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Podar NA, Carrell AA, Cassidy KA, Klingeman DM, Yang Z, Stahler EA, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Podar M. From wolves to humans: oral microbiome resistance to transfer across mammalian hosts. mBio 2024; 15:e0334223. [PMID: 38299854 PMCID: PMC10936156 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03342-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The mammalian mouth is colonized by complex microbial communities, adapted to specific niches, and in homeostasis with the host. Individual microbes interact metabolically and rely primarily on nutrients provided by the host, with which they have potentially co-evolved along the mammalian lineages. The oral environment is similar across mammals, but the diversity, specificity, and evolution of community structure in related or interacting mammals are little understood. Here, we compared the oral microbiomes of dogs with those of wild wolves and humans. In dogs, we found an increased microbial diversity relative to wolves, possibly related to the transition to omnivorous nutrition following domestication. This includes a larger diversity of Patescibacteria than previously reported in any other oral microbiota. The oral microbes are most distinct at bacterial species or strain levels, with few if any shared between humans and canids, while the close evolutionary relationship between wolves and dogs is reflected by numerous shared taxa. More taxa are shared at higher taxonomic levels including with humans, supporting their more ancestral common mammalian colonization followed by diversification. Phylogenies of selected oral bacterial lineages do not support stable human-dog microbial transfers but suggest diversification along mammalian lineages (apes and canids). Therefore, despite millennia of cohabitation and close interaction, the host and its native community controls and limits the assimilation of new microbes, even if closely related. Higher resolution metagenomic and microbial physiological studies, covering a larger mammalian diversity, should help understand how oral communities assemble, adapt, and interact with their hosts.IMPORTANCENumerous types of microbes colonize the mouth after birth and play important roles in maintaining oral health. When the microbiota-host homeostasis is perturbed, proliferation of some bacteria leads to diseases such as caries and periodontitis. Unlike the gut microbiome, the diversity of oral microbes across the mammalian evolutionary space is not understood. Our study compared the oral microbiomes of wild wolves, dogs, and apes (humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos), with the aim of identifying if microbes have been potentially exchanged between humans and dogs as a result of domestication and cohabitation. We found little if any evidence for such exchanges. The significance of our research is in finding that the oral microbiota and/or the host limit the acquisition of exogenous microbes, which is important in the context of natural exclusion of potential novel pathogens. We provide a framework for expanded higher-resolution studies across domestic and wild animals to understand resistance/resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. Podar
- School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Alyssa A. Carrell
- Biosciences Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
| | - Dawn M. Klingeman
- Biosciences Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Zamin Yang
- Biosciences Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Erin A. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
| | - Mircea Podar
- Biosciences Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
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vonHoldt BM, DeCandia AL, Cassidy KA, Stahler EE, Sinsheimer JS, Smith DW, Stahler DR. Patterns of reproduction and autozygosity distinguish the breeding from non-breeding gray wolves of Yellowstone National Park. J Hered 2023:esad062. [PMID: 37793153 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
For species of management concern, accurate estimates of inbreeding and associated consequences on reproduction are crucial for predicting their future viability. However, few studies have partitioned this aspect of genetic viability with respect to reproduction in a group-living social mammal. We investigated the contributions of foundation stock lineages, putative fitness consequences of inbreeding, and genetic diversity of the breeding versus non-reproductive segment of the Yellowstone National Park gray wolf population. Our dataset spans 25 years and seven generations since reintroduction, encompassing 152 nuclear families and 329 litters. We found over 87% of the pedigree foundation genomes persisted and report influxes of allelic diversity from two translocated wolves from a divergent source in Montana. As expected for group-living species, mean kinship significantly increased over time but with minimal loss of observed heterozygosity. Strikingly, the reproductive portion of the population carried a significantly lower genome-wide inbreeding coefficients, autozygosity, and more rapid decay for linkage disequilibrium relative to the non-breeding population. Breeding wolves had significantly longer lifespans and lower inbreeding coefficients than non-breeding wolves. Our model revealed that the number of litters was negatively significantly associated with heterozygosity (R=-0.11). Our findings highlight genetic contributions to fitness, and the importance of the reproductively active individuals in a population to counteract loss of genetic variation in a wild, free-ranging social carnivore. It is crucial for managers to mitigate factors that significantly reduce effective population size and genetic connectivity, which supports the dispersion of genetic variation that aids in rapid evolutionary responses to environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton University, Princeton NJ
| | - Alexandra L DeCandia
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC
| | - Kira A Cassidy
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY
| | - Erin E Stahler
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY
| | - Janet S Sinsheimer
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health and Departments of Human Genetics and Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Douglas W Smith
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY
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SunderRaj J, Rabe JW, Cassidy KA, McIntyre R, Stahler DR, Smith DW. Breeding displacement in gray wolves (Canis lupus): Three males usurp breeding position and pup rearing from a neighboring pack in Yellowstone National Park. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0256618. [PMID: 36449452 PMCID: PMC9710779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) are territorial, group living carnivores that live in packs typically consisting of a dominant breeding pair and their offspring. Breeding tenures are relatively short and competitive, with vacancies usually occurring following a breeder's death, and are often filled by unrelated immigrants or by relatives of the previous breeder. The frequency and conditions of active breeder displacements are poorly understood. Position changes in the dominance hierarchy are common yet rarely documented in detail. We describe a male breeding position turnover in a wolf pack by males from a neighboring pack in mid-summer 2016 in Yellowstone National Park. Over the course of two months, three males from the Mollie's pack displaced the breeding male of the neighboring Wapiti Lake pack, joined the pack's two adult females, and subsequently raised the previous male's four approximately three-month old pups. In the five years following the displacement (2017 to 2021), at least one of the intruding males has successfully bred with the dominant female and most years with a subordinate female (who was one of the pups at the time of displacement). The pack reared pups to adulthood each year. Male breeding displacements are likely influenced by male-male competition and female mate choice. These changes are the result of individuals competing to improve breeding position and may lead to increased pack stability and greater reproductive success. We report in detail on the behavior of a closely observed breeding displacement and we discuss the adaptive benefits of the change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy SunderRaj
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jack W. Rabe
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Rick McIntyre
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America
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Meyer CJ, Cassidy KA, Stahler EE, Brandell EE, Anton CB, Stahler DR, Smith DW. Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1180. [PMID: 36424436 PMCID: PMC9691632 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04122-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite capable of infecting any warm-blooded species and can increase risk-taking in intermediate hosts. Despite extensive laboratory research on the effects of T. gondii infection on behaviour, little is understood about the effects of toxoplasmosis on wild intermediate host behavior. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, has a diverse carnivore community including gray wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor), intermediate and definitive hosts of T. gondii, respectively. Here, we used 26 years of wolf behavioural, spatial, and serological data to show that wolf territory overlap with areas of high cougar density was an important predictor of infection. In addition, seropositive wolves were more likely to make high-risk decisions such as dispersing and becoming a pack leader, both factors critical to individual fitness and wolf vital rates. Due to the social hierarchy within a wolf pack, we hypothesize that the behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis may create a feedback loop that increases spatial overlap and disease transmission between wolves and cougars. These findings demonstrate that parasites have important implications for intermediate hosts, beyond acute infections, through behavioural impacts. Particularly in a social species, these impacts can surge beyond individuals to affect groups, populations, and even ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J. Meyer
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA ,grid.253613.00000 0001 2192 5772Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
| | - Erin E. Stahler
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
| | - Ellen E. Brandell
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
| | - Colby B. Anton
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 USA
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Crouse KN, Desai NP, Cassidy KA, Stahler EE, Lehman CL, Wilson ML. Larger territories reduce mortality risk for chimpanzees, wolves, and agents: Multiple lines of evidence in a model validation framework. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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DeCandia AL, Cassidy KA, Stahler DR, Stahler EA, vonHoldt BM. Social environment and genetics underlie body site-specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves ( Canis lupus). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9472-9488. [PMID: 34306636 PMCID: PMC8293786 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The host-associated microbiome is an important player in the ecology and evolution of species. Despite growing interest in the medical, veterinary, and conservation communities, there remain numerous questions about the primary factors underlying microbiota, particularly in wildlife. We bridged this knowledge gap by leveraging microbial, genetic, and observational data collected in a wild, pedigreed population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) inhabiting Yellowstone National Park. We characterized body site-specific microbes across six haired and mucosal body sites (and two fecal samples) using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. At the phylum level, we found that the microbiome of gray wolves primarily consists of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria, consistent with previous studies within Mammalia and Canidae. At the genus level, we documented body site-specific microbiota with functions relevant to microenvironment and local physiological processes. We additionally employed observational and RAD sequencing data to examine genetic, demographic, and environmental correlates of skin and gut microbiota. We surveyed individuals across several levels of pedigree relationships, generations, and social groups, and found that social environment (i.e., pack) and genetic relatedness were two primary factors associated with microbial community composition to differing degrees between body sites. We additionally reported body condition and coat color as secondary factors underlying gut and skin microbiomes, respectively. We concluded that gray wolf microbiota resemble similar host species, differ between body sites, and are shaped by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors. These results provide baseline information for this long-term study population and yield important insights into the evolutionary history, ecology, and conservation of wild wolves and their associated microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. DeCandia
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
| | - Erin A. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
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Metz MC, SunderRaj J, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Kohl MT, Cassidy KA, Hebblewhite M. Accounting for imperfect detection in observational studies: modeling wolf sightability in Yellowstone National Park. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Metz
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
- Yellowstone Wolf Project Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Wyoming 82190 USA
| | - Jeremy SunderRaj
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Wolf Project Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Wyoming 82190 USA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Wolf Project Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Wyoming 82190 USA
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- Yellowstone Wolf Project Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Wyoming 82190 USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
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8
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vonHoldt BM, DeCandia AL, Heppenheimer E, Janowitz-Koch I, Shi R, Zhou H, German CA, Brzeski KE, Cassidy KA, Stahler DR, Sinsheimer JS. Heritability of interpack aggression in a wild pedigreed population of North American grey wolves. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1764-1775. [PMID: 31905256 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a quantitative trait deeply entwined with individual fitness. Mapping the genomic architecture underlying such traits is complicated by complex inheritance patterns, social structure, pedigree information and gene pleiotropy. Here, we leveraged the pedigree of a reintroduced population of grey wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, to examine the heritability of and the genetic variation associated with aggression. Since their reintroduction, many ecological and behavioural aspects have been documented, providing unmatched records of aggressive behaviour across multiple generations of a wild population of wolves. Using a linear mixed model, a robust genetic relationship matrix, 12,288 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 111 wolves, we estimated the SNP-based heritability of aggression to be 37% and an additional 14% of the phenotypic variation explained by shared environmental exposures. We identified 598 SNP genotypes from 425 grey wolves to resolve a consensus pedigree that was included in a heritability analysis of 141 individuals with SNP genotype, metadata and aggression data. The pedigree-based heritability estimate for aggression is 14%, and an additional 16% of the phenotypic variation was explained by shared environmental exposures. We find strong effects of breeding status and relative pack size on aggression. Through an integrative approach, these results provide a framework for understanding the genetic architecture of a complex trait that influences individual fitness, with linkages to reproduction, in a social carnivore. Along with a few other studies, we show here the incredible utility of a pedigreed natural population for dissecting a complex, fitness-related behavioural trait.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ruoyao Shi
- BioKnow Health Informatics Lab, College of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher A German
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - Kira A Cassidy
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA
| | - Janet S Sinsheimer
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics and Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Cassidy KA, Mech LD, MacNulty DR, Stahler DR, Smith DW. Sexually dimorphic aggression indicates male gray wolves specialize in pack defense against conspecific groups. Behav Processes 2017; 136:64-72. [PMID: 28143722 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Aggression directed at conspecific groups is common among gregarious, territorial species, and for some species such as gray wolves (Canis lupus) intraspecific strife is the leading cause of natural mortality. Each individual in a group likely has different measures of the costs and benefits associated with a group task, such as an aggressive attack on another group, which can alter motivation and behavior. We observed 292 inter-pack aggressive interactions in Yellowstone National Park between 1 April 1995 and 1 April 2011 (>5300days of observation) in order to determine the role of both sexes, and the influence of pack, age, and other traits on aggression. We recorded the behaviors and characteristics of all individuals present during the interactions (n=534 individuals) and which individuals participated in each step (i.e. chase, attack, kill, flight) of the interaction. Overall, all wolves were more likely to chase rivals if they outnumbered their opponent, suggesting packs accurately assess their opponent's size during encounters and individuals adjust their behavior based on relative pack size. Males were more likely than females to chase rival packs and gray-colored wolves were more aggressive than black-colored wolves. Male wolves and gray-colored wolves also recorded higher cortisol levels than females and black-colored wolves, indicating hormonal support for more intense aggressive behavior. Further, we found a positive correlation between male age and probability of chasing, while age-specific participation for females remained constant. Chasing behavior was influenced by the sex of lone intruders, with males more likely to chase male intruders. This difference in behavior suggests male and female wolves may have different strategies and motivations during inter-pack aggressive interactions related to gray wolf mating systems. A division of labor between pack members concerning resource and territory defense suggests selection for specific traits related to aggression is an adaptive response to intense competition between groups of conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira A Cassidy
- Natural Resource Science and Management, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue N, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA; Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190, USA.
| | - L David Mech
- U. S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th St., S.E., Jamestown, ND, 58401-7317, USA
| | - Daniel R MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190, USA
| | - Douglas W Smith
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190, USA
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Borg BL, Arthur SM, Bromen NA, Cassidy KA, McIntyre R, Smith DW, Prugh LR. Implications of Harvest on the Boundaries of Protected Areas for Large Carnivore Viewing Opportunities. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153808. [PMID: 27124729 PMCID: PMC4849653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The desire to see free ranging large carnivores in their natural habitat is a driver of tourism in protected areas around the globe. However, large carnivores are wide-ranging and subject to human-caused mortality outside protected area boundaries. The impact of harvest (trapping or hunting) on wildlife viewing opportunities has been the subject of intense debate and speculation, but quantitative analyses have been lacking. We examined the effect of legal harvest of wolves (Canis lupus) along the boundaries of two North American National Parks, Denali (DNPP) and Yellowstone (YNP), on wolf viewing opportunities within the parks during peak tourist season. We used data on wolf sightings, pack sizes, den site locations, and harvest adjacent to DNPP from 1997–2013 and YNP from 2008–2013 to evaluate the relationship between harvest and wolf viewing opportunities. Although sightings were largely driven by wolf population size and proximity of den sites to roads, sightings in both parks were significantly reduced by harvest. Sightings in YNP increased by 45% following years with no harvest of a wolf from a pack, and sightings in DNPP were more than twice as likely during a period with a harvest buffer zone than in years without the buffer. These findings show that harvest of wolves adjacent to protected areas can reduce sightings within those areas despite minimal impacts on the size of protected wolf populations. Consumptive use of carnivores adjacent to protected areas may therefore reduce their potential for non-consumptive use, and these tradeoffs should be considered when developing regional wildlife management policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget L. Borg
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology, 323 Murie Building, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States of America
- National Park Service, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska 99755, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephen M. Arthur
- National Park Service, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska 99755, United States of America
| | - Nicholas A. Bromen
- National Park Service, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska 99755, United States of America
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Wolf Project, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190, United States of America
| | - Rick McIntyre
- National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Wolf Project, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190, United States of America
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Wolf Project, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190, United States of America
| | - Laura R. Prugh
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology, 323 Murie Building, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States of America
- University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Box 352100, Seattle Washington 98195, United States of America
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Smith DW, Metz MC, Cassidy KA, Stahler EE, McIntyre RT, Almberg ES, Stahler DR. Infanticide in wolves: seasonality of mortalities and attacks at dens support evolution of territoriality. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Cassidy KA, MacNulty DR, Stahler DR, Smith DW, Mech LD. Group composition effects on aggressive interpack interactions of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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