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Chopra K, Enticott G, Codling EA. Where did my dog go? A pilot study exploring the movement ecology of farm dogs. Front Vet Sci 2024; 10:1325609. [PMID: 38260201 PMCID: PMC10800614 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1325609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Movement ecology is important for advancing our comprehension of animal behavior, but its application is yet to be applied to farm dogs. This pilot study uses combined GPS and accelerometer technology to explore the spatial patterns and activity levels of free roaming farm dogs, Canis familiaris (n = 3). Space-use distributions and range sizes were determined to compare locations visited across days and between individuals, as well as in relation to specific areas of interest. Individual activity levels were analyzed and compared within and between dogs. Space-use patterns and range sizes showed variation among the dogs, although substantial similarity in overall spatial distributions were observed between each pair. Among the dogs, the extent of spatial distribution overlap between days varied, with some individuals exhibiting more overlap than others. The dogs allocated different amounts of their time close to landscape features, and to slow-, medium-, and fast movements. This study demonstrates the potential of using automated tracking technology to monitor space-use and interactions between dogs, livestock, and wildlife. By understanding and managing the free ranging behavior of their farm dogs, farmers could potentially take steps to improve the health and wellbeing of both their dogs and their livestock, limiting disease spread, and reducing the possibility of related economic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareemah Chopra
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Enticott
- School of Geography and Planning, University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Edward A. Codling
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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Yabsley MJ, Coker SM, Welch CN, Garrett KB, Murray M, Grunert R, Seixas JS, Kistler WM, Curry SE, Adams HC, Nakatsu CS, Swanepoel L, Wyckoff ST, Koser TM, Kurimo-Beechuk E, Haynes E, Hernandez SM. A single Haemoproteus plataleae haplotype is widespread in white ibis ( Eudocimus albus) from urban and rural sites in southern Florida. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:269-276. [PMID: 37520900 PMCID: PMC10372042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a common bird species in Florida, has become increasingly urban, with many populations relying heavily on urban and suburban habitats, which may alter parasite transmission. Parasites of ibis, especially haemosporidians, are understudied. Avian haemosporidia can have a wide range of impacts on birds, including decreased reproductive success or increased mortality. Because southern Florida is subtropical and has a high diversity of potential vectors for haemosporidia, we hypothesized that there will be a high prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidia in white ibis. A total of 636 ibis from South Florida were sampled from 2010 to 2022, and blood samples were tested for haemosporidia by examination of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears and/or nested PCRs targeting the cytochrome b gene. A total of 400 (62.9%, 95% CI 59-66.7%) ibis were positive for parasites that were morphologically identified as Haemoproteus plataleae. Sequences of 302 positives revealed a single haplotype of Haemoproteus (EUDRUB01), which was previously reported from white ibis in South Florida and captive scarlet ibis (E. ruber) in Brazil. No Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon infections were detected. Parasitemias of the 400 positive birds were very low (average 0.084%, range 0.001%-2.16% [although only 2 birds had parasitemias >1%]). Prevalence and parasitemias were similar for males and females (68% vs. 61.6% and 0.081% vs. 0.071%, respectively). Prevalence in juveniles was lower compared with adults (52% vs. 67.4%) but parasitemias were higher in juveniles (0.117% vs. 0.065%). This data shows that H. plataleae is common in ibis in South Florida. Although parasitemias were generally low, additional research is needed to determine if this parasite has subclinical effects on ibis, if additional haplotypes or parasite species infect ibis in other regions of their range, or if H. plataleae is pathogenic for other sympatric avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sarah M. Coker
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Catharine N. Welch
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Common Ground Ecology, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Maureen Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ryan Grunert
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Julia S. Seixas
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Whitney M. Kistler
- School of Mathematics and Sciences, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, USA
| | - Shannon E. Curry
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Henry C. Adams
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Charlie S. Nakatsu
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Seth T. Wyckoff
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Troy M. Koser
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kurimo-Beechuk
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Elizabeth Alter S, Tariq L, Creed JK, Megafu E. Evolutionary responses of marine organisms to urbanized seascapes. Evol Appl 2021; 14:210-232. [PMID: 33519966 PMCID: PMC7819572 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the world's major cities are located in coastal zones, resulting in urban and industrial impacts on adjacent marine ecosystems. These pressures, which include pollutants, sewage, runoff and debris, temperature increases, hardened shorelines/structures, and light and acoustic pollution, have resulted in new evolutionary landscapes for coastal marine organisms. Marine environmental changes influenced by urbanization may create new selective regimes or may influence neutral evolution via impacts on gene flow or partitioning of genetic diversity across seascapes. While some urban selective pressures, such as hardened surfaces, are similar to those experienced by terrestrial species, others, such as oxidative stress, are specific to aquatic environments. Moreover, spatial and temporal scales of evolutionary responses may differ in the ocean due to the spatial extent of selective pressures and greater capacity for dispersal/gene flow. Here, we present a conceptual framework and synthesis of current research on evolutionary responses of marine organisms to urban pressures. We review urban impacts on genetic diversity and gene flow and examine evidence that marine species are adapting, or are predicted to adapt, to urbanization over rapid evolutionary time frames. Our findings indicate that in the majority of studies, urban stressors are correlated with reduced genetic diversity. Genetic structure is often increased in urbanized settings, but artificial structures can also act as stepping stones for some hard-surface specialists, promoting range expansion. Most evidence for rapid adaptation to urban stressors comes from studies of heritable tolerance to pollutants in a relatively small number of species; however, the majority of marine ecotoxicology studies do not test directly for heritability. Finally, we highlight current gaps in our understanding of evolutionary processes in marine urban environments and present a framework for future research to address these gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Elizabeth Alter
- Department of Biology & ChemistryCalifornia State University, Monterey BayChapman Academic Science CenterSeasideCAUSA
- Department of BiologyYork CollegeCity University of New YorkJamaicaNYUSA
- Department of IchthyologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Laraib Tariq
- Department of BiologyYork CollegeCity University of New YorkJamaicaNYUSA
| | - James Keanu Creed
- Department of BiologyYork CollegeCity University of New YorkJamaicaNYUSA
- Department of IchthyologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Emmanuel Megafu
- Department of BiologyYork CollegeCity University of New YorkJamaicaNYUSA
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Teitelbaum CS, Hepinstall-Cymerman J, Kidd-Weaver A, Hernandez SM, Altizer S, Hall RJ. Urban specialization reduces habitat connectivity by a highly mobile wading bird. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:49. [PMID: 33372623 PMCID: PMC7720518 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00233-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobile animals transport nutrients and propagules across habitats, and are crucial for the functioning of food webs and for ecosystem services. Human activities such as urbanization can alter animal movement behavior, including site fidelity and resource use. Because many urban areas are adjacent to natural sites, mobile animals might connect natural and urban habitats. More generally, understanding animal movement patterns in urban areas can help predict how urban expansion will affect the roles of highly mobile animals in ecological processes. METHODS Here, we examined movements by a seasonally nomadic wading bird, the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), in South Florida, USA. White ibis are colonial wading birds that forage on aquatic prey; in recent years, some ibis have shifted their behavior to forage in urban parks, where they are fed by people. We used a spatial network approach to investigate how individual movement patterns influence connectivity between urban and non-urban sites. We built a network of habitat connectivity using GPS tracking data from ibis during their non-breeding season and compared this network to simulated networks that assumed individuals moved indiscriminately with respect to habitat type. RESULTS We found that the observed network was less connected than the simulated networks, that urban-urban and natural-natural connections were strong, and that individuals using urban sites had the least-variable habitat use. Importantly, the few ibis that used both urban and natural habitats contributed the most to connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Habitat specialization in urban-acclimated wildlife could reduce the exchange of propagules and nutrients between urban and natural areas, which has consequences both for beneficial effects of connectivity such as gene flow and for detrimental effects such as the spread of contaminants or pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anjelika Kidd-Weaver
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Present address: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Sonia M Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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