Logan Whiles, Lisa A Shipley, Jocelyn R Akins, Roger G Christophersen, Jason I Ransom, Taal Levi, Daniel H Thornton
Declines in populations of small mammals associated with high elevations, e.g., marmots (Marmota spp.) and pikas (Ochotona spp.), have been attributed to both direct and indirect effects of environmental changes caused by humans. For example, populations of Olympic marmots (M. olympus) and Vancouver Island marmots (M. vancouverensis) have declined in response to increased predator access to high-elevation marmot habitats. In the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA), observed mean abundance of hoary marmots (M. caligata) declined by 74% from 2007 to 2016. Although these declines have been linked to harsh winter conditions, the role of predation and its association with decreasing snowpack has yet to be explored in this system. We noninvasively examined these predator–prey dynamics by coupling behavioral surveys of hoary marmots with indices of predation risk. We conducted 145 vigilance samples and 39 flight initiation distance trials to measure Hoary Marmot antipredator behavior. We derived a risk index for each predator by weighting its probability of use estimates (the probability of a predator–prey encounter) with its observed proportion of Hoary Marmot predation (probability of prey death given an encounter). We used genetic metabarcoding of vertebrate DNA from 413 predator scat samples to quantify predation on hoary marmots. We surveyed 9,930 trap-nights using 130 remote cameras to model predator probability of use near Hoary Marmot colonies. From camera traps and scat DNA, we detected 10 predator species in the study area, and we detected hoary marmots in the scats of 5 of these species. The proportion of observed Hoary Marmot predation was highest for coyotes (Canis latrans) at 50%. To our knowledge, we also report the first record of hoary marmots being consumed by Pacific martens (Martes caurina), which were also significant predators (proportion of observed predation = 32%). We expected predators with low-elevation habits to use sites with lesser snow persistence; this prediction was supported for coyotes but not for other typically low-elevation predators. We found estimated risk experienced by hoary marmots was highest from Pacific martens and lowest from Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis). Contrary to our predictions and despite hoary marmots allocating >50% of their time to vigilance, neither estimates of predator risk nor human presence explained variation in marmot antipredator behavior. Based on the results from both our dietary and probability of use analyses, we expect coyotes to have an increasing effect on NOCA’s Hoary Marmot population as the climate warms and Coyote range continues to expand. Thus, our work highlights the need to better understand the effect of climate-driven shifts in predator–prey ecology in high-elevation systems.
{"title":"Predation risk for hoary marmots in Washington’s North Cascades Mountains","authors":"Logan Whiles, Lisa A Shipley, Jocelyn R Akins, Roger G Christophersen, Jason I Ransom, Taal Levi, Daniel H Thornton","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae086","url":null,"abstract":"Declines in populations of small mammals associated with high elevations, e.g., marmots (Marmota spp.) and pikas (Ochotona spp.), have been attributed to both direct and indirect effects of environmental changes caused by humans. For example, populations of Olympic marmots (M. olympus) and Vancouver Island marmots (M. vancouverensis) have declined in response to increased predator access to high-elevation marmot habitats. In the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA), observed mean abundance of hoary marmots (M. caligata) declined by 74% from 2007 to 2016. Although these declines have been linked to harsh winter conditions, the role of predation and its association with decreasing snowpack has yet to be explored in this system. We noninvasively examined these predator–prey dynamics by coupling behavioral surveys of hoary marmots with indices of predation risk. We conducted 145 vigilance samples and 39 flight initiation distance trials to measure Hoary Marmot antipredator behavior. We derived a risk index for each predator by weighting its probability of use estimates (the probability of a predator–prey encounter) with its observed proportion of Hoary Marmot predation (probability of prey death given an encounter). We used genetic metabarcoding of vertebrate DNA from 413 predator scat samples to quantify predation on hoary marmots. We surveyed 9,930 trap-nights using 130 remote cameras to model predator probability of use near Hoary Marmot colonies. From camera traps and scat DNA, we detected 10 predator species in the study area, and we detected hoary marmots in the scats of 5 of these species. The proportion of observed Hoary Marmot predation was highest for coyotes (Canis latrans) at 50%. To our knowledge, we also report the first record of hoary marmots being consumed by Pacific martens (Martes caurina), which were also significant predators (proportion of observed predation = 32%). We expected predators with low-elevation habits to use sites with lesser snow persistence; this prediction was supported for coyotes but not for other typically low-elevation predators. We found estimated risk experienced by hoary marmots was highest from Pacific martens and lowest from Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis). Contrary to our predictions and despite hoary marmots allocating >50% of their time to vigilance, neither estimates of predator risk nor human presence explained variation in marmot antipredator behavior. Based on the results from both our dietary and probability of use analyses, we expect coyotes to have an increasing effect on NOCA’s Hoary Marmot population as the climate warms and Coyote range continues to expand. Thus, our work highlights the need to better understand the effect of climate-driven shifts in predator–prey ecology in high-elevation systems.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142176014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
William J McShea, Olivia Cosby, Andy J Boyce, Valentine Herrmann, Rosalina Ragai, Paul Y Imbun
The correlates of mammal species richness and community associations along elevation gradients have resulted in conflicting results within tropical systems. We surveyed the terrestrial mammal and gallinaceous bird community (>200 g body size) along transects at 4 mountain sites in Malaysian Borneo using camera traps to assess structuring of the mammal community along the elevation gradient. Between 2015 and 2021, we surveyed Bukit Lanjak (elevation 1,300 m) in Sarawak (Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary; LEWS) and Mts. Kinabalu, Tambuyukon, and Magdalena (up to 2,400 m) in Sabah, with a total sample effort of 20,600 camera nights. We detected 48 species of mammals and 9 species of large terrestrial birds. There was mostly a common species pool across the sites, with only 9 species detected solely in LEWS and 5 species only in Sabah. Over our limited elevation range, no species were detected across the entire elevation range and no common species were confined to the highest elevation sites in Sabah or LEWS (>1,000 m). A species richness curve for each location indicated a slight peak at ~1,000 m for LEWS, but the mid-elevation peak was not evident at Sabah. The individual response curves of relative abundance to the elevation gradient for 15 species with sufficient detections were similar across sites (1 exception—Malaysian Porcupine) with 6 species showing no correlation with elevation, while 4 species increased and 4 species decreased in detections with elevation. A multivariate analysis of species detections found herbivores at lower elevations and mesocarnivores at higher elevations, while species of the same foraging guilds differed in body size at the same elevation. As opposed to studies focused on smaller vertebrate species (i.e., rodents, songbirds), larger mammal and terrestrial bird communities in these mountains did not form unique communities along the elevation gradient but did structure according to the functional traits of foraging guilds and body size.
{"title":"The structure of terrestrial mammal communities along an elevation gradient in the tropics.","authors":"William J McShea, Olivia Cosby, Andy J Boyce, Valentine Herrmann, Rosalina Ragai, Paul Y Imbun","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae087","url":null,"abstract":"The correlates of mammal species richness and community associations along elevation gradients have resulted in conflicting results within tropical systems. We surveyed the terrestrial mammal and gallinaceous bird community (>200 g body size) along transects at 4 mountain sites in Malaysian Borneo using camera traps to assess structuring of the mammal community along the elevation gradient. Between 2015 and 2021, we surveyed Bukit Lanjak (elevation 1,300 m) in Sarawak (Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary; LEWS) and Mts. Kinabalu, Tambuyukon, and Magdalena (up to 2,400 m) in Sabah, with a total sample effort of 20,600 camera nights. We detected 48 species of mammals and 9 species of large terrestrial birds. There was mostly a common species pool across the sites, with only 9 species detected solely in LEWS and 5 species only in Sabah. Over our limited elevation range, no species were detected across the entire elevation range and no common species were confined to the highest elevation sites in Sabah or LEWS (>1,000 m). A species richness curve for each location indicated a slight peak at ~1,000 m for LEWS, but the mid-elevation peak was not evident at Sabah. The individual response curves of relative abundance to the elevation gradient for 15 species with sufficient detections were similar across sites (1 exception—Malaysian Porcupine) with 6 species showing no correlation with elevation, while 4 species increased and 4 species decreased in detections with elevation. A multivariate analysis of species detections found herbivores at lower elevations and mesocarnivores at higher elevations, while species of the same foraging guilds differed in body size at the same elevation. As opposed to studies focused on smaller vertebrate species (i.e., rodents, songbirds), larger mammal and terrestrial bird communities in these mountains did not form unique communities along the elevation gradient but did structure according to the functional traits of foraging guilds and body size.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142176015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huiqing Chen, Guozhen Shang, Lu Zhang, Xin Dong, Xueqin Wu, Yan Wu, Jianghui Bian
Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) play a keystone role in the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). For decades, QTP grasslands have become degraded to some degree, largely as a result of heavy livestock grazing. Concomitantly, the abundance of plateau pikas has increased dramatically as grassland degradation has altered the vegetation community structure and dominant species, shifting the plant nutrient contents toward higher protein conditions that favor them. Considerable research supports the hypothesis that the quantity and quality of food limit herbivore populations. Here, we examined the relationship between the availability of essential amino acids in the diets of plateau pikas and the degree of meadow degradation associated with livestock grazing intensity through a field survey, as well as the fitness of individuals by laboratory feeding experiments with 2 pelleted chows containing 0.26% and 0.45% methionine. Sulfur-containing methionine and cystine were the most limiting amino acids in the diets of pikas. During the pika breeding season, the concentrations of most essential acids, particularly methionine and cystine, were higher in heavily degraded meadows than in lightly and moderately degraded meadows. Individuals fed 0.45% methionine exhibited enhanced cell-mediated immunity, reduced intensity of coccidian infection, and increased concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone compared to those fed 0.26% methionine. These results showed that heavily degraded meadows provided relatively high-quality food that improved individual fitness, suggesting that the high-methionine food in the heavily degraded meadows may be a key factor in the generation and maintenance of high-density populations of plateau pikas.
{"title":"Habitat-induced changes in forage quality and implications for fitness in Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae)","authors":"Huiqing Chen, Guozhen Shang, Lu Zhang, Xin Dong, Xueqin Wu, Yan Wu, Jianghui Bian","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae089","url":null,"abstract":"Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) play a keystone role in the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). For decades, QTP grasslands have become degraded to some degree, largely as a result of heavy livestock grazing. Concomitantly, the abundance of plateau pikas has increased dramatically as grassland degradation has altered the vegetation community structure and dominant species, shifting the plant nutrient contents toward higher protein conditions that favor them. Considerable research supports the hypothesis that the quantity and quality of food limit herbivore populations. Here, we examined the relationship between the availability of essential amino acids in the diets of plateau pikas and the degree of meadow degradation associated with livestock grazing intensity through a field survey, as well as the fitness of individuals by laboratory feeding experiments with 2 pelleted chows containing 0.26% and 0.45% methionine. Sulfur-containing methionine and cystine were the most limiting amino acids in the diets of pikas. During the pika breeding season, the concentrations of most essential acids, particularly methionine and cystine, were higher in heavily degraded meadows than in lightly and moderately degraded meadows. Individuals fed 0.45% methionine exhibited enhanced cell-mediated immunity, reduced intensity of coccidian infection, and increased concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone compared to those fed 0.26% methionine. These results showed that heavily degraded meadows provided relatively high-quality food that improved individual fitness, suggesting that the high-methionine food in the heavily degraded meadows may be a key factor in the generation and maintenance of high-density populations of plateau pikas.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142176016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-08eCollection Date: 2024-10-01DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyae076
Jennifer A Clarke
Mother-offspring communication is especially crucial for social species in order to synchronize activities essential for early survival including nursing, resting, maintaining proximity during group movements between food or water sources, and locating one another if separated in a large social group. One of the most social ungulate species in North America is the American Bison (Bison bison), formerly known as buffalo. Adult female bison associate with their young for over a year and communication between mother and offspring is likely essential for establishing and maintaining a bond upon which the life of a calf depends. One goal of this study was to quantify and compare the acoustic form of vocalizations of adult female, subadult, and calf bison and to determine how age classes differed in call structure. The other goal was to identify the contexts in which bison vocalized. Vocalizations of 101 bison (53 adult females, 15 subadults, 33 calves) in a semi-free-ranging herd in Montana were analyzed and found to be pulsatile sounds, unlike vocalizations of bison bulls or domestic cows and calves. Vocalizations of bison cows, subadults, and calves differed significantly in total duration, numbers of pulses, pulse duration, and pulse rate. Seven distinct call contexts were identified. The majority of calls were "moving-on calls" (39%), when a cow called and her calf ran to her side and the 2 moved on together, and "contact calls" (21%) when a cow called and her calf called back but neither changed their location. "Imprinting calls" and "nursing calls" were also identified. Mother-offspring acoustic communication in bison appears especially critical for coordinating movements. Understanding the role of acoustic communication in maintaining the bond between bison mothers and their offspring can contribute to the humane management and welfare of this iconic species.
{"title":"Bison mother-offspring acoustic communication.","authors":"Jennifer A Clarke","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mother-offspring communication is especially crucial for social species in order to synchronize activities essential for early survival including nursing, resting, maintaining proximity during group movements between food or water sources, and locating one another if separated in a large social group. One of the most social ungulate species in North America is the American Bison (<i>Bison bison</i>), formerly known as buffalo. Adult female bison associate with their young for over a year and communication between mother and offspring is likely essential for establishing and maintaining a bond upon which the life of a calf depends. One goal of this study was to quantify and compare the acoustic form of vocalizations of adult female, subadult, and calf bison and to determine how age classes differed in call structure. The other goal was to identify the contexts in which bison vocalized. Vocalizations of 101 bison (53 adult females, 15 subadults, 33 calves) in a semi-free-ranging herd in Montana were analyzed and found to be pulsatile sounds, unlike vocalizations of bison bulls or domestic cows and calves. Vocalizations of bison cows, subadults, and calves differed significantly in total duration, numbers of pulses, pulse duration, and pulse rate. Seven distinct call contexts were identified. The majority of calls were \"moving-on calls\" (39%), when a cow called and her calf ran to her side and the 2 moved on together, and \"contact calls\" (21%) when a cow called and her calf called back but neither changed their location. \"Imprinting calls\" and \"nursing calls\" were also identified. Mother-offspring acoustic communication in bison appears especially critical for coordinating movements. Understanding the role of acoustic communication in maintaining the bond between bison mothers and their offspring can contribute to the humane management and welfare of this iconic species.</p>","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"105 5","pages":"1182-1189"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11427542/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142331418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bridgett M Benedict, Daniel P Thompson, John A Crouse, Gabriel L Hamer, Perry S Barboza
Moose (Alces alces) in boreal habitats feed and rest where they are exposed to Dipteran flies and the parasites they carry. We collected 31,905 flies during the summer from 12 habituated moose on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Moose flies, Haematobosca alcis (Snow), Diptera: Muscidae—a species that completes its entire life cycle on or around moose—accounted for 91% of flies collected; the reminder of the flies collected included mosquitoes (Culicidae), black flies (Simuliidae), and deer flies (Tabanidae). Flies impose physiological costs for moose, e.g., vectors for parasites such as Legworm (Onchocerca spp.) which causes sores on the hind legs of moose. We found that the number of sores present on the hind legs of moose is positively correlated with body fat, which suggests a correlation between gains of energy and damage from flies. We also found that the number of sores is negatively correlated with serum albumin, which is indicative of an inflammatory response and body protein being used to repair injuries from flies and parasites. The number or type of flies present on a Moose were not correlated with the concentration of corticosteroids in saliva or feces. Flies do not elicit a stress response in moose even though the costs of repairing wounds and resisting infections of those wounds likely reduce gains of protein from summer foraging. Moose can tolerate the injuries from biting flies with regular gains from summer foraging but exposure to insect-borne parasites poses a risk to reproduction and survival.
{"title":"Wounded but unstressed: Moose tolerate injurious flies in the boreal forest","authors":"Bridgett M Benedict, Daniel P Thompson, John A Crouse, Gabriel L Hamer, Perry S Barboza","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae081","url":null,"abstract":"Moose (Alces alces) in boreal habitats feed and rest where they are exposed to Dipteran flies and the parasites they carry. We collected 31,905 flies during the summer from 12 habituated moose on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Moose flies, Haematobosca alcis (Snow), Diptera: Muscidae—a species that completes its entire life cycle on or around moose—accounted for 91% of flies collected; the reminder of the flies collected included mosquitoes (Culicidae), black flies (Simuliidae), and deer flies (Tabanidae). Flies impose physiological costs for moose, e.g., vectors for parasites such as Legworm (Onchocerca spp.) which causes sores on the hind legs of moose. We found that the number of sores present on the hind legs of moose is positively correlated with body fat, which suggests a correlation between gains of energy and damage from flies. We also found that the number of sores is negatively correlated with serum albumin, which is indicative of an inflammatory response and body protein being used to repair injuries from flies and parasites. The number or type of flies present on a Moose were not correlated with the concentration of corticosteroids in saliva or feces. Flies do not elicit a stress response in moose even though the costs of repairing wounds and resisting infections of those wounds likely reduce gains of protein from summer foraging. Moose can tolerate the injuries from biting flies with regular gains from summer foraging but exposure to insect-borne parasites poses a risk to reproduction and survival.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141942608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily A Wright, Robert D Bradley, Joseph D Manthey
Over the last century, Texas has been inundated with exotic ungulates, with as many as 67 species represented by captive and free-ranging populations. One of the most successful species to have established free-ranging populations is the Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia). Herein, we expand on previous genetic studies in Aoudad by including new genomic profiles based on double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing methods with the intent of better understanding the effects of >70 years of human-mediated translocations, population expansion, and gene flow among populations. Using a range of 4,338 to 5,529 single-nucleotide polymorphisms obtained from 73 individuals that potentially represented A. l. blainei, A. l. lervia, and A. l. sahariensis, we measured genetic patterns of diversity and connectivity between source populations from California and New Mexico and resultant aoudad populations in Texas. Principal component analyses identified phylogeographically structured populations across Texas. Further, we identified a signature of isolation by distance among Texas populations. To assess geographic regions that facilitated or blocked gene flow between populations, we used estimation of effective migration surfaces, which indicated 3 barriers to movement between populations as well as connectivity among populations in close proximity. Comparison of mtDNA haplogroups and nuclear genotypes among the 3 examined subspecies were discordant, indicating that the current subspecific taxonomic classification needs refinement. Given the vulnerable status of Aoudad in their native range of northern Africa and the exponential population growth and potential competition with native ungulates in Texas, we propose that efforts to manage non-native Aoudad should strive to maintain and preserve unique genetic units while minimizing competition and other detriments to native species in Texas. Conservation efforts are especially important given the vulnerable status of Aoudad within their native range of northern Africa.
在过去的一个世纪里，得克萨斯州涌入了大量的外来有蹄类动物，人工饲养和自由放养的种群多达 67 种。其中最成功地建立了自由放养种群的物种之一是Aoudad（Ammotragus lervia）。在本文中，我们基于双酶切限制性位点相关 DNA 测序方法，纳入了新的基因组图谱，从而扩展了之前对 Aoudad 的遗传研究，目的是更好地了解 70 年来由人类介导的易位、种群扩张和种群间基因流动所产生的影响。利用从可能代表 A. l. blainei、A. l. lervia 和 A. l. sahariensis 的 73 个个体中获得的 4,338 至 5,529 个单核苷酸多态性，我们测量了加利福尼亚州和新墨西哥州的源种群与得克萨斯州的 aoudad 后代种群之间的多样性和连接性遗传模式。主成分分析确定了德克萨斯州的系统地理结构种群。此外，我们还确定了德克萨斯州种群之间的距离隔离特征。为了评估促进或阻碍种群间基因流动的地理区域，我们使用了有效迁移面估算法，该估算法显示了种群间的3个迁移障碍以及临近种群间的连通性。所研究的 3 个亚种之间的 mtDNA 单倍群和核基因型比较不一致，这表明目前的亚种分类需要改进。鉴于奥达德在其原产地非洲北部的脆弱地位，以及在得克萨斯州的指数级种群增长和与本地有蹄类动物的潜在竞争，我们建议管理非本地奥达德的工作应努力维持和保护独特的遗传单位，同时尽量减少竞争和对得克萨斯州本地物种的其他损害。鉴于奥达德在其原产地非洲北部的脆弱地位，保护工作尤为重要。
{"title":"Translocations, rising populations, and phylogeographic consequences: genomic implications for conservation of introduced Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) in the southwestern United States","authors":"Emily A Wright, Robert D Bradley, Joseph D Manthey","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae078","url":null,"abstract":"Over the last century, Texas has been inundated with exotic ungulates, with as many as 67 species represented by captive and free-ranging populations. One of the most successful species to have established free-ranging populations is the Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia). Herein, we expand on previous genetic studies in Aoudad by including new genomic profiles based on double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing methods with the intent of better understanding the effects of &gt;70 years of human-mediated translocations, population expansion, and gene flow among populations. Using a range of 4,338 to 5,529 single-nucleotide polymorphisms obtained from 73 individuals that potentially represented A. l. blainei, A. l. lervia, and A. l. sahariensis, we measured genetic patterns of diversity and connectivity between source populations from California and New Mexico and resultant aoudad populations in Texas. Principal component analyses identified phylogeographically structured populations across Texas. Further, we identified a signature of isolation by distance among Texas populations. To assess geographic regions that facilitated or blocked gene flow between populations, we used estimation of effective migration surfaces, which indicated 3 barriers to movement between populations as well as connectivity among populations in close proximity. Comparison of mtDNA haplogroups and nuclear genotypes among the 3 examined subspecies were discordant, indicating that the current subspecific taxonomic classification needs refinement. Given the vulnerable status of Aoudad in their native range of northern Africa and the exponential population growth and potential competition with native ungulates in Texas, we propose that efforts to manage non-native Aoudad should strive to maintain and preserve unique genetic units while minimizing competition and other detriments to native species in Texas. Conservation efforts are especially important given the vulnerable status of Aoudad within their native range of northern Africa.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141942607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jonathan R Argov, Nesha B Michaels, Rachel A Smiley, Brittany L Wagler, Jack N Gavin, Alyson B Courtemanch, Dean Clause, Rusty C Kaiser, Daryl Lutz, Brandon Scurlock, Kevin L Monteith
Reproductive phenology is a critical element of how animals persist in their environment and affects survival of young, especially in seasonal environments. We investigated the correlation between fetal eye diameter and birth timing to determine if birthdates could be predicted by a prenatal metric. We used ultrasonography to measure eye diameters of fetuses and vaginal implant transmitters to determine birthdates of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in Wyoming, United States, from 2019 to 2023. Fetal eye diameter strongly predicted days until birth (β = −2.8; pseudo-R2 = 0.88). Effective prediction of birthdates via ultrasonography can yield opportunities for logistical planning in neonatal studies, monitoring changes in reproductive phenology, and evaluating questions of resource allocation relative to reproductive processes.
{"title":"Prediction of birthdates based on fetal development in Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis)","authors":"Jonathan R Argov, Nesha B Michaels, Rachel A Smiley, Brittany L Wagler, Jack N Gavin, Alyson B Courtemanch, Dean Clause, Rusty C Kaiser, Daryl Lutz, Brandon Scurlock, Kevin L Monteith","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae082","url":null,"abstract":"Reproductive phenology is a critical element of how animals persist in their environment and affects survival of young, especially in seasonal environments. We investigated the correlation between fetal eye diameter and birth timing to determine if birthdates could be predicted by a prenatal metric. We used ultrasonography to measure eye diameters of fetuses and vaginal implant transmitters to determine birthdates of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in Wyoming, United States, from 2019 to 2023. Fetal eye diameter strongly predicted days until birth (β = −2.8; pseudo-R2 = 0.88). Effective prediction of birthdates via ultrasonography can yield opportunities for logistical planning in neonatal studies, monitoring changes in reproductive phenology, and evaluating questions of resource allocation relative to reproductive processes.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"167 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141942609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The House Mouse, Mus musculus, is a model organism that has greatly contributed to evolutionary research. Despite its significance, there remain gaps in our understanding of its phylogeography and population genetic structure in Asian regions. This comprehensive study aims to elucidate the evolutionary history, genetic diversity, and distribution patterns of M. musculus. A diverse data set of 281 M. musculus samples was collected from across Asia, covering 101 localities in 19 countries. Phylogenetic analysis using Cytochrome b and D-Loop region unveiled well-supported lineages. These lineages correspond to: M. m. musculus, M. m. domesticus, M. m. castaneus, and M. m. bactrianus. Also, validity of M. m. bactrianus was questioned. The analysis suggests a monophyletic origin of these subspecies approximately 0.59 million years ago (Mya), followed by 2 main lineages—one consisting of M. m. domesticus (~0.59 Mya) and the other comprising M. m. castaneus, M. m. bactrianus, and M. m. musculus (~0.56 Mya). Genetic diversity varied among subspecies, with M. m. domesticus exhibiting the highest diversity due to its extensive global distribution and M. m. bactrianus exhibiting the lowest diversity due to restriction in southwest Asia. Pairwise genetic distances and Fst values confirmed significant genetic differentiation among the subspecies, underlining their historical isolation. Additionally, a Mantel test indicated that geographical distance played a pivotal role in shaping genetic differentiation. Demographic analysis revealed evidence of population expansions in M. m. domesticus, M. m. musculus, and M. m. castaneus, while M. m. bactrianus showed characteristics of neutral selection and genetic drift. Species distribution modeling, assessing both Current Conditions and the Last Glacial Maximum, indicated habitat shifts and losses during glacial periods, particularly in the eastern and northern regions of Asia. However, each subspecies displayed unique responses to climatic changes, reflecting their distinct ecological adaptations. Historical biogeography analysis pointed to complex origins and a network of dispersal and vicariance events that led to the contemporary distribution of subspecies. Deserts and xeric shrublands emerged as critical areas for diversification and speciation. This study contributes to our understanding of the phylogeography and population genetics of M. musculus in Asia, highlighting the significance of geographical factors and climatic fluctuations in shaping its evolutionary history and genetic diversity.
家鼠（Mus musculus）是一种模式生物，为进化研究做出了巨大贡献。尽管它具有重要意义，但我们对其在亚洲地区的系统地理学和种群遗传结构的了解仍然存在差距。这项综合研究旨在阐明麝的进化历史、遗传多样性和分布模式。该研究从亚洲各地收集了 281 个 M. musculus 样本，涵盖 19 个国家的 101 个地点。利用细胞色素b和D-环区域进行的系统发育分析揭示了支持良好的世系。这些世系分别对应于M. m. musculus、M. m. domesticus、M. m. castaneus 和 M. m. bactrianus。此外，M. m. bactrianus 的有效性也受到了质疑。分析表明，这些亚种的单系起源于距今约 59 万年前，其后有两个主系--一个由 M. m. domesticus（约 59 万年前）组成，另一个由 M. m. castaneus、M. m. bactrianus 和 M. m. musculus（约 56 万年前）组成。不同亚种之间的遗传多样性各不相同，其中蓖麻蜥由于广泛分布于全球而表现出最高的多样性，而双耳蓖麻蜥由于局限于亚洲西南部而表现出最低的多样性。成对遗传距离和 Fst 值证实了各亚种之间存在显著的遗传分化，强调了其历史隔离性。此外，Mantel 检验表明，地理距离在形成遗传分化方面起着关键作用。人口统计学分析表明，骡马驯养种、骡马麝香种和骡马蓖麻种有种群扩张的迹象，而双峰骡马麝香种则表现出中性选择和遗传漂变的特征。物种分布模型同时评估了当前状况和末次冰川最盛时期，结果表明在冰川时期，尤其是在亚洲东部和北部地区，栖息地发生了迁移和消失。然而，每个亚种都对气候变化表现出独特的反应，反映出它们不同的生态适应性。历史生物地理学分析表明，亚种的复杂起源以及扩散和替代事件网络导致了亚种在当代的分布。沙漠和干旱灌木地成为物种多样化和分化的关键地区。这项研究有助于我们了解亚洲麝的系统地理学和种群遗传学，突出了地理因素和气候波动在塑造其进化史和遗传多样性方面的重要性。
{"title":"Asian Mus musculus: subspecies divergence, genetic diversity, and historical biogeography","authors":"Yaser Amir Afzali","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae075","url":null,"abstract":"The House Mouse, Mus musculus, is a model organism that has greatly contributed to evolutionary research. Despite its significance, there remain gaps in our understanding of its phylogeography and population genetic structure in Asian regions. This comprehensive study aims to elucidate the evolutionary history, genetic diversity, and distribution patterns of M. musculus. A diverse data set of 281 M. musculus samples was collected from across Asia, covering 101 localities in 19 countries. Phylogenetic analysis using Cytochrome b and D-Loop region unveiled well-supported lineages. These lineages correspond to: M. m. musculus, M. m. domesticus, M. m. castaneus, and M. m. bactrianus. Also, validity of M. m. bactrianus was questioned. The analysis suggests a monophyletic origin of these subspecies approximately 0.59 million years ago (Mya), followed by 2 main lineages—one consisting of M. m. domesticus (~0.59 Mya) and the other comprising M. m. castaneus, M. m. bactrianus, and M. m. musculus (~0.56 Mya). Genetic diversity varied among subspecies, with M. m. domesticus exhibiting the highest diversity due to its extensive global distribution and M. m. bactrianus exhibiting the lowest diversity due to restriction in southwest Asia. Pairwise genetic distances and Fst values confirmed significant genetic differentiation among the subspecies, underlining their historical isolation. Additionally, a Mantel test indicated that geographical distance played a pivotal role in shaping genetic differentiation. Demographic analysis revealed evidence of population expansions in M. m. domesticus, M. m. musculus, and M. m. castaneus, while M. m. bactrianus showed characteristics of neutral selection and genetic drift. Species distribution modeling, assessing both Current Conditions and the Last Glacial Maximum, indicated habitat shifts and losses during glacial periods, particularly in the eastern and northern regions of Asia. However, each subspecies displayed unique responses to climatic changes, reflecting their distinct ecological adaptations. Historical biogeography analysis pointed to complex origins and a network of dispersal and vicariance events that led to the contemporary distribution of subspecies. Deserts and xeric shrublands emerged as critical areas for diversification and speciation. This study contributes to our understanding of the phylogeography and population genetics of M. musculus in Asia, highlighting the significance of geographical factors and climatic fluctuations in shaping its evolutionary history and genetic diversity.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141773530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudia Tranquillo, Francesca Santicchia, Claudia Romeo, Francesco Bisi, Mattia Panzeri, Damiano Preatoni, Adriano Martinoli, Antton Alberdi, Lucas A Wauters
The fast-growing expansion of urban areas pose severe pressures on wildlife. However, some generalist native mammals thrive in urbanized landscapes, while invasive alien species (IAS) are often more abundant in cities than in rural habitats. Variation in phenotypes—such as differences in personality traits—can influence the probability to colonize anthropized areas, especially in the case of IAS where certain traits are related to invasion success. Here, we investigated the expression of activity, exploration, and social tendency in the invasive alien Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in replicated study sites along a rural–urban gradient in Northern Italy. Personality traits expression was estimated using an open field test (OFT) followed by a mirror image stimulation (MIS) test. We found that squirrels were more active in urban than in suburban and rural sites, and behaved more sociable in urban than in suburban sites. Conversely, exploration did not differ along the gradient. Results also reveal the presence of a behavioral syndrome: activity (OFT), social tendency, and activity–exploration (MIS). We suggest that variation in activity level and social behavior in urban habitats could favor some species to respond positively to urbanization. This study sheds light on the underexplored personality–urbanization relationship in IAS, helping to understand the complex process of invasion.
{"title":"Going urban: variation in personality traits of an invasive species along an urbanization gradient","authors":"Claudia Tranquillo, Francesca Santicchia, Claudia Romeo, Francesco Bisi, Mattia Panzeri, Damiano Preatoni, Adriano Martinoli, Antton Alberdi, Lucas A Wauters","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae077","url":null,"abstract":"The fast-growing expansion of urban areas pose severe pressures on wildlife. However, some generalist native mammals thrive in urbanized landscapes, while invasive alien species (IAS) are often more abundant in cities than in rural habitats. Variation in phenotypes—such as differences in personality traits—can influence the probability to colonize anthropized areas, especially in the case of IAS where certain traits are related to invasion success. Here, we investigated the expression of activity, exploration, and social tendency in the invasive alien Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in replicated study sites along a rural–urban gradient in Northern Italy. Personality traits expression was estimated using an open field test (OFT) followed by a mirror image stimulation (MIS) test. We found that squirrels were more active in urban than in suburban and rural sites, and behaved more sociable in urban than in suburban sites. Conversely, exploration did not differ along the gradient. Results also reveal the presence of a behavioral syndrome: activity (OFT), social tendency, and activity–exploration (MIS). We suggest that variation in activity level and social behavior in urban habitats could favor some species to respond positively to urbanization. This study sheds light on the underexplored personality–urbanization relationship in IAS, helping to understand the complex process of invasion.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"63 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141773354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alejandra Bonilla-Sánchez, Caroline Charão Sartor, Lester Alexander Fox-Rosales, Anderson Feijó, José D Ramírez-Fernández, Esteban Brenes-Mora, Michael S Mooring, Steven R Blankenship, Catalina Sánchez-Lalinde, Fabio Oliveira do Nascimento, Rebecca Zug, Marcelo Juliano Oliveira, Paulo Henrique Dantas Marinho, Guilherme Braga Ferreira, Sergio Solari, Tadeu Gomes de Oliveira, Eduardo Eizirik
The evolutionary history and taxonomy of the Leopardus tigrinus species complex have been studied based on several approaches, mostly employing genetic and morphological data, leading to distinct classification schemes. We approached this problem from an ecological perspective, with 2 main goals: (i) to evaluate ecological niche differences among regional L. tigrinus populations to determine the extent of ecological divergence among them; and (ii) to identify environmental barriers to historical dispersal that could have driven differentiation among the proposed groups. We modeled the ecological niche of all taxonomic/geographic groups proposed so far to comprise the L. tigrinus complex using the Maximum Entropy algorithm, and evaluated geographic and ecological niche differences among them. Furthermore, we investigated possible environmental barriers to historical dispersal that could have driven differentiation among regional groups. We evaluated 4 hypothetical barriers across 3 time periods to assess their potential historical effect. We found high ecological divergence between northeastern tigrina populations and the northern Andean and Central American tigrinas. Other groups within the L. tigrinus complex are less divergent. In addition, the Guiana Shield tigrina, where the type locality of the species is located, seems to be ecologically similar to populations from northeastern Brazil while also showing some overlap with Andean populations. The Panama center, the Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela, and the Amazon region were identified as historical barriers for tigrina dispersal across all time periods. The inferred historical barriers and ecological divergence observed in this study contribute to the inference of evolutionary differentiation among geographic groups comprising the L. tigrinus complex, revealing areas of consistently low habitat suitability that have likely contributed to divergence among regional populations.
{"title":"Ecological niche modeling of the Leopardus tigrinus complex sheds light on its elusive evolutionary history","authors":"Alejandra Bonilla-Sánchez, Caroline Charão Sartor, Lester Alexander Fox-Rosales, Anderson Feijó, José D Ramírez-Fernández, Esteban Brenes-Mora, Michael S Mooring, Steven R Blankenship, Catalina Sánchez-Lalinde, Fabio Oliveira do Nascimento, Rebecca Zug, Marcelo Juliano Oliveira, Paulo Henrique Dantas Marinho, Guilherme Braga Ferreira, Sergio Solari, Tadeu Gomes de Oliveira, Eduardo Eizirik","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae074","url":null,"abstract":"The evolutionary history and taxonomy of the Leopardus tigrinus species complex have been studied based on several approaches, mostly employing genetic and morphological data, leading to distinct classification schemes. We approached this problem from an ecological perspective, with 2 main goals: (i) to evaluate ecological niche differences among regional L. tigrinus populations to determine the extent of ecological divergence among them; and (ii) to identify environmental barriers to historical dispersal that could have driven differentiation among the proposed groups. We modeled the ecological niche of all taxonomic/geographic groups proposed so far to comprise the L. tigrinus complex using the Maximum Entropy algorithm, and evaluated geographic and ecological niche differences among them. Furthermore, we investigated possible environmental barriers to historical dispersal that could have driven differentiation among regional groups. We evaluated 4 hypothetical barriers across 3 time periods to assess their potential historical effect. We found high ecological divergence between northeastern tigrina populations and the northern Andean and Central American tigrinas. Other groups within the L. tigrinus complex are less divergent. In addition, the Guiana Shield tigrina, where the type locality of the species is located, seems to be ecologically similar to populations from northeastern Brazil while also showing some overlap with Andean populations. The Panama center, the Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela, and the Amazon region were identified as historical barriers for tigrina dispersal across all time periods. The inferred historical barriers and ecological divergence observed in this study contribute to the inference of evolutionary differentiation among geographic groups comprising the L. tigrinus complex, revealing areas of consistently low habitat suitability that have likely contributed to divergence among regional populations.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141773359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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