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Santostasi NL, Bauduin S, Grente O, Gimenez O, Ciucci P. Simulating the efficacy of wolf-dog hybridization management with individual-based modeling. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14312. [PMID: 38894638 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Introgressive hybridization between wolves and dogs is a conservation concern due to its potentially deleterious long-term evolutionary consequences. European legislation requires that wolf-dog hybridization be mitigated through effective management. We developed an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the life cycle of gray wolves that incorporates aspects of wolf sociality that affect hybridization rates (e.g., the dissolution of packs after the death of one/both breeders) with the goal of informing decision-making on management of wolf-dog hybridization. We applied our model by projecting hybridization dynamics in a local wolf population under different mate choice and immigration scenarios and contrasted results of removal of admixed individuals with their sterilization and release. In several scenarios, lack of management led to complete admixture, whereas reactive management interventions effectively reduced admixture in wolf populations. Management effectiveness, however, strongly depended on mate choice and number and admixture level of individuals immigrating into the wolf population. The inclusion of anthropogenic mortality affecting parental and admixed individuals (e.g., poaching) increased the probability of pack dissolution and thus increased the probability of interbreeding with dogs or admixed individuals and boosted hybridization and introgression rates in all simulation scenarios. Recognizing the necessity of additional model refinements (appropriate parameterization, thorough sensitivity analyses, and robust model validation) to generate management recommendations applicable in real-world scenarios, we maintain confidence in our model's potential as a valuable conservation tool that can be applied to diverse situations and species facing similar threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sarah Bauduin
- Direction de la Recherche et Appui Scientifique, Service Conservation et Gestion des Espèces à Enjeux, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Juvignac, France
| | - Oksana Grente
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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2
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Chinn SM, Smyser T, Beasley JC. Variance in offspring sex ratio and maternal allocation in a highly invasive mammal. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10136. [PMID: 37250446 PMCID: PMC10213710 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10136] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Skewed sex ratios at birth are widely reported in wild populations, however, the extent to which parents are able to modulate the sex ratio of offspring to maximize their own fitness remains unclear. This is particularly true for highly polytocous species as maximizing fitness may include trade-offs between sex ratio and the size and number of offspring in litters. In such cases, it may be adaptive for mothers to adjust both the number of offspring per litter and offspring sex to maximize individual fitness. Investigating maternal sex allocation in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) under stochastic environmental conditions, we predicted that under favorable conditions, high-quality mothers (larger and older) would produce male-biased litters and invest more in producing larger litters with more males. We also predicted sex ratio would vary relative to litter size, with a male-bias among smaller litters. We found evidence that increasing wild boar ancestry, maternal age and condition, and resource availability may weakly contribute to male-biased sex ratio, however, unknown factors not measured in this study are assumed to be more influential. High-quality mothers allocated more resources to litter production, but this relationship was driven by adjustment of litter size, not sex ratio. There was no relationship between sex ratio and litter size. Collectively, our results emphasized that adjustment of litter size appeared to be the primary reproductive characteristic manipulated in wild pigs to increase fitness rather than adjustment of offspring sex ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Chinn
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAikenSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Timothy Smyser
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife ServicesFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAikenSouth CarolinaUSA
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3
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Martínez-Carrasco C, Moroni B, García-Garrigós A, Robetto S, Carella E, Zoppi S, Tizzani P, Gonzálvez M, Orusa R, Rossi L. Wolf Is Back: A Novel Sensitive Sentinel Rejoins the Trichinella Cycle in the Western Alps. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10030206. [PMID: 36977245 PMCID: PMC10055899 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10030206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichinella is a foodborne parasite whose wildlife reservoirs are represented by carnivores and omnivores with predatory and scavenger behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Trichinella infection in grey wolves (Canis lupus) that recolonized the Western Alps from the end of the past century, and discuss the epidemiological role played by this apex predator in the early phases of its return. During the period 2017–2022, diaphragm samples were obtained from 130 individuals collected in the frame of a wolf mortality survey. Trichinella larvae were found in 15 wolves (11.53%) with a parasite intensity of 11.74 larvae per gram. Trichinella britovi was the only species identified. This is the first prevalence survey of Trichinella in wolves recolonizing the Alps. Results suggest that, in this particular biotope, the wolf has rejoined the Trichinella cycle and has the potential to play an increasingly important role as maintenance host. Arguments in favor and against this perspective are discussed and knowledge gaps highlighted. The calculated Trichinella larval biomass in the estimated wolf population roaming in Northwest Italy will serve as baseline value to explore possible shifts in the relative importance of wolves as Trichinella reservoir within the regional carnivore community. Finally, wolves re-colonizing the Alps already appear as sensitive sentinels to monitor the risk of Trichinella zoonotic transmission by infected wild boar meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Martínez-Carrasco
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Barbara Moroni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: (B.M.); (E.C.)
| | - Anna García-Garrigós
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Serena Robetto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Centro di Referenza Nazionale Malattie Animali Selvatici (CERMAS), Località Amerique 7G, 11020 Quart, Italy
| | - Emanuele Carella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: (B.M.); (E.C.)
| | - Simona Zoppi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Tizzani
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Moisés Gonzálvez
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Riccardo Orusa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Centro di Referenza Nazionale Malattie Animali Selvatici (CERMAS), Località Amerique 7G, 11020 Quart, Italy
| | - Luca Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
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Offspring sex ratios are male-biased reflecting sex-biased dispersal in Idaho, USA, wolves. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03243-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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5
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Beketov SV. Variation of the Secondary Sex Ratio in American Mink (Neovison vison). RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422080026] [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]
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6
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Closer to Carrying Capacity: Analysis of the Internal Demographic Structure Associated with the Management and Density Dependence of a Controlled Wolf Population in Latvia. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13179783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Large carnivores are essential components of natural ecosystems. In populated areas, their conservation depends on preserving a favorable status in coexistence with humans, which may require the elimination of excess carnivores to minimize public concerns. As the Baltic region currently hosts a thriving wolf population, locally sustainable management of wolves is important for preserving biodiversity at a European scale. In this paper, we provide a dynamic assessment of the Latvian wolf subpopulation from 1998 until 2020. This study is based on age composition and fecundity data from teeth, uteri, and ovaria inspections obtained from samples of legally culled or accidentally killed individuals. The abundance estimates indicated population growth that exceeded the previously predicted carrying capacity. The proportion of juveniles among the culled individuals increased in recent years, but the mean age of culled adults exhibited a stable trend. In presumably nonselective hunting, the juveniles and individuals older than 3 years had greater culling mortality estimates in comparison with other age classes, and the culling rates for adult females of particular age classes were higher than for males of the same age. While creating significant hunting pressure, wolf management in Latvia may have contributed to the population growth by affecting its demographic processes.
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Hervey SD, Rutledge LY, Patterson BR, Romanski MC, Vucetich JA, Belant JL, Beyer DE, Moore SA, Brzeski KE. A first genetic assessment of the newly introduced Isle Royale gray wolves (Canis lupus). CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01373-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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8
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Ferreras-Colino E, García-Garrigós A, Gortázar C, Llaneza L. Wolf (Canis lupus) litter size in Spain. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01473-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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9
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Bauduin S, Grente O, Santostasi NL, Ciucci P, Duchamp C, Gimenez O. An individual-based model to explore the impacts of lesser-known social dynamics on wolf populations. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Veylit L, Sæther B, Gaillard J, Baubet E, Gamelon M. How do conditions at birth influence early‐life growth rates in wild boar? Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Veylit
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology TrondheimNO‐7491Norway
| | - Bernt‐Erik Sæther
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology TrondheimNO‐7491Norway
| | - Jean‐Michel Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (UMR 5558) Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 43 boulevard du 11 novembre 1918 Villeurbanne Cedex69622France
| | - Eric Baubet
- Unité Ongulés Sauvages Office Français de la Biodiversité Montfort BirieuxF‐01330France
| | - Marlène Gamelon
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology TrondheimNO‐7491Norway
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11
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Lesniak I, Heckmann I, Heitlinger E, Szentiks CA, Nowak C, Harms V, Jarausch A, Reinhardt I, Kluth G, Hofer H, Krone O. Population expansion and individual age affect endoparasite richness and diversity in a recolonising large carnivore population. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41730. [PMID: 28128348 PMCID: PMC5269671 DOI: 10.1038/srep41730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent recolonisation of the Central European lowland (CEL) by the grey wolf (Canis lupus) provides an excellent opportunity to study the effect of founder events on endoparasite diversity. Which role do prey and predator populations play in the re-establishment of endoparasite life cycles? Which intrinsic and extrinsic factors control individual endoparasite diversity in an expanding host population? In 53 individually known CEL wolves sampled in Germany, we revealed a community of four cestode, eight nematode, one trematode and 12 potential Sarcocystis species through molecular genetic techniques. Infections with zoonotic Echinococcus multilocularis, Trichinella britovi and T. spiralis occurred as single cases. Per capita endoparasite species richness and diversity significantly increased with population size and changed with age, whereas sex, microsatellite heterozygosity, and geographic origin had no effect. Tapeworm abundance (Taenia spp.) was significantly higher in immigrants than natives. Metacestode prevalence was slightly higher in ungulates from wolf territories than from control areas elsewhere. Even though alternative canid definitive hosts might also play a role within the investigated parasite life cycles, our findings indicate that (1) immigrated wolves increase parasite diversity in German packs, and (2) prevalence of wolf-associated parasites had declined during wolf absence and has now risen during recolonisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Lesniak
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Heitlinger
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.,Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite Host Interactions, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia A Szentiks
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Verena Harms
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Anne Jarausch
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Ilka Reinhardt
- LUPUS Institute for Wolf Monitoring and Research in Germany, Dorfstraße 20, 02979 Spreewitz, Germany
| | - Gesa Kluth
- LUPUS Institute for Wolf Monitoring and Research in Germany, Dorfstraße 20, 02979 Spreewitz, Germany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
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12
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Stansbury CR, Ausband DE, Zager P, Mack CM, Waits LP. Identifying gray wolf packs and dispersers using noninvasive genetic samples. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carisa R. Stansbury
- University of Idaho; Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences; P.O. Box 441136 Moscow ID 83844 USA
| | - David E. Ausband
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Sciences Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Peter Zager
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game; 3316 16th St. Lewiston ID 83501 USA
| | - Curt M. Mack
- Nez Perce Tribe; Gray Wolf Recovery Project; P.O. Box 1922 McCall ID 83638 USA
| | - Lisette P. Waits
- University of Idaho; Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences; P.O. Box 441136 Moscow ID 83844 USA
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13
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Plumer L, Keis M, Remm J, Hindrikson M, Jõgisalu I, Männil P, Kübarsepp M, Saarma U. Wolves Recolonizing Islands: Genetic Consequences and Implications for Conservation and Management. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158911. [PMID: 27384049 PMCID: PMC4934778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
After a long and deliberate persecution, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) is slowly recolonizing its former areas in Europe, and the genetic consequences of this process are of particular interest. Wolves, though present in mainland Estonia for a long time, have only recently started to recolonize the country’s two largest islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The main objective of this study was to analyse wolf population structure and processes in Estonia, with particular attention to the recolonization of islands. Fifteen microsatellite loci were genotyped for 185 individuals across Estonia. As a methodological novelty, all putative wolf-dog hybrids were identified and removed (n = 17) from the dataset beforehand to avoid interference of dog alleles in wolf population analysis. After the preliminary filtering, our final dataset comprised of 168 “pure” wolves. We recommend using hybrid-removal step as a standard precautionary procedure not only for wolf population studies, but also for other taxa prone to hybridization. STRUCTURE indicated four genetic groups in Estonia. Spatially explicit DResD analysis identified two areas, one of them on Saaremaa island and the other in southwestern Estonia, where neighbouring individuals were genetically more similar than expected from an isolation-by-distance null model. Three blending areas and two contrasting transition zones were identified in central Estonia, where the sampled individuals exhibited strong local differentiation over relatively short distance. Wolves on the largest Estonian islands are part of human-wildlife conflict due to livestock depredation. Negative public attitude, especially on Saaremaa where sheep herding is widespread, poses a significant threat for island wolves. To maintain the long-term viability of the wolf population on Estonian islands, not only wolf hunting quota should be targeted with extreme care, but effective measures should be applied to avoid inbreeding and minimize conflicts with local communities and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liivi Plumer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marju Keis
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | | | | | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- * E-mail:
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14
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Bryan HM, Smits JEG, Koren L, Paquet PC, Wynne‐Edwards KE, Musiani M. Heavily hunted wolves have higher stress and reproductive steroids than wolves with lower hunting pressure. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Heather M. Bryan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary 3280 Hospital Drive NWCalgary AB Canada T2N 4Z6
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation PO Box 2429 Sidney BC Canada V8L 1Y2
- Department of Geography University of Victoria PO Box 3060 STN CSC Victoria BC Canada V8W 3R4
- Hakai Beach Institute PO Box 309 Heriot Bay BC Canada V0P 1H0
| | - Judit E. G. Smits
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary 3280 Hospital Drive NWCalgary AB Canada T2N 4Z6
| | - Lee Koren
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary 3280 Hospital Drive NWCalgary AB Canada T2N 4Z6
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences Bar‐Ilan University Ramat Gan 52900 Israel
| | - Paul C. Paquet
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation PO Box 2429 Sidney BC Canada V8L 1Y2
- Department of Geography University of Victoria PO Box 3060 STN CSC Victoria BC Canada V8W 3R4
- Faculty of Environmental Design University of Calgary 2500 University Dr NW Calgary ABCanada T2N 1N4
| | | | - Marco Musiani
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary 3280 Hospital Drive NWCalgary AB Canada T2N 4Z6
- Faculty of Environmental Design University of Calgary 2500 University Dr NW Calgary ABCanada T2N 1N4
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15
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Stronen AV, Jędrzejewska B, Pertoldi C, Demontis D, Randi E, Niedziałkowska M, Pilot M, Sidorovich VE, Dykyy I, Kusak J, Tsingarska E, Kojola I, Karamanlidis AA, Ornicans A, Lobkov VA, Dumenko V, Czarnomska SD. North-South differentiation and a region of high diversity in European wolves (Canis lupus). PLoS One 2013; 8:e76454. [PMID: 24146871 PMCID: PMC3795770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
European wolves (Canis lupus) show population genetic structure in the absence of geographic barriers, and across relatively short distances for this highly mobile species. Additional information on the location of and divergence between population clusters is required, particularly because wolves are currently recolonizing parts of Europe. We evaluated genetic structure in 177 wolves from 11 countries using over 67K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. The results supported previous findings of an isolated Italian population with lower genetic diversity than that observed across other areas of Europe. Wolves from the remaining countries were primarily structured in a north-south axis, with Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece (Dinaric-Balkan) differentiated from northcentral wolves that included individuals from Finland, Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia. Carpathian Mountain wolves in central Europe had genotypes intermediate between those identified in northcentral Europe and the Dinaric-Balkan cluster. Overall, individual genotypes from northcentral Europe suggested high levels of admixture. We observed high diversity within Belarus, with wolves from western and northern Belarus representing the two most differentiated groups within northcentral Europe. Our results support the presence of at least three major clusters (Italy, Carpathians, Dinaric-Balkan) in southern and central Europe. Individuals from Croatia also appeared differentiated from wolves in Greece and Bulgaria. Expansion from glacial refugia, adaptation to local environments, and human-related factors such as landscape fragmentation and frequent killing of wolves in some areas may have contributed to the observed patterns. Our findings can help inform conservation management of these apex predators and the ecosystems of which they are part.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid V. Stronen
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Cino Pertoldi
- Department of Biosciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Aalborg University, Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg, Denmark
- Aalborg Zoo, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Ditte Demontis
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ettore Randi
- Aalborg University, Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy
| | | | - Małgorzata Pilot
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Vadim E. Sidorovich
- Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Ihor Dykyy
- Department of Zoology, Biological Faculty, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Josip Kusak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Ilpo Kojola
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Oulu, Finland
| | - Alexandros A. Karamanlidis
- ARCTUROS, Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Aivars Ornicans
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Vladimir A. Lobkov
- Zoological museum of Odessa, National I.I. Mechnikov University, Odessa, Ukraine
| | - Vitalii Dumenko
- Biosphere Reserve Askania Nova, Askania-Nova, Chaplynka District, Kherson Region, Ukraine
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16
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Zedrosser A, Pelletier F, Bischof R, Festa-Bianchet M, Swenson JE. Determinants of lifetime reproduction in female brown bears: early body mass, longevity, and hunting regulations. Ecology 2013; 94:231-40. [PMID: 23600257 DOI: 10.1890/12-0229.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In iteroparous mammals, conditions experienced early in life may have long-lasting effects on lifetime reproductive success. Human-induced mortality is also an important demographic factor in many populations of large mammals and may influence lifetime reproductive success. Here, we explore the effects of early development, population density, and human hunting on survival and lifetime reproductive success in brown bear (Ursus arctos) females, using a 25-year database of individually marked bears in two populations in Sweden. Survival of yearlings to 2 years was not affected by population density or body mass. Yearlings that remained with their mother had higher survival than independent yearlings, partly because regulations prohibit the harvest of bears in family groups. Although mass as a yearling did not affect juvenile survival, it was positively associated with measures of lifetime reproductive success and individual fitness. The majority of adult female brown bear mortality (72%) in our study was due to human causes, mainly hunting, and many females were killed before they reproduced. Therefore, factors allowing females to survive several hunting seasons had a strong positive effect on lifetime reproductive success. We suggest that, in many hunted populations of large mammals, sport harvest is an important influence on both population dynamics and life histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Zedrosser
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, Telemark University College, NO-3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway.
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Ryan CP, Anderson WG, Gardiner LE, Hare JF. Stress-induced sex ratios in ground squirrels: support for a mechanistic hypothesis. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Monitoring wolves (Canis lupus) by non-invasive genetics and camera trapping: a small-scale pilot study. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-011-0539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Trinkel M, Funston P, Hofmeyr M, Hofmeyr D, Dell S, Packer C, Slotow R. Inbreeding and density-dependent population growth in a small, isolated lion population. Anim Conserv 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00344.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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MacNulty DR, Smith DW, Vucetich JA, Mech LD, Stahler DR, Packer C. Predatory senescence in ageing wolves. Ecol Lett 2009; 12:1347-56. [PMID: 19780789 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01385.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that ageing handicaps the ability of prey to escape predators, yet surprisingly little is known about how ageing affects the ability of predators to catch prey. Research into long-lived predators has assumed that adults have uniform impacts on prey regardless of age. Here we use longitudinal data from repeated observations of individually-known wolves (Canis lupus) hunting elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park to demonstrate that adult predatory performance declines with age and that an increasing ratio of senescent individuals in the wolf population depresses the rate of prey offtake. Because this ratio fluctuates independently of population size, predatory senescence may cause wolf populations of equal size but different age structure to have different impacts on prey populations. These findings suggest that predatory senescence is an important, though overlooked, factor affecting predator-prey dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R MacNulty
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Kowalczyk R, Zalewski A, Jędrzejewska B, Ansorge H, Bunevich AN. Reproduction and Mortality of Invasive Raccoon Dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Eastern Poland). ANN ZOOL FENN 2009. [DOI: 10.5735/086.046.0406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Lovari S, Sforzi A, Scala C, Fico R. A wolf in the hand is worth two in the bush: a response to Ciucci et al. (2007). J Zool (1987) 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00380.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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