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Manville AM, Levitt BB, Lai HC. Health and environmental effects to wildlife from radio telemetry and tracking devices-state of the science and best management practices. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1283709. [PMID: 38511190 PMCID: PMC10954089 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1283709] [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: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper discusses the potential health risks and benefits to tagged wildlife from the use of radio tracking, radio telemetry, and related microchip and data-logger technologies used to study, monitor and track mostly wildlife in their native habitats. Domestic pets, especially canids, are briefly discussed as radio-tagging devices are also used on/in them. Radio tracking uses very high frequency (VHF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), and global positioning system (GPS) technologies, including via satellites where platform terminal transmitters (PTTs) are used, as well as geo-locating capabilities using satellites, radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips, and passive integrated responder (PIT) tags, among others. Such tracking technologies have resulted in cutting-edge findings worldwide that have served to protect and better understand the behaviors of myriad wildlife species. As a result, scientists, field researchers, technicians, fish and wildlife biologists and managers, plus wildlife and other veterinarian specialists, frequently opt for its use without fully understanding the ramifications to target species and their behaviors. These include negative physiological effects from electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which many nonhuman species are exquisitely sensitive, as well as direct placement/use-attachment impacts from radio collars, transmitters, and implants themselves. This paper provides pertinent studies, suggests best management practices, and compares technologies currently available to those considering and/or using such technologies. The primary focus is on the health and environmental risk/benefit decisions that should come into play, including ethical considerations, along with recommendations for more caution in the wildlife and veterinarian communities before such technologies are used in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert M. Manville
- Advanced Academic Program’s Environmental Sciences and Policy Division, School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - B. Blake Levitt
- National Association of Science Writers, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Henry C. Lai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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Kyle KE, Allen MC, Dragon J, Bunnell JF, Reinert HK, Zappalorti R, Jaffe BD, Angle JC, Lockwood JL. Combining surface and soil environmental DNA with artificial cover objects to improve terrestrial reptile survey detection. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13939. [PMID: 35603473 PMCID: PMC10087970 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Reptiles are increasingly of conservation concern due to their susceptibility to habitat loss, emerging disease, and harvest in the wildlife trade. However, reptile populations are often difficult to monitor given the frequency of crypsis in their life history. This difficulty has left uncertain the conservation status of many species and the efficacy of conservation actions unknown. Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys consistently elevate the detection rate of species they are designed to monitor, and while their use is promising for terrestrial reptile conservation, successes in developing such surveys have been sparse. We tested the degree to which inclusion of surface and soil eDNA sampling into conventional artificial-cover methods elevates the detection probability of a small, cryptic terrestrial lizard, Scincella lateralis. The eDNA sampling of cover object surfaces with paint rollers elevated per sample detection probabilities for this species 4-16 times compared with visual surveys alone. We readily detected S. lateralis eDNA under cover objects up to 2 weeks after the last visual detection, and at some cover objects where no S. lateralis were visually observed in prior months. With sufficient sampling intensity, eDNA testing of soil under cover objects produced comparable per sample detection probabilities as roller surface methods. Our results suggest that combining eDNA and cover object methods can considerably increase the detection power of reptile monitoring programs, allowing more accurate estimates of population size, detection of temporal and spatial changes in habitat use, and tracking success of restoration efforts. Further research into the deposition and decay rates of reptile eDNA under cover objects, as well as tailored protocols for different species and habitats, is needed to bring the technique into widespread use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Kyle
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Michael C Allen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jeffrey Dragon
- New Jersey Pinelands Commission, Pemberton, New Jersey, USA
| | - John F Bunnell
- New Jersey Pinelands Commission, Pemberton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Howard K Reinert
- Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | - Jordan C Angle
- ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions, Spring, Texas, USA
| | - Julie L Lockwood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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Owen‐Ramos JD, Sanchez CJ, Blair S, Holm S, Furnas BJ, Sacks BN. Use of fecal DNA to estimate black bear density in an urban‐wildland interface. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia D. Owen‐Ramos
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory University of California Davis, 1 Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Camilo J. Sanchez
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife Genetics Research Laboratory 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova CA 95670 USA
| | - Shelly Blair
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova CA 95670 USA
| | - Sara Holm
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova CA 95670 USA
| | - Brett J. Furnas
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Health Laboratory 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova CA 95670 USA
| | - Benjamin N. Sacks
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory University of California Davis, 1 Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis, 1 Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
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Comparison of methods for estimating density and population trends for low-density Asian bears. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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5
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Quinn
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Box 355020, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Aaron J. Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Box 352100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael Proctor
- Birchdale Ecological, P.O. Box 606, Kaslo, BC, V0G 1M0, Canada
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Wilson AE, Michaud SA, Jackson AM, Stenhouse G, McClelland CJR, Coops NC, Janz DM. Protein biomarkers in serum as a conservation tool to assess reproduction: a case study on brown bears ( Ursus arctos). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab091. [PMID: 34888057 PMCID: PMC8651255 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the reproductive characteristics of a species can complement existing conservation strategies by understanding the mechanisms underlying demography. However, methodology to determine important aspects of female reproductive biology is often absent in monitoring programs for large mammals. Protein biomarkers may be a useful tool to detect physiological changes that are indicative of reproductive state. This study aimed to identify protein biomarkers of reproductive status in serum collected from free-ranging female brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Alberta, Canada, from 2001 to 2018. We hypothesized that the expression of proteins related to reproduction in addition to energetics and stress can be used to answer specific management-focused questions: (i) identify when a female is pregnant, (ii) detect if a female is lactating, (iii) determine age of sexual maturity (i.e. primiparity) and (iv) assess female fertility (i.e. reproduction rate). Furthermore, we investigated if silver spoon effects (favourable early life conditions provide fitness benefits through adulthood) could be determined using protein expression. A target panel of 19 proteins with established relationships to physiological function was measured by peptide-based analysis using liquid chromatography and multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry and their differential expression was evaluated using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. We found biomarkers of pregnancy (apolipoprotein B-100 and afamin), lactation (apolipoprotein B-100 and alpha-2-macroglobulin) and sexual maturity (corticosteroid-binding globulin), but there were no statistically significant relationships with protein expression and fertility. The expression of proteins related to reproduction (afamin) and energetics (vitamin-D binding protein) was associated with the nutritional quality of the individual's present habitat rather than their early life habitat. This study highlights potential biomarkers of reproductive status and provides additional methods for monitoring physiological function in wildlife to inform conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbey E Wilson
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Sarah A Michaud
- The University of Victoria Genome BC Proteomics Centre, 4464 Markham St #3101, Victoria, British Columbia V8Z 7X8, Canada
| | - Angela M Jackson
- The University of Victoria Genome BC Proteomics Centre, 4464 Markham St #3101, Victoria, British Columbia V8Z 7X8, Canada
| | - Gordon Stenhouse
- Grizzly Bear Program, fRI Research, 1176 Switzer Drive, Hinton, Alberta T7V 1V3, Canada
| | | | - Nicholas C Coops
- Department of Forest Resource Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - David M Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
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Phoebus I, Boulanger J, Eiken HG, Fløystad I, Graham K, Hagen SB, Sorensen A, Stenhouse G. Comparison of grizzly bear hair-snag and scat sampling along roads to inform wildlife population monitoring. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Isobel Phoebus
- I. Phoebus (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5333-0298) ✉ , K. Graham, A. Sorensen and G. Stenhouse (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4551-4585), fRI Research Grizzly Bear Program, Hinton, AB, Canada
| | - John Boulanger
- J. Boulanger (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8222-1445), Integrated Ecological Research, Nelson, BC, Canada
| | - Hans Geir Eiken
- H. G. Eiken (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5368-3648), I. Fløystad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0484-4265) and S. B. Hagen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8289-7752), Norwegian Inst. of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Akershus, Norway
| | - Ida Fløystad
- H. G. Eiken (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5368-3648), I. Fløystad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0484-4265) and S. B. Hagen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8289-7752), Norwegian Inst. of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Akershus, Norway
| | - Karen Graham
- I. Phoebus (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5333-0298) ✉ , K. Graham, A. Sorensen and G. Stenhouse (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4551-4585), fRI Research Grizzly Bear Program, Hinton, AB, Canada
| | - Snorre B. Hagen
- H. G. Eiken (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5368-3648), I. Fløystad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0484-4265) and S. B. Hagen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8289-7752), Norwegian Inst. of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Akershus, Norway
| | - Anja Sorensen
- I. Phoebus (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5333-0298) ✉ , K. Graham, A. Sorensen and G. Stenhouse (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4551-4585), fRI Research Grizzly Bear Program, Hinton, AB, Canada
| | - Gordon Stenhouse
- I. Phoebus (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5333-0298) ✉ , K. Graham, A. Sorensen and G. Stenhouse (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4551-4585), fRI Research Grizzly Bear Program, Hinton, AB, Canada
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