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Sultaire SM, Montgomery RA, Jackson PJ, Millspaugh JJ. Spatial patterns of reproduction suggest marginal habitat limits continued range expansion of black bears at a forest-desert ecotone. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10658. [PMID: 37915808 PMCID: PMC10616736 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating spatial patterns of animal occupancy and reproduction in peripheral populations can provide insight into factors that form species range boundaries. Following historical extirpation, American black bears (Ursus americanus) recolonized the western Great Basin in Nevada from the Sierra Nevada during the late 1900s. This range expansion, however, has not continued further into the Great Basin despite the presence of additional habitat. We aimed to quantify whether reduced reproduction toward the range edge contributes to this range boundary. We analyzed black bear detections from 100 camera traps deployed across black bear distribution in western Nevada using a multistate occupancy model that quantified the probability of occupancy and reproduction (i.e., female bears with cubs occupancy) in relation to changes in habitat type and habitat amount toward the range boundary. We detected a strong effect of habitat amount and habitat type on the probability of black bear occupancy and reproduction. At similar levels of landscape-scale habitat amount (e.g., 50%), estimated probability of occupancy for adult bears in piñon-juniper woodlands near the range boundary was 0.39, compared to ~1.0 in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest (i.e., core habitat). Furthermore, estimated probability of cub occupancy, conditional on adult bear occupancy, in landscapes with 50% habitat was 0.32 in Great Basin piñon-juniper woodlands, compared to 0.92 in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest. Black bear range in the western Great Basin conforms to the center-periphery hypothesis, with piñon-juniper woodland at the range edge supporting ecologically marginal habitat for the species compared to habitat in the Sierra Nevada. Further geographic expansion of black bears in the Great Basin may be limited by lower occupancy of reproducing females in piñon-juniper woodland. Center-periphery range dynamics may be common in large carnivore species, as their dispersal ability allows them to colonize low-quality habitat near range edges.
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2
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Burnett HA, Bieker VC, Le Moullec M, Peeters B, Rosvold J, Pedersen ÅØ, Dalén L, Loe LE, Jensen H, Hansen BB, Martin MD. Contrasting genomic consequences of anthropogenic reintroduction and natural recolonization in high-arctic wild reindeer. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1531-1548. [PMID: 37752961 PMCID: PMC10519417 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic reintroduction can supplement natural recolonization in reestablishing a species' distribution and abundance. However, both reintroductions and recolonizations can give rise to founder effects that reduce genetic diversity and increase inbreeding, potentially causing the accumulation of genetic load and reduced fitness. Most current populations of the endemic high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) originate from recent reintroductions or recolonizations following regional extirpations due to past overharvesting. We investigated and compared the genomic consequences of these two paths to reestablishment using whole-genome shotgun sequencing of 100 Svalbard reindeer across their range. We found little admixture between reintroduced and natural populations. Two reintroduced populations, each founded by 12 individuals around four decades (i.e. 8 reindeer generations) ago, formed two distinct genetic clusters. Compared to the source population, these populations showed only small decreases in genome-wide heterozygosity and increases in inbreeding and lengths of runs of homozygosity. In contrast, the two naturally recolonized populations without admixture possessed much lower heterozygosity, higher inbreeding and longer runs of homozygosity, possibly caused by serial population founder effects and/or fewer or more genetically related founders than in the reintroduction events. Naturally recolonized populations can thus be more vulnerable to the accumulation of genetic load than reintroduced populations. This suggests that in some organisms even small-scale reintroduction programs based on genetically diverse source populations can be more effective than natural recolonization in establishing genetically diverse populations. These findings warrant particular attention in the conservation and management of populations and species threatened by habitat fragmentation and loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish A. Burnett
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Vanessa C. Bieker
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Jørgen Rosvold
- Department of Terrestrial BiodiversityNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | | | - Love Dalén
- Centre for PalaeogeneticsStockholmSweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and GeneticsSwedish Museum of Natural HistoryStockholmSweden
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesAasNorway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Brage B. Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Michael D. Martin
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
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3
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Puckett EE, Davis IS, Harper DC, Wakamatsu K, Battu G, Belant JL, Beyer DE, Carpenter C, Crupi AP, Davidson M, DePerno CS, Forman N, Fowler NL, Garshelis DL, Gould N, Gunther K, Haroldson M, Ito S, Kocka D, Lackey C, Leahy R, Lee-Roney C, Lewis T, Lutto A, McGowan K, Olfenbuttel C, Orlando M, Platt A, Pollard MD, Ramaker M, Reich H, Sajecki JL, Sell SK, Strules J, Thompson S, van Manen F, Whitman C, Williamson R, Winslow F, Kaelin CB, Marks MS, Barsh GS. Genetic architecture and evolution of color variation in American black bears. Curr Biol 2023; 33:86-97.e10. [PMID: 36528024 PMCID: PMC10039708 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.042] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Color variation is a frequent evolutionary substrate for camouflage in small mammals, but the underlying genetics and evolutionary forces that drive color variation in natural populations of large mammals are mostly unexplained. The American black bear, Ursus americanus (U. americanus), exhibits a range of colors including the cinnamon morph, which has a similar color to the brown bear, U. arctos, and is found at high frequency in the American southwest. Reflectance and chemical melanin measurements showed little distinction between U. arctos and cinnamon U. americanus individuals. We used a genome-wide association for hair color as a quantitative trait in 151 U. americanus individuals and identified a single major locus (p < 10-13). Additional genomic and functional studies identified a missense alteration (R153C) in Tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) that likely affects binding of the zinc cofactor, impairs protein localization, and results in decreased pigment production. Population genetic analyses and demographic modeling indicated that the R153C variant arose 9.36 kya in a southwestern population where it likely provided a selective advantage, spreading both northwards and eastwards by gene flow. A different TYRP1 allele, R114C, contributes to the characteristic brown color of U. arctos but is not fixed across the range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Puckett
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
| | - Isis S Davis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Dawn C Harper
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Gopal Battu
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Jerrold L Belant
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Dean E Beyer
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Colin Carpenter
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Beckley, WV 25801, USA
| | - Anthony P Crupi
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Douglas, Juneau, AK 99824, USA
| | - Maria Davidson
- The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA 70898, USA
| | - Christopher S DePerno
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7646, USA
| | - Nicholas Forman
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, NM 87507, USA
| | - Nicholas L Fowler
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Douglas, Juneau, AK 99824, USA
| | - David L Garshelis
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, USA; IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group
| | - Nicholas Gould
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7646, USA
| | - Kerry Gunther
- National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168, USA
| | - Mark Haroldson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - David Kocka
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Verona, VA 24482, USA
| | - Carl Lackey
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, NV 89512, USA
| | - Ryan Leahy
- National Park Service, Yosemite National Park Wildlife Management, Yosemite, CA 95389, USA
| | - Caitlin Lee-Roney
- National Park Service, Yosemite National Park Wildlife Management, Yosemite, CA 95389, USA
| | - Tania Lewis
- National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park, Gustavus, AK 99826, USA
| | - Ashley Lutto
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Soldotna, AK 99669, USA
| | - Kelly McGowan
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Mike Orlando
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, FL 32399, USA
| | - Alexander Platt
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew D Pollard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Megan Ramaker
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | | | - Jaime L Sajecki
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Verona, VA 24482, USA
| | - Stephanie K Sell
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Douglas, Juneau, AK 99824, USA
| | - Jennifer Strules
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7646, USA
| | - Seth Thompson
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Verona, VA 24482, USA
| | - Frank van Manen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | - Craig Whitman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | - Ryan Williamson
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA
| | | | - Christopher B Kaelin
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael S Marks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gregory S Barsh
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA; Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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4
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Sultaire SM, Kawai‐Harada Y, Kimmel A, Greeson EM, Jackson PJ, Contag CH, Lackey CW, Beckmann JP, Millspaugh JJ, Montgomery RA. Black bear density and habitat use variation at the Sierra Nevada‐Great Basin Desert transition. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Sultaire
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Yuki Kawai‐Harada
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - Ashley Kimmel
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - Emily M. Greeson
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - Patrick J. Jackson
- Nevada Department of Wildlife 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120 Reno NV 89511 USA
| | - Christopher H. Contag
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - Carl W. Lackey
- Nevada Department of Wildlife 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120 Reno NV 89511 USA
| | - Jon P. Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation Society Rockies Program 1050 E Main, Suite 2 Bozeman MT 59715 USA
| | - Joshua J. Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre University of Oxford Tubney House, Abingdon Road Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL United Kingdom
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5
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Gould MJ, Cain JW, Atwood TC, Harding LE, Johnson HE, Onorato DP, Winslow FS, Roemer GW. Pleistocene-Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear ( Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9406. [PMID: 36248671 PMCID: PMC9551525 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylogeography of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) is characterized by isolation into glacial refugia, followed by population expansion and genetic admixture. Anthropogenic activities, including overharvest, habitat loss, and transportation infrastructure, have also influenced their landscape genetic structure. We describe the genetic structure of the American black bear in the American Southwest and northern Mexico and investigate how prehistoric and contemporary forces shaped genetic structure and influenced gene flow. Using a suite of microsatellites and a sample of 550 bears, we identified 14 subpopulations organized hierarchically following the distribution of ecoregions and mountain ranges containing black bear habitat. The pattern of subdivision we observed is more likely a product of postglacial habitat fragmentation during the Pleistocene and Holocene, rather than a consequence of contemporary anthropogenic barriers to movement during the Anthropocene. We used linear mixed-effects models to quantify the relationship between landscape resistance and genetic distance among individuals, which indicated that both isolation by resistance and geographic distance govern gene flow. Gene flow was highest among subpopulations occupying large tracts of contiguous habitat, was reduced among subpopulations in the Madrean Sky Island Archipelago, where montane habitat exists within a lowland matrix of arid lands, and was essentially nonexistent between two isolated subpopulations. We found significant asymmetric gene flow supporting the hypothesis that bears expanded northward from a Pleistocene refugium located in the American Southwest and northern Mexico and that major highways were not yet affecting gene flow. The potential vulnerability of the species to climate change, transportation infrastructure, and the US-Mexico border wall highlights conservation challenges and opportunities for binational collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Gould
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation EcologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
- Department of BiologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMontanaUSA
| | - James W. Cain
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation EcologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
- Department of BiologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
- U.S. Geological Survey New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
| | - Todd C. Atwood
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science CenterAnchorageAlaskaUSA
| | | | | | - Dave P. Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research InstituteFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionNaplesFloridaUSA
| | | | - Gary W. Roemer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation EcologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
- Department of BiologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
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6
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Popescu VD, Kenyon M, Brown RK, Dyck MA, Prange S, Peterman WE, Dennison C. Habitat connectivity and resource selection in an expanding bobcat ( Lynx rufus) population. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12460. [PMID: 34824917 PMCID: PMC8590802 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Terrestrial carnivores are among the most imperiled species worldwide, yet some species are resilient and are recovering in human-dominated landscapes after decades or centuries of absence. Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations were extirpated from much of Midwestern US in the mid-1800's, and are currently expanding and recolonizing their former range. In this study, we investigated multi-scale habitat selection for Ohio's expanding bobcat population, and examined habitat connectivity in order to evaluate the conduits for dispersal statewide. We used citizen observations collected between 1978 and 2019 and logistic regression to evaluate population-level habitat selection, and GPS telemetry data for 20 individuals collected between 2012 and 2014 and a distribution-weighted exponential Resource Selection Function to evaluate individual-level habitat selection within home ranges. At the population level, bobcats selected for higher amounts of forest and pasture (at a 50 km2 scale) and herbaceous vegetation (at 15-50 50 km2 scales), thus overall heterogeneous forested habitat. At individual (home range) level, bobcats selected for forested habitats with low road density and farther away from high traffic roads; they also showed weak selection for open habitat at the home range level. Male home ranges were significantly greater than female home ranges. Lastly, we used the population-level spatial outputs (i.e. habitat suitability map) to parameterize habitat connectivity models using circuit theory in the program Circuitscape. We tested three relationships between habitat suitability and resistance to movement and used a subset of data on potential dispersing individuals to evaluate which relationship performed best. All three relationships performed almost equally well, and we calculated a weighted averaged connectivity map as our final map. Habitat was highly permeable to movements between core areas of two genetically distinct subpopulations located in southeastern Ohio. We also identified potential dispersal corridors from the core areas to other regions of Ohio dominated by agriculture and suburban development via forested riparian corridors. Overall, our analysis offers new information on habitat selection and connectivity in a rebounding felid population and offers important ecological information for wildlife management strategies. We recommend that the suitability and connectivity models should be periodically updated until the population reaches an equilibrium, and be integrated with data from neighboring states for a comprehensive assessment of a conservation success story.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viorel D Popescu
- Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States.,Center for Environmental Research, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Madeline Kenyon
- Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Ryan K Brown
- Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Marissa A Dyck
- Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Suzanne Prange
- Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States.,Appalachian Wildlife Research Institute, Athens, OH, United States of America
| | - William E Peterman
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Catherine Dennison
- Division of Wildlife, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, OH, United States of America
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7
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Moll RJ, Jackson PJ, Wakeling BF, Lackey CW, Beckmann JP, Millspaugh JJ, Montgomery RA. An apex carnivore's life history mediates a predator cascade. Oecologia 2021; 196:223-234. [PMID: 33934223 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04927-6] [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: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Apex predators can shape communities via cascading top-down effects, but the degree to which such effects depend on predator life history traits is largely unknown. Within carnivore guilds, complex hierarchies of dominance facilitate coexistence, whereby subordinate species avoid dominant counterparts by partitioning space, time, or both. We investigated whether a major life history trait (hibernation) in an apex carnivore (black bears Ursus americanus) mediated its top-down effects on the spatio-temporal dynamics of three sympatric mesocarnivore species (coyotes Canis latrans, bobcats Lynx rufus, and gray foxes Urocyon cinereoargenteus) across a 15,000 km2 landscape in the western USA. We compared top-down, bottom-up, and environmental effects on these mesocarnivores using an integrated modeling approach. Black bears exerted top-down effects that varied as a function of hibernation and were stronger than bottom-up or environmental impacts. High black bear activity in summer and fall appeared to buffer the most subordinate mesocarnivore (gray foxes) from competition with dominant mesocarnivores (coyotes and bobcats), which were in turn released by black bear hibernation in winter and early spring. The mesocarnivore responses occurred in space (i.e., altered occupancy and site visitation intensity) rather than time (i.e., diel activity patterns unaffected). These results suggest that the spatio-temporal dynamics of mesocarnivores in this system were principally shaped by a spatial predator cascade of interference competition mediated by black bear hibernation. Thus, certain life history traits of apex predators might facilitate coexistence among competing species over broad time scales, with complex implications for lower trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remington J Moll
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, 56 College Road, Durham, NH, 03824, USA. .,Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Patrick J Jackson
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Brian F Wakeling
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Wildlife Division, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620-0701, USA
| | - Carl W Lackey
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Jon P Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Rockies Program, 1050 E Main, Suite 2, Bozeman, MT, 59715, USA
| | - Joshua J Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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8
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Engebretsen KN, Beckmann JP, Lackey CW, Andreasen A, Schroeder C, Jackson P, Young JK. Recolonizing carnivores: Is cougar predation behaviorally mediated by bears? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5331-5343. [PMID: 34026010 PMCID: PMC8131799 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation and management efforts have resulted in population increases and range expansions for some apex predators, potentially changing trophic cascades and foraging behavior. Changes in sympatric carnivore and dominant scavenger populations provide opportunities to assess how carnivores affect one another. Cougars (Puma concolor) were the apex predator in the Great Basin of Nevada, USA, for over 80 years. Black bears (Ursus americanus) have recently recolonized the area and are known to heavily scavenge on cougar kills. To evaluate the impacts of sympatric, recolonizing bears on cougar foraging behavior in the Great Basin, we investigated kill sites of 31 cougars between 2009 and 2017 across a range of bear densities. We modeled the variation in feeding bout duration (number of nights spent feeding on a prey item) and the proportion of primary prey, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), in cougar diets using mixed-effects models. We found that feeding bout duration was driven primarily by the size of the prey item being consumed, local bear density, and the presence of dependent kittens. The proportion of mule deer in cougar diet across all study areas declined over time, was lower for male cougars, increased with the presence of dependent kittens, and increased with higher bear densities. In sites with feral horses (Equus ferus), a novel large prey, cougar consumption of feral horses increased over time. Our results suggest that higher bear densities over time may reduce cougar feeding bout durations and influence the prey selection trade-off for cougars when alternative, but more dangerous, large prey are available. Shifts in foraging behavior in multicarnivore systems can have cascading effects on prey selection. This study highlights the importance of measuring the impacts of sympatric apex predators and dominant scavengers on a shared resource base, providing a foundation for monitoring dynamic multipredator/scavenger systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon P. Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyBozemanMTUSA
- Present address:
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and TourismPrattKSUSA
| | | | - Alyson Andreasen
- Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Nevada‐RenoRenoNVUSA
| | | | - Pat Jackson
- Game DivisionNevada Department of WildlifeRenoNVUSA
| | - Julie K. Young
- Deparment of Wildland ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
- USDA‐NWRC‐Predator Research FacilityMillvilleUTUSA
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9
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Berger J, Wangchuk T, Briceño C, Vila A, Lambert JE. Disassembled Food Webs and Messy Projections: Modern Ungulate Communities in the Face of Unabating Human Population Growth. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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10
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Teunissen van Manen J, Lackey CW, Beckmann JP, Muller LI, Li ZH. Assimilated diet patterns of American black bears in the Sierra Nevada and western Great Basin, Nevada, USA. URSUS 2020. [DOI: 10.2192/ursus-d-17-00031.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carl W. Lackey
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 1100 Valley Road, Reno, NV 89512, USA
| | - Jon P. Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation Society, North America Program, 1050 E Main, Suite 2, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | - Lisa I. Muller
- University of Tennessee, Department of Forestry Wildlife, and Fisheries, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Zheng-Hua Li
- University of Tennessee, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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Murphy SM, Hast JT, Augustine BC, Weisrock DW, Clark JD, Kocka DM, Ryan CW, Sajecki JL, Cox JJ. Early genetic outcomes of American black bear reintroductions in the Central Appalachians, USA. URSUS 2019. [DOI: 10.2192/ursu-d-18-00011.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Murphy
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - John T. Hast
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Ben C. Augustine
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - David W. Weisrock
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Joseph D. Clark
- United States Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Southern Appalachian Research Branch, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - David M. Kocka
- Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Verona, VA 24482, USA
| | - Christopher W. Ryan
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, South Charleston, WV 25303, USA
| | - Jaime L. Sajecki
- Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Verona, VA 24482, USA
| | - John J. Cox
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
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Matosiuk M, Śmietana W, Czajkowska M, Paule L, Štofik J, Krajmerová D, Bashta A, Jakimiuk S, Ratkiewicz M. Genetic differentiation and asymmetric gene flow among Carpathian brown bear ( Ursus arctos) populations-Implications for conservation of transboundary populations. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:1501-1511. [PMID: 30805177 PMCID: PMC6374679 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The abundance and distribution of large carnivores in Europe have been historically reduced. Their recovery requires multilevel coordination, especially regarding transboundary populations. Here, we apply nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers to test for admixture level and its impact on population genetic structure of contemporary brown bears (Ursus arctos) from the Eastern, Southern, and Western Carpathians. Carpathian Mountains (Europe). Nearly 400 noninvasive brown bear DNA samples from the Western (Poland) and Eastern Carpathians (Bieszczady Mountains in Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine) were collected. Together with DNA isolates from Slovakia and Romania, they were analyzed using the set of eight microsatellite loci and two mtDNA regions (control region and cytochrome b). A set of 113 individuals with complete genotypes was used to investigate genetic differentiation across national boundaries, genetic structuring within and between populations, and movement between populations. Transboundary brown bear subpopulations (Slovakia and Poland) did not show significant internal genetic structure, and thus were treated as cohesive units. All brown bears from the Western Carpathians carried mitochondrial haplotypes from the Eastern lineage, while the Western lineage prevailed in the brown bears from the Bieszczady Mountains. Despite similar levels of microsatellite variability, we documented significant differentiation among the studied populations for nuclear markers and mtDNA. We also detected male-biased and asymmetrical movement into the Bieszczady Mountains population from the Western Carpathians. Our findings suggest initial colonization of the Western Carpathians by brown bears possessing mtDNA from the Eastern lineage. Genetic structuring among populations at microsatellite loci could be a result of human-mediated alterations. Detected asymmetric gene flow suggests ongoing expansion from more abundant populations into the Bieszczady Mountains and thus supports a metapopulation model. The knowledge concerning this complex pattern can be implemented in a joint Carpathian brown bear management plan that should allow population mixing by dispersing males.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wojciech Śmietana
- Institute of Nature Conservation PASKrakówPoland
- Present address:
KRAMEKOKrakówPoland
| | | | | | | | | | - Andriy‐Taras Bashta
- Institute of Ecology of the CarpathiansNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineLvivUkraine
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