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Barroso P, Acevedo P, Risalde MA, García-Bocanegra I, Montoro V, Martínez-Padilla AB, Torres MJ, Soriguer RC, Vicente J. Co-exposure to pathogens in wild ungulates from Doñana National Park, South Spain. Res Vet Sci 2023; 155:14-28. [PMID: 36608374 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Multiple infections or co-exposure to pathogens should be considered systematically in wildlife to better understand the ecology and evolution of host-pathogen relationships, so as to better determine the potential use of multiple pathogens as indicators to guide health management. We describe the pattern of co-exposure to several pathogens (i.e. simultaneous positive diagnosis to pathogens in an individual considering Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex lesions, and the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, bluetongue virus, and hepatitis E virus) and assessed their main drivers in the wild ungulate community from Doñana National Park (red deer, fallow deer, and wild boar) for a 13-years longitudinal study. The lower-than-expected frequency of co-exposure registered in all species was consistent with non-mutually exclusive hypotheses (e.g. antagonism or disease-related mortality), which requires further investigation. The habitat generalist species (red deer and wild boar) were exposed to a greater diversity of pathogens (frequency of co-exposure around 50%) and/or risk factors than fallow deer (25.0% ± CI95% 4.9). Positive relationships between pathogens were evidenced, which may be explained by common risk factors favouring exposure. The specific combination of pathogens in individuals was mainly driven by different groups of factors (individual, environmental, stochastic, and populational), as well as its interaction, defining a complex eco-epidemiological landscape. To deepen into the main determinants and consequences of co-infections in a complex assemblage of wild hosts, and at the interface with humans and livestock, there also is needed to expand the range of pathogens and compare diverse assemblages of hosts under different environmental and management circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Barroso
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María A Risalde
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ). Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ). Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Vidal Montoro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | - María J Torres
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Ramón C Soriguer
- Estación Biológica Doñana, CSIC, 41092 Seville, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP). Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
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F. Millán M, Carranza J, Seoane JM, Pérez-González J. Forage quality of consecutive years interact to affect body condition, reproductive rate and rut phenology in Iberian red deer. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278367. [PMID: 36454913 PMCID: PMC9714875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Body condition for reproduction in capital breeders such as the red deer (Cervus elaphus) is mostly determined by their stored energy reserves. Thus, environmental conditions and resource availability may affect reproductive performance and breeding success. In warm Mediterranean regions, current climate change is driving to a hotter and drier scenario that is expected to affect the biology and dynamics of many populations. We examined the impact of these local climate variations on red deer body condition and the relationship with female reproductive phenology and breeding success. We used satellite information of landscape vegetation along with a 22-year data series of direct field behavioural observations during the rutting season in Doñana National Park (SW Spain). We analyzed faecal nitrogen content (FN) from faeces collected during the rut. We found that poor vegetation availability in drier years was related to worse body condition of deer (measured by FN) and a delay in the rutting season, which associated with lower reproductive rates (measured by the proportion of females with calves observed the next year). We also evidenced an interesting interaction between environmental conditions in consecutive years on the timing of breeding season, with timing of breeding being more delayed when previous year resource availability was high and many females bred, and the consecutive one was poor, so females hardly recovered condition and the rut occurred later. These findings highlight the carry-over effect of reproduction in capital breeders and the potential impact of climate-change conditions on red deer breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina F. Millán
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- * E-mail: (MFM); (JC)
| | - Juan Carranza
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- * E-mail: (MFM); (JC)
| | - José M. Seoane
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Chimes LC, Beytell P, Muntifering JR, Kötting B, Neville V. Effects of dehorning on population productivity in four Namibia sub-populations of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022; 68:58. [PMID: 35992995 PMCID: PMC9378341 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01607-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The black rhinoceros (rhino) (Diceros bicornis) is critically endangered, with poaching being one of several threats to the species’ survival. Many reserves across several countries, including Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, now dehorn their rhinos in an attempt to reduce poaching. Historical data collected by the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism and Save the Rhino Trust were used to investigate whether dehorning has an effect on age at first reproduction (AFR), inter-calving interval (ICI), birth sex ratios, calf survival, cause of death, and lifespan. These were assessed in four Namibian sub-populations (hereafter referred to as ‘populations’) of black rhino (denoted A, B, C, and D) which have undergone varying levels of dehorning. No significant difference was found in any of the variables between dehorned and horned individuals. Population was a significant predictor of AFR (LRT = 7.433, p = 0.024) and ICI (LRT = 13.281, p = 0.004), although pairwise comparisons only found populations A and B to be significantly different (AFR: z = −2.736, p = 0.017, ICI: z = −3.705, p = 0.001). Additionally, a significantly higher number of males than females were born in population D (p = 0.021, CI = 0.544, 0.960). The main cause of death across all individuals was poaching, although there was no significant difference in the proportion of rhinos poached between dehorned and horned individuals (X2 = 0.638, p = 0.424, n = 265). No evidence was found to suggest that dehorning has any effect on AFR, ICI, birth sex ratios, calf survival, or lifespan in the black rhino, which is reassuring in the continued use of dehorning as an anti-poaching technique in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy C. Chimes
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
| | - Piet Beytell
- Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, P/Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Jeff R. Muntifering
- Save the Rhino Trust, PO Box 2159, Swakopmund, Namibia
- Great Plains Zoo, 805 S. Kiwanis Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD USA
- Namibia University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 13388, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Birgit Kötting
- Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, P/Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Vikki Neville
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
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Manjerovic MB, Hoffman EA, Parkinson CL, Waterman JM. Intraspecific variation in male mating strategies in an African ground squirrel ( Xerus inauris). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9208. [PMID: 35991282 PMCID: PMC9379349 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Male mating strategies respond to female availability such that variation in resources that affect spatial distribution can also alter cost–benefit tradeoffs within a population. In arid‐adapted species, rainfall alters reproduction, behavior, morphology, and population density such that populations differing in resource availability may also differ in successful reproductive strategies. Here, we compare two populations of Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris), a sub‐Saharan species with year‐round breeding and intense mating competition. Unlike most mammals where males resort to aggressive interactions over females, male X. inauris are tolerant of one another, relying instead on other nonaggressive pre‐ and postcopulatory strategies to determine reproductive success. Our findings suggest that differences in resource availability affect female distribution, which ultimately leads to intraspecific variation in male reproductive tactics and sexual morphology. Sperm competition, assessed by reproductive morphometrics, was more pronounced in our high resource site where females were distributed evenly across the landscape, whereas dominance seemed to be an important determinant of success in our low resource site where females were more aggregated. Both sites had similar mating intensities, and most males did not sire any offspring. However, our low resource site had a higher variance in fertilization success with fewer males siring multiple offspring compared with our high resource site where more individuals were successful. Our results lend support to resource models where variations in female spatial distribution attributed to environmental resources ultimately impact male reproductive behaviors and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Beth Manjerovic
- Department of BiologyVirginia Military InstituteLexingtonVirginiaUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFloridaUSA
| | - Eric A. Hoffman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFloridaUSA
| | - Christopher L. Parkinson
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFloridaUSA
- Department of Biological SciencesClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jane M. Waterman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFloridaUSA
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyMammal Research Institute, University of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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de la Peña E, Pérez-González J, Martín J, Vedel G, Carranza J. The dark-ventral-patch of male red deer, a sexual signal that conveys the degree of involvement in rutting behavior. BMC ZOOL 2021; 6:18. [PMID: 37170131 PMCID: PMC10127101 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-021-00083-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
In polygynous mammals, signalling may play a decisive role in mating behavior, mediating the intensity of male fights and female mate choice. During the rutting season, male red deer may show a visible dark patch in their ventral fur. Recently, this patch has been suggested to act as a flexible sexual signal, due to its relationships with other variables such as age, body size, antler development, volatile compounds, or the competitive environment. The analysis of fur pigmentation at the ventral patch suggests that this might also visually indicate the male intrinsic predisposition to take part in mating competition.
Results
To assess the possible role of this trait as a communicative signal related to mate competition, we used red deer behavioral observations during the rut in Doñana National Park (Spain) to examine the link between the degree of expression of the dark ventral patch and the rutting activity (assessed from both intra-and-inter-sexual behaviors). Consistent with our predictions, we found in a field study that males with large dark patches showed a higher frequency of rutting behaviors (mainly roaring and flehmen), more interactions with females, and attained larger harem sizes.
Conclusions
The dark ventral patch was a better predictor of male behavior than antler tines or territory holding, thus standing as a short-term indicator of male willingness to invest in mating competition.
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