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Bernasconi DA, Miller ML, Hill JE, Gupta P, Chipman R, Gilbert AT, Rhodes OE, Dharmarajan G. RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR) SHOW HIGHER TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI DETECTION RATES THAN VIRGINIA OPOSSUMS (DIDELPHIS VIRGINIANA) IN SOUTH CAROLINA, USA. J Wildl Dis 2023; 59:673-683. [PMID: 37846907 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, a significant public health concern in the Americas, is caused by a protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. The life cycle of T. cruzi involves kissing bugs (Triatoma spp.) functioning as vectors and mammalian species serving as hosts. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and opossums (Didelphis virginiana) have been identified as important reservoir species in the life cycle of T. cruzi, but prevalence in both species in the southeastern US is currently understudied. We quantified T. cruzi prevalence in these two key reservoir species across our study area in South Carolina, US, and identified factors that may influence parasite detection. We collected whole blood from 183 raccoons and 126 opossums and used PCR to detect the presence of T. cruzi. We then used generalized linear models with parasite detection status as a binary response variable and predictor variables of land cover, distance to water, sex, season, and species. Our analysis indicated that raccoons experienced significantly higher parasite detection rates than Virginia opossums, with T. cruzi prevalence found to be 26.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.0-33.8) in raccoons and 10.5% (95% CI, 5.51-17.5) in opossums. Overall, our results concur with previous studies, in that T. cruzi is established in reservoir host populations in natural areas of the southeastern US.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Bernasconi
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 15950 North Gate Boulevard, Nampa, Idaho 83687, USA
| | - Madison L Miller
- Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, 5655 Central Expressway, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh 517646, India
| | - Jacob E Hill
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Building 737-A Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
| | - Pooja Gupta
- Utah Public Health Laboratory, Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 4431 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, Salt Lake City, Utah 84129, USA
| | - Richard Chipman
- National Rabies Management Program, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, USA
| | - Amy T Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - Olin E Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Building 737-A Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
| | - Guha Dharmarajan
- Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, 5655 Central Expressway, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh 517646, India
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2
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Glass A, Eichholz MW. Estimating direct and indirect effects of habitat structure on nesting field sparrows (Spizella pusilla) using structural equation models. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1094152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to consistent population declines across the continent, grassland birds have become a guild of high conservation and management interest. Despite a large number of studies investigating grassland bird habitat associations, we know relatively little about the mechanisms through which habitat characteristics may impact grassland birds, as these mechanisms are often assumed rather than directly tested. For this study, we estimated whether the effects of habitat structure on breeding Field Sparrows are mediated through changes in predator (snake and raccoon) abundance, alternative prey availability, or arthropod biomass using structural equation models. We found no evidence of nest survival or nest density of Field Sparrows being directly influenced by nest predator abundance, alternative prey, or arthropod biomass, although habitat characteristics associated with increased nest survival were also associated with greater arthropod biomass and reduced predator abundance. We suggest that habitat structure in our study area primarily impacts breeding Field Sparrows through direct means, such as influencing nest concealment or foraging efficiency. Our results also suggest that nest success and nest density are decoupled in our study area, so Field Sparrows may be preferentially selecting nest sites with structural characteristics that do not increase nest survival. Ultimately, our findings from this study indicate that while predator avoidance and food provisioning likely play an important role in determining nest survival for grassland birds, predator abundance and arthropod biomass may not necessarily predict predation risk and foraging efficiency to the extent that is often assumed.
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3
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Singh A, Nagaraj Kumara H, Mahato S, Dilip Velankar A. Anthropogenic driven range expansion of Asian elephant Elephas maximus in an agricultural landscape and its consequences in South West Bengal, India. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
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4
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Interspecific Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Competition in the Southeast United States. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
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5
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Bernasconi DA, Dixon WC, Hamilton MT, Helton JL, Chipman RB, Gilbert AT, Beasley JC, Rhodes OE, Dharmarajan G. Influence of landscape attributes on Virginia opossum density. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Bernasconi
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Wesley C. Dixon
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Matthew T. Hamilton
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - James L. Helton
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Richard B. Chipman
- National Rabies Management Program, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services Concord NH 03301 USA
| | - Amy T. Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Olin E. Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
| | - Guha Dharmarajan
- Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, Sri City Andhra Pradesh India
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Sawyer SJ, Eubanks MD, Beasley JC, Barton BT, Puckett RT, Tomeček JM, Tomberlin JK. Vertebrate and invertebrate competition for carrion in human‐impacted environments depends on abiotic factors. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Micky D. Eubanks
- Department of Entomology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia Aiken South Carolina USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | - Brandon T. Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Robert T. Puckett
- Department of Entomology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - John M. Tomeček
- Department of Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
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Moura CW, Clucas B, Furnas BJ. Humans Are More Influential Than Coyotes on Mammalian Mesopredator Spatiotemporal Activity Across an Urban Gradient. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.867188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For mammalian mesopredators, human-dominated landscapes offer a mosaic of risk and reward. While the reward of anthropogenic food resources may attract mesopredators to human-dominated areas, increased mesopredator activity and abundance in these areas may cause interspecific conflict. For smaller-bodied mesopredators, the perceived risk of intraguild predation by larger mesopredators may be enough to drive spatial and temporal avoidance strategies to reduce risk while still benefiting from anthropogenic resources. We evaluated how the spatiotemporal activity of four non-canid mammalian mesopredators – raccoon (Procyon lotor), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and domestic cat (Felis catus) – might change in the presence of an intraguild predator, the coyote (Canis latrans), and a “super predator,” humans. We quantified mesopredator activity by deploying camera traps at 110 sites across an urban gradient in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area in central California, USA. We hypothesized that mesopredators would likely change their spatiotemporal activity in response to urban intensity (H1), coyotes (H2), human presence (H3), and if urban intensity might mediate the response to humans and coyotes (H4). We used single-species occupancy models to test how mesopredators responded to different spatial scales of urbanization, as well as the temporal presence of coyotes and humans. Top single-species models then informed two-species conditional occupancy models to evaluate how mesopredators responded to “dominant” coyotes. Finally, we used temporal overlap analyzes to evaluate whether activity patterns of mesopredators changed in response to humans and coyotes across three levels of urban intensity. Mesopredators did not change their spatial or temporal activity across the urban gradient when coyotes were present. Additionally, coyotes did not influence mesopredator temporal activity at 1-3-day scales; however, raccoons and cats may avoid coyotes at finer scales. Humans influenced mesopredator detectability, as cats and coyotes avoided humans after 1 and 2 days respectively, and opossums avoided urban areas when humans were present within 3 days. Coyotes may play a limited role in altering smaller-bodied mesopredator activity, especially when humans are present. While the impacts of human presence and urban features are often linked, mesopredators may perceive the risk each poses differently, and adjust their activity accordingly.
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Grazzini G, Gatto-Almeida F, Tiepolo LM. Small mammals from the lasting fragments of Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil: a study about richness and diversity. IHERINGIA. SERIE ZOOLOGIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4766e2021015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Cruz-Salazar B, Ruiz-Montoya L. Population genetics of the common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae), in southeastern Mexico. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2020.1844971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Cruz-Salazar
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, La Loma de Xicohténcatl, Mexico
| | - Lorena Ruiz-Montoya
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico
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Bauder JM, Breininger DR, Bolt MR, Legare ML, Jenkins CL, Rothermel BB, McGarigal K. Movement barriers, habitat heterogeneity or both? Testing hypothesized effects of landscape features on home range sizes in eastern indigo snakes. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Bauder
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
| | - D. R. Breininger
- NASA Ecological Programs Integrated Mission Support Services Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - M. R. Bolt
- NASA Ecological Programs Integrated Mission Support Services Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - M. L. Legare
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Titusville FL USA
| | | | | | - K. McGarigal
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
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12
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Burgess TL, Tinker MT, Miller MA, Smith WA, Bodkin JL, Murray MJ, Nichol LM, Saarinen JA, Larson S, Tomoleoni JA, Conrad PA, Johnson CK. Spatial epidemiological patterns suggest mechanisms of land-sea transmission for Sarcocystis neurona in a coastal marine mammal. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3683. [PMID: 32111856 PMCID: PMC7048795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60254-5] [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: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona was recognised as an important cause of mortality in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) after an outbreak in April 2004 and has since been detected in many marine mammal species in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Risk of S. neurona exposure in sea otters is associated with consumption of clams and soft-sediment prey and is temporally associated with runoff events. We examined the spatial distribution of S. neurona exposure risk based on serum antibody testing and assessed risk factors for exposure in animals from California, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Significant spatial clustering of seropositive animals was observed in California and Washington, compared with British Columbia and Alaska. Adult males were at greatest risk for exposure to S. neurona, and there were strong associations with terrestrial features (wetlands, cropland, high human housing-unit density). In California, habitats containing soft sediment exhibited greater risk than hard substrate or kelp beds. Consuming a diet rich in clams was also associated with increased exposure risk. These findings suggest a transmission pathway analogous to that described for Toxoplasma gondii, with infectious stages traveling in freshwater runoff and being concentrated in particular locations by marine habitat features, ocean physical processes, and invertebrate bioconcentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan L Burgess
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, Karen C Drayer Wildlife Health Center, One Health Institute, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Acadia Wildlife Services, P.O. Box 56, South Freeport, ME, 04078, USA
| | - M Tim Tinker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz Field Station, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Nhydra Ecological Consulting, 11 Parklea Dr Head of St, Margarets Bay, NS, B3Z2G6, Canada
| | - Melissa A Miller
- Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 151 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Woutrina A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - James L Bodkin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4201 University Dr., Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA
| | - Michael J Murray
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA, 93940, USA
| | - Linda M Nichol
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Justin A Saarinen
- New College of Florida 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Shawn Larson
- The Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Joseph A Tomoleoni
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz Field Station, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Christine K Johnson
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, Karen C Drayer Wildlife Health Center, One Health Institute, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Population viability analysis of common marsupials, Didelphis marsupialis and Didelphis virginiana, in a scenario of constant loss of native vegetation. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
We studied the population viability of two common marsupials, Didelphis marsupialis and Didelphis virginiana, based on field data and published ecological and genetic information. Using the VORTEX v. 10. 2.6 program, a 100-year simulation was performed with 1000 iterations for five populations of D. marsupialis and six of D. virginiana. A low probability of extinction was observed in both species, particularly for D. virginiana (0.000–0.007). Population size is higher considering a metapopulation dynamics approach versus individual populations for the two marsupials: 498.25 individuals for D. marsupialis and 367.41 individuals for D. virginiana. The estimated mean genetic diversity was high for both D. marsupialis (H
e
= 0.77–0.78) and D. virginiana (H
e
= 0.79–0.82). The survival of both species over time could be expected to increase if a metapopulation dynamics is favored over the coming decades, despite a 1.3% loss rate of forest cover. The monitoring of population size and genetic diversity is highly recommended to validate the trends suggested by the model; this is especially true for D. marsupialis, a species associated with conserved areas that are becoming progressively less abundant. This research provides information on the responses of common mammalian species to environmental changes such as deforestation.
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Wait KR, Ahlers AA. Virginia opossum distributions are influenced by human-modified landscapes and water availability in tallgrass prairies. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The Flint Hills represent the largest tract of tallgrass prairie in North America and is located near the western edge of the native range of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). This region is undergoing rapid landscape changes (e.g., urbanization, agriculture, woody encroachment) that are negatively affecting mammal communities. Although previous research has revealed northward distributional expansions of Virginia opossums facilitated by urban development, no studies have assessed how landscape change affects distribution patterns along the western edge of their geographic range. During 2016–2018, we monitored site (n = 74) occupancy along urban–rural transects in the Flint Hills to assess the influence of landscape change (i.e., urban, grassland, agriculture, woody encroachment) and water availability on the distribution of Virginia opossums. Sites surrounded by urban land cover had greater initial occupancy probabilities and lower extinction rates. Sites closer to permanent water sources experienced greater colonization rates and lower extinction rates. In addition, site extinction rates were lower in areas surrounded by woody encroachment. Our results concur with other studies suggesting that growing urban areas may expand opossum distributions along the edges of their geographic range. Our study also suggests that woody encroachment into tallgrass prairies may provide an alternative pathway for future distributional expansions. Future research must consider the potential for landscape change, along with dynamic water availability, in models predicting the distribution of Virginia opossums.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle R Wait
- Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Adam A Ahlers
- Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
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Roads do not increase carrion use by a vertebrate scavenging community. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16331. [PMID: 30397216 PMCID: PMC6218489 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34224-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife-vehicle collisions introduce a considerable amount of carrion into the environment, but scavenger use of this resource has not been extensively investigated. Scavengers may use roads for reliable foraging opportunities, but might also use roads for other purposes and encounter carrion opportunistically. We examined scavenging of carrion along linear features by placing 52 rabbit carcasses in each of three treatments in forested habitat during winter (Dec 2016-Mar 2017) in South Carolina, USA: roads, power line clearings (linear feature with fewer carcasses than roads due to lack of road kill), and forest interior. We used motion-activated cameras to compare arrival times and presence of vertebrate scavengers among treatments. There was no difference in proportion of carcasses scavenged or scavenger arrival time across treatments. No species arrived at roads quicker than other treatments. Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and coyotes (Canis latrans) scavenged equally across treatments, whereas gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) scavenged along roads and power lines, but not in forests. We suggest that scavenger use of carrion near roads at this location during winter relates to factors other than carrion availability. Because some scavengers readily consumed carrion on roads, this resource has the potential to influence the ecology of these species.
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Walsh L, Tucker P. Contemporary range expansion of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) impacted by humans and snow cover. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Range expansions are key demographic events driven by factors such as climate change and human intervention that ultimately influence the genetic composition of peripheral populations. The expansion of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792) into Michigan has been documented over the past 200 years, indicating relatively new colonizations in northern Michigan. Although most contemporary expansions are a result of shifts in climate regimes, the opossum has spread beyond its hypothesized climate niche, offering an opportunity to examine the compounding influence that climate change and humans have on a species’ distribution. The genetic consequences of two range expansions were investigated using genotypic data for nine microsatellite markers from opossums collected in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, USA. Two genetic clusters were identified: one on either side of Lake Michigan. Using general linear models, we found that measurements of genetic diversity across 15 counties are best explained by days of snow on the ground. Next best models incorporate anthropogenic covariates including farm density. These models suggest that opossum expansion may be facilitated by agricultural land development and at the same time be limited by their inability to forage in snow.
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Affiliation(s)
- L.L. Walsh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - P.K. Tucker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Beatty WS, Beasley JC, Olson ZH, Rhodes OE. Influence of habitat attributes on density of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in agricultural ecosystems. CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In agriculturally fragmented ecosystems, mesopredators play dominant roles in food webs through scavenging. We examined the influence of habitat attributes associated with carrion on local Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792) density in an agricultural landscape. We conducted opossum mark–recapture in 25 forest patches from 2005 to 2010, which represented the most extensive sampling of opossums to date. We analyzed mark–recapture data with a closed robust design and evaluated effects of landscape features linked to carrion on opossum density and female opossum density with generalized linear mixed-effects models. We included landscape-level (1481.6 m buffer) and patch-level covariates linked to carrion in addition to other covariates associated with high opossum densities. We developed a set of 19 candidate models and examined model fit with Akaike’s information criterion. The top model for opossum density included the density of adjoining roads, whereas the top model for female density included patch size, although the statistical null was a competing model in both cases. The long-distance dispersal capability and generalist diet of the opossum likely precluded us from detecting a definitive relationship between covariates and opossum density. The scale of effect for opossum density in agriculturally fragmented landscapes is likely larger than the spatial scales examined here.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S. Beatty
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Zachary H. Olson
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Olin E. Rhodes
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Genetic diversity of Didelphis virginiana related to different levels of disturbance in the Highlands and the Central Depression regions of Chiapas, Mexico. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467416000080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is considered highly adaptable to anthropogenic disturbances; however, the genetic effects of disturbance on this marsupial have not been studied in wild populations in Mexico. Here we evaluated the genetic diversity of D. virginiana at sites with different levels of disturbance within the Highlands and Central Depression regions of Chiapas in southern Mexico. Twelve microsatellite loci were used and the results demonstrated moderate mean heterozygosity (He = 0.60; Ho = 0.50). No significant differences in heterozygosity were found among sites with different levels of disturbance in both regions (range Ho = 0.42–0.57). We observed low but significant levels of genetic differentiation according to disturbance level. The inbreeding coefficient did not differ significantly from zero, suggesting that low genetic differentiation in these environments may be associated with sufficient random mating and gene flow, a result associated with the high dispersal and tolerance characteristics of this marsupial. Our results for D. virginiana in this particular area of Mexico provide a foundation for exploring the impact of human disturbance on the genetic diversity of a common and generalist species.
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Olson ZH, Beasley JC, Rhodes OE. Carcass Type Affects Local Scavenger Guilds More than Habitat Connectivity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147798. [PMID: 26886299 PMCID: PMC4757541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Scavengers and decomposers provide an important ecosystem service by removing carrion from the environment. Scavenging and decomposition are known to be temperature-dependent, but less is known about other factors that might affect carrion removal. We conducted an experiment in which we manipulated combinations of patch connectivity and carcass type, and measured responses by local scavenger guilds along with aspects of carcass depletion. We conducted twelve, 1-month trials in which five raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus spp.) carcasses (180 trials total) were monitored using remote cameras in 21 forest patches in north-central Indiana, USA. Of 143 trials with complete data, we identified fifteen species of vertebrate scavengers divided evenly among mammalian (N = 8) and avian species (N = 7). Fourteen carcasses (9.8%) were completely consumed by invertebrates, vertebrates exhibited scavenging behavior at 125 carcasses (87.4%), and four carcasses (2.8%) remained unexploited. Among vertebrates, mammals scavenged 106 carcasses, birds scavenged 88 carcasses, and mammals and birds scavenged 69 carcasses. Contrary to our expectations, carcass type affected the assemblage of local scavenger guilds more than patch connectivity. However, neither carcass type nor connectivity explained variation in temporal measures of carcass removal. Interestingly, increasing richness of local vertebrate scavenger guilds contributed moderately to rates of carrion removal (≈6% per species increase in richness). We conclude that scavenger-specific differences in carrion utilization exist among carcass types and that reliable delivery of carrion removal as an ecosystem service may depend on robust vertebrate and invertebrate communities acting synergistically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H. Olson
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, Maine, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America
- D. B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Olin E. Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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Beasley JC, Atwood TC, Byrne ME, Vercauteren KC, Johnson SR, Rhodes Jr. OE. A behaviorally-explicit approach for delivering vaccine baits to mesopredators to control epizootics in fragmented landscapes. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0113206. [PMID: 25587900 PMCID: PMC4294636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the widespread use of aerial baiting to manage epizootics among free-ranging populations, particularly in rabies management, bait acceptance and seroconversion rates often are lower than required to eliminate spread of disease. Our objectives in this study, therefore, were to evaluate the performance of stratified bait distribution models derived from resource selection functions (RSF) on uptake of placebo rabies baits by raccoons (Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), as well as the probability of bait uptake as a function of proximity to bait distribution areas in fragmented agricultural ecosystems. Among 478 raccoons and 108 opossums evaluated for presence of Rhodamine B (RB) across 8 sites, only 26% of raccoons and 20% of opossums exhibited marking consistent with bait consumption 14-24 days post-baiting. The effective area treated, based on 90% kernel density estimators of marked individuals, ranged from 99-240 ha larger than bait distribution zones, with RB marked individuals captured up to 753 m beyond the bait zone. Despite incorporation of RSF data into bait distribution models, no differences in uptake rates were observed between treatment and control sites. These data likely reflect the underlying constraints imposed by the loss and fragmentation of habitat on animal movement in heterogeneous landscapes, forcing individuals to optimize movements at coarse (i.e., patch-level) rather than fine spatial scales in highly fragmented environments. Our data also confirm that the probability of bait acceptance decreases with increasing distance from bait zone interiors, even within the zone itself. Thus, although bait acceptance was confirmed beyond bait zone boundaries, the proportion of vaccinated individuals may comprise a small minority of the population at increasing distances from baiting interiors. These data suggest focal baiting creates a buffered area of treated individuals around bait zones or bait stations, but repeated treatments may be needed to achieve sufficient uptake to eradicate disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C. Beasley
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Todd C. Atwood
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Byrne
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kurt C. Vercauteren
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Shylo R. Johnson
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
- University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America
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Hennessy C, Tsai CC, Beasley JC, Beatty WS, Zollner PA, Rhodes OE. Elucidation of population connectivity in synanthropic mesopredators: Using genes to define relevant spatial scales for management of raccoons and Virginia opossums. J Wildl Manage 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Hennessy
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 715 W State Street West Lafayette 47907 IN USA
| | - Chia-Chun Tsai
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 715 W State Street West Lafayette 47907 IN USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Lab; University of Georgia; Drawer E Aiken 29802 SC USA
| | - William S. Beatty
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 715 W State Street West Lafayette 47907 IN USA
| | - Patrick A. Zollner
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 715 W State Street West Lafayette 47907 IN USA
| | - Olin E. Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Lab; University of Georgia; Drawer E Aiken 29802 SC USA
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