by the decomposition time than by the study area. Overall, our study encourages further research on carrion resource partitioning in natural conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Muñoz-Lozano
- Department of Animal Health, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Daniel Martín-Vega
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, SW, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Carlos Martínez-Carrasco
- Department of Animal Health, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | - Moisés Gonzálvez
- Department of Animal Health, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Newsome TM, Howden C, Wirsing AJ. Restriction of anthropogenic foods alters a top predator’s diet and intraspecific interactions. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAnthropogenic foods are utilized by many animals around the world, and these resources could impact dietary preferences and intra- and interspecific interactions. Under a quasi-Before-After-Control-Impact experimental design, we assessed how dingoes (Canis dingo) responded to a decline in anthropogenic foods in the Tanami Desert, central Australia. We did so by assessing dingo diets close to and away from human influence during a period when food waste was available at two rubbish tips, and then during a period when food waste was restricted at one of the tips. Our results demonstrate that access to anthropogenic foods can alter a top predator’s diet. Namely, dingoes showed a preference for eating the desert mouse (Pseudomys desertor) in areas where food waste was restricted, whereas dingo diets did not reflect ambient prey availability at areas where food waste was constantly available. Reduced availability of food waste also affected interactions between dingoes, with cannibalism decreasing where food waste was removed, and it may have increased consumption of a subordinate mesopredator, the feral cat (Felis catus). By implication, efforts to manage food waste could reestablish or strengthen interactions between predators and their wild prey with possible cascading consequences for ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chris Howden
- Sydney Informatics Hub, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aaron J Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Mctee M, Hiller B, Ramsey P. Free lunch, may contain lead: scavenging shot small mammals. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mctee
- MPG Ranch 19400 Lower Woodchuck Rd Florence MT 59833 USA
| | - Brian Hiller
- Bemidji State University 1500 Birchmont Drive NE Bemidji MN 56601 USA
| | - Philip Ramsey
- MPG Ranch 19400 Lower Woodchuck Rd Florence MN 59833 USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Eurasian lynx fitness shows little variation across Scandinavian human-dominated landscapes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8903. [PMID: 31222101 PMCID: PMC6586631 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45569-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research on the ecology and behavioural adaptations of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes, information about the fitness consequences of sharing landscapes is still limited. We assessed the variation in three consecutive components of female fitness: the probability of reproduction, litter size and juvenile survival in relation to environmental and human factors in a solitary carnivore, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), occurring in human-dominated landscapes in Scandinavia. We used demographic data from 57 radio-collared adult females between 1995-2011 (126 radio-years). Overall, the yearly probability of female reproduction was 0.80, mean litter size was 2.34 (range 1-4) and the probability to find a female that reproduced in the spring being accompanied by at least one offspring during the subsequent winter was 0.70. We did not find evidence that food availability was a key factor influencing female fitness. Female lynx may adapt to food availability when establishing their home ranges by adopting an obstinate strategy, ensuring a minimum amount of prey necessary for survival and reproduction even during periods of prey scarcity. In human-dominated landscapes, where sufficient prey are available for lynx, mortality risk may have a larger influence on lynx population dynamics compared to food availability. Our results suggest that lynx population dynamics in human-dominated landscapes may be mainly driven by human impacts on survival.
Collapse
|
49
|
O'Bryan CJ, Holden MH, Watson JEM. The mesoscavenger release hypothesis and implications for ecosystem and human well-being. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1340-1348. [PMID: 31131976 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Many apex scavenger species, including nearly all obligate scavengers, are in a state of rapid decline and there is growing evidence these declines can drastically alter ecological food webs. Our understanding of how apex scavengers regulate populations of mesoscavengers, those less-efficient scavengers occupying mid-trophic levels, is improving; yet, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the evidence around the competitive release of these species by the loss of apex scavengers. Here we present current evidence that supports the mesoscavenger release hypothesis, the increase in mesoscavengers and increase in carrion in the face of declining apex scavengers. We provide two models of scavenger dynamics to demonstrate that the mesoscavenger release hypothesis is consistent with ecological theory. We further examine the ecological and human well-being implications of apex scavenger decline, including carrion removal and disease regulation services.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J O'Bryan
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew H Holden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Centre for Applications in Natural Resource Mathematics, School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Bragagnolo C, Gama GM, Vieira FA, Campos-Silva JV, Bernard E, Malhado AC, Correia RA, Jepson P, de Carvalho SH, Efe MA, Ladle RJ. Hunting in Brazil: What are the options? Perspect Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
|