Sunčica Stipoljev, Elena Buzan, Laura Iacolina, Toni Safner, Andrea Rezić, Ana Galov, Krešimir Križanović, Hüseyin Ambarlı, MariaCruz Arnal, Elmar Babaev, Ferdinand Bego, Attila Farkas, Dragan Gačić, Peter Lazar, Vladimir Maletić, Georgi Markov, Dragana Milošević, Haritakis Papaioannou, Massimo Scandura, Nikica Šprem
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are commonly used markers for monitoring adaptive genetic and evolutionary potential of species. In this study, we investigated genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus in the chamois genus Rupicapra by using next-generation sequencing. Sequencing of 102 samples led to the identification of 25 alleles, 11 of which are novel. The high ratio of the relative rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (dN/dS) suggests a signal of positive selection on this locus. We analyzed patterns of genetic variation within and among 2 subspecies of Northern Chamois and compared them to previously published studies using neutral markers to provide a basis for assessing the effects of demographic processes. Our analyses have shown that alleles are likely to be maintained by balancing selection in different populations with similar frequencies and that this mechanism also works in small, isolated populations that are strongly affected by genetic drift.
{"title":"Diversity of MHC class II DRB alleles in the Northern chamois genus Rupicapra","authors":"Sunčica Stipoljev, Elena Buzan, Laura Iacolina, Toni Safner, Andrea Rezić, Ana Galov, Krešimir Križanović, Hüseyin Ambarlı, MariaCruz Arnal, Elmar Babaev, Ferdinand Bego, Attila Farkas, Dragan Gačić, Peter Lazar, Vladimir Maletić, Georgi Markov, Dragana Milošević, Haritakis Papaioannou, Massimo Scandura, Nikica Šprem","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyae008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae008","url":null,"abstract":"Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are commonly used markers for monitoring adaptive genetic and evolutionary potential of species. In this study, we investigated genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus in the chamois genus Rupicapra by using next-generation sequencing. Sequencing of 102 samples led to the identification of 25 alleles, 11 of which are novel. The high ratio of the relative rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (dN/dS) suggests a signal of positive selection on this locus. We analyzed patterns of genetic variation within and among 2 subspecies of Northern Chamois and compared them to previously published studies using neutral markers to provide a basis for assessing the effects of demographic processes. Our analyses have shown that alleles are likely to be maintained by balancing selection in different populations with similar frequencies and that this mechanism also works in small, isolated populations that are strongly affected by genetic drift.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139764256","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}
Amélie Fontaine, Anouk Simard, Valérie Simard, Hugh G Broders, Kyle H Elliott
Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) can aid in the collection of important demographic data for species for which other methods, such as GPS technology, are not suitable. PIT tags can be particularly suitable to monitor small and cryptic species like bats and permit inference on their behavioral ecology. Literature for several species of bats states that females change their nightly activity patterns—going out and in of the roost only once per night during gestation compared to several times during lactation. Hence, we tested whether PIT tag detection patterns could be used to infer reproductive status and parturition date of female bats. From 2017 to 2021, we recorded detections of PIT-tagged little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis) at the entrance of 2 maternity roosts in Québec and Newfoundland, Canada. We also used the maternity roost in Québec as a case study to further evaluate the potential of this method to link behavior and demography and investigated factors affecting parturition date. We were able to infer reproductive status for 63% to 97% of tagged individuals detected during both the gestation and the lactation periods, and parturition date for 61% to 95% of reproductive individuals, depending on the year and roost. Early spring arrival at the roost and warm spring mean temperature at night were associated with earlier parturition dates. Herein, we highlight that PIT tag systems may be useful to detect changes in activity patterns of female bats and infer individual reproductive parameters, which is on the long-term less stressful for bats and easier for researchers. We demonstrate that this approach is useful to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic factors of reproductive parameters, improving our understanding of bat population dynamics resulting in more informed population management decisions.
{"title":"Using PIT tags to infer bat reproductive status and parturition date: busy nights during lactation","authors":"Amélie Fontaine, Anouk Simard, Valérie Simard, Hugh G Broders, Kyle H Elliott","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad134","url":null,"abstract":"Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) can aid in the collection of important demographic data for species for which other methods, such as GPS technology, are not suitable. PIT tags can be particularly suitable to monitor small and cryptic species like bats and permit inference on their behavioral ecology. Literature for several species of bats states that females change their nightly activity patterns—going out and in of the roost only once per night during gestation compared to several times during lactation. Hence, we tested whether PIT tag detection patterns could be used to infer reproductive status and parturition date of female bats. From 2017 to 2021, we recorded detections of PIT-tagged little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis) at the entrance of 2 maternity roosts in Québec and Newfoundland, Canada. We also used the maternity roost in Québec as a case study to further evaluate the potential of this method to link behavior and demography and investigated factors affecting parturition date. We were able to infer reproductive status for 63% to 97% of tagged individuals detected during both the gestation and the lactation periods, and parturition date for 61% to 95% of reproductive individuals, depending on the year and roost. Early spring arrival at the roost and warm spring mean temperature at night were associated with earlier parturition dates. Herein, we highlight that PIT tag systems may be useful to detect changes in activity patterns of female bats and infer individual reproductive parameters, which is on the long-term less stressful for bats and easier for researchers. We demonstrate that this approach is useful to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic factors of reproductive parameters, improving our understanding of bat population dynamics resulting in more informed population management decisions.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139764101","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}
Rodrigo Javier Alonso, Rosario Lovera, María Soledad Fernández, Regino Cavia
Natural processes and patterns are altered by human activity at different spatial and temporal scales, affecting species assemblages and population traits, modifying mechanisms or regulating dynamics at different scales. However, little is known about the influence of landscape structure on small mammal assemblages and populations on farms. Thus, in this work, we aimed to study the effect of landscape and environmental characteristics at the farm scale on the assemblage and populations of native and introduced small mammals in pig and dairy farms located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Our results showed that farms in contexts of higher environmental diversity at the landscape scale have higher species richness. Our results also showed that variations in assemblage composition were associated with the quantity of water body surfaces, cattle food, small mammal refugia, and impervious surfaces at the farm scale—and with woodland, grassland, and natural vegetation cover at the landscape scale. The abundance of commensal murids was higher on farms near towns, with higher vegetation cover at the farm scale and/or in landscape contexts with fewer crops. The abundance of Akodon azarae was higher on farms with a lower amount of cattle food at the farm scale and crop patches in the landscape. The abundance of Didelphis albiventris was higher during spring on farms with a low proportion of bare ground, while that of Lutreolina crassicaudata was higher on farms with high vegetation cover and a lower number of water body surfaces. These results show the relevance of multiscale determinants in the development of ecologically based management strategies to control pest small mammals.
{"title":"Landscape and farm environmental structure determinants of small mammal assemblages in agroecosystems of central Argentina","authors":"Rodrigo Javier Alonso, Rosario Lovera, María Soledad Fernández, Regino Cavia","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad133","url":null,"abstract":"Natural processes and patterns are altered by human activity at different spatial and temporal scales, affecting species assemblages and population traits, modifying mechanisms or regulating dynamics at different scales. However, little is known about the influence of landscape structure on small mammal assemblages and populations on farms. Thus, in this work, we aimed to study the effect of landscape and environmental characteristics at the farm scale on the assemblage and populations of native and introduced small mammals in pig and dairy farms located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Our results showed that farms in contexts of higher environmental diversity at the landscape scale have higher species richness. Our results also showed that variations in assemblage composition were associated with the quantity of water body surfaces, cattle food, small mammal refugia, and impervious surfaces at the farm scale—and with woodland, grassland, and natural vegetation cover at the landscape scale. The abundance of commensal murids was higher on farms near towns, with higher vegetation cover at the farm scale and/or in landscape contexts with fewer crops. The abundance of Akodon azarae was higher on farms with a lower amount of cattle food at the farm scale and crop patches in the landscape. The abundance of Didelphis albiventris was higher during spring on farms with a low proportion of bare ground, while that of Lutreolina crassicaudata was higher on farms with high vegetation cover and a lower number of water body surfaces. These results show the relevance of multiscale determinants in the development of ecologically based management strategies to control pest small mammals.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139773048","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}
Wildfire and postfire salvage logging are major drivers of forest succession in western North America. Although postfire landscapes support a variety of carnivore species, it is unclear how these animals respond to differing patterns and severities of burning, or to additional landscape change from postfire salvage logging. Open, early-seral habitats created by these disturbances are predicted to benefit generalists such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and weasels (Mustela spp.), but restrict the activity of forest specialists such as Canadaian Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and Pacific Marten (Martes caurina). We used winter track surveys, supplemented with remote cameras, to examine carnivore habitat use in and around large, mixed-severity burns in north-central Washington, United States (burned in 2006), and central British Columbia, Canada (burned in 2010, then partially salvage-logged; some areas reburned in 2017). At 10 to 13 years postfire, marten had similar detection rates across lightly and severely burned areas of the 2006 burn, as did coyotes. Marten selected lightly burned areas of the 2010 burn (6 to 9 years postfire) over higher burn severities, and selected burns over adjacent unburned forests. Weasels selected areas of higher burn severity on both landscapes, while Lynx selected lower burn severities. Weasels and coyotes selected areas with a greater proportion of salvage-logged habitat in the 2010 burn, while marten, lynx, and wolves (Canis lupus) avoided areas with salvage logging. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) showed no clear patterns of selection or avoidance in relation to burn severity or salvage logging. Burn severity strongly influences wildlife activity postfire; lightly burned residual habitats are critical for forest specialists. Postfire salvage logging alters carnivore communities and may hinder species that require structurally complex landscapes.
{"title":"Effects of burn severity and postfire salvage logging on carnivore communities in montane forests","authors":"Logan A Volkmann, Karen E Hodges","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad135","url":null,"abstract":"Wildfire and postfire salvage logging are major drivers of forest succession in western North America. Although postfire landscapes support a variety of carnivore species, it is unclear how these animals respond to differing patterns and severities of burning, or to additional landscape change from postfire salvage logging. Open, early-seral habitats created by these disturbances are predicted to benefit generalists such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and weasels (Mustela spp.), but restrict the activity of forest specialists such as Canadaian Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and Pacific Marten (Martes caurina). We used winter track surveys, supplemented with remote cameras, to examine carnivore habitat use in and around large, mixed-severity burns in north-central Washington, United States (burned in 2006), and central British Columbia, Canada (burned in 2010, then partially salvage-logged; some areas reburned in 2017). At 10 to 13 years postfire, marten had similar detection rates across lightly and severely burned areas of the 2006 burn, as did coyotes. Marten selected lightly burned areas of the 2010 burn (6 to 9 years postfire) over higher burn severities, and selected burns over adjacent unburned forests. Weasels selected areas of higher burn severity on both landscapes, while Lynx selected lower burn severities. Weasels and coyotes selected areas with a greater proportion of salvage-logged habitat in the 2010 burn, while marten, lynx, and wolves (Canis lupus) avoided areas with salvage logging. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) showed no clear patterns of selection or avoidance in relation to burn severity or salvage logging. Burn severity strongly influences wildlife activity postfire; lightly burned residual habitats are critical for forest specialists. Postfire salvage logging alters carnivore communities and may hinder species that require structurally complex landscapes.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139663033","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}
Nielson Pasqualotto, Larissa L Bailey, Danilo Boscolo, Thiago S F Silva, Nayra T Rodrigues, Bruno H Saranholi, Pedro M Galetti Jr., Marcella do Carmo Pônzio, Vinicius Alberici, Adriano G Chiarello
European Hare (Lepus europaeus), like many invasive species, have declined in much of their native range but flourished in non-native regions (e.g. South America). Previous studies suggested that loss of farmland heterogeneity due to agricultural intensification is the main driver of the species decline in its native range in Europe. Yet, little is known about the role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity and land cover types as predictors of European Hare local abundance in Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We hypothesized that spatial and temporal heterogeneity, rather than land cover types, would be the most influential predictors of hare local abundance in intensively managed Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We sampled 55 sites embedded within agricultural-dominated landscapes from southeastern Brazil with camera traps and transect surveys. Sites were selected along an uncorrelated gradient of native vegetation cover and compositional heterogeneity. We estimated the relative abundance of European hares using an occupancy model that accounts for imperfect detection of species induced primarily by variation in local abundance. We found that land cover diversity, sugarcane, and savanna cover were the best predictors of European Hare relative abundance. Hare relative abundance estimates were low and did not vary dramatically among sites, suggesting that this invader has not yet attained high local density in our study region. European Hare attained the highest relative abundance in agricultural landscapes that locally combine higher compositional heterogeneity, including sugarcane crops, and little to no native savanna. Areas with these combined features may represent the most important nascent foci, fostering ongoing northward spread of this invasive species in the Neotropics.
{"title":"Determining abundance predictors of the European Hare (Lepus europaeus), a global invader in southeastern Brazil","authors":"Nielson Pasqualotto, Larissa L Bailey, Danilo Boscolo, Thiago S F Silva, Nayra T Rodrigues, Bruno H Saranholi, Pedro M Galetti Jr., Marcella do Carmo Pônzio, Vinicius Alberici, Adriano G Chiarello","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad130","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad130","url":null,"abstract":"European Hare (Lepus europaeus), like many invasive species, have declined in much of their native range but flourished in non-native regions (e.g. South America). Previous studies suggested that loss of farmland heterogeneity due to agricultural intensification is the main driver of the species decline in its native range in Europe. Yet, little is known about the role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity and land cover types as predictors of European Hare local abundance in Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We hypothesized that spatial and temporal heterogeneity, rather than land cover types, would be the most influential predictors of hare local abundance in intensively managed Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We sampled 55 sites embedded within agricultural-dominated landscapes from southeastern Brazil with camera traps and transect surveys. Sites were selected along an uncorrelated gradient of native vegetation cover and compositional heterogeneity. We estimated the relative abundance of European hares using an occupancy model that accounts for imperfect detection of species induced primarily by variation in local abundance. We found that land cover diversity, sugarcane, and savanna cover were the best predictors of European Hare relative abundance. Hare relative abundance estimates were low and did not vary dramatically among sites, suggesting that this invader has not yet attained high local density in our study region. European Hare attained the highest relative abundance in agricultural landscapes that locally combine higher compositional heterogeneity, including sugarcane crops, and little to no native savanna. Areas with these combined features may represent the most important nascent foci, fostering ongoing northward spread of this invasive species in the Neotropics.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139649371","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}
Anna Bálint, Vivien Reicher, Barbara Csibra, Márta Gácsi
We have successfully measured the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) of 12 family cats during an afternoon nap using a completely noninvasive methodology originally developed and validated for family dogs. Extracting both macrostructural and spectral sleep variables from the acquired data, we: (1) provided a descriptive analysis of sleep structure in cats and the power spectral density (PSD) distribution considering 3 sleep stages—drowsiness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep; and (2) compared the results to those obtained in family dogs measured under the same conditions and using the same methodology. Importantly, our description of sleep structure and PSD distribution in cats proved to be comparable to those of earlier invasive studies, highlighting that appropriate noninvasive methodologies may provide a viable alternative to those that are invasive in some cases. While no macrostructural differences were found between the sleep of cats and dogs, and the characteristic PSDs were mostly similar across sleep stages within the 2 species, the high-frequency resolution comparison of PSD distributions revealed differences between the 2 species in all sleep stages (concerning the delta, theta, alpha, sigma, and beta bands in drowsiness and NREM sleep; and the delta, alpha, and sigma bands in REM sleep). Potential factors underlying these differences are discussed, including differences in circadian rhythms, sleep homeostatic regulation, experienced stress, or even differential attitudes toward owners—highlighting important links between sleep characteristics and often more complex neural and behavioral features.
{"title":"Noninvasive EEG measurement of sleep in the family cat and comparison with the dog","authors":"Anna Bálint, Vivien Reicher, Barbara Csibra, Márta Gácsi","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad122","url":null,"abstract":"We have successfully measured the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) of 12 family cats during an afternoon nap using a completely noninvasive methodology originally developed and validated for family dogs. Extracting both macrostructural and spectral sleep variables from the acquired data, we: (1) provided a descriptive analysis of sleep structure in cats and the power spectral density (PSD) distribution considering 3 sleep stages—drowsiness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep; and (2) compared the results to those obtained in family dogs measured under the same conditions and using the same methodology. Importantly, our description of sleep structure and PSD distribution in cats proved to be comparable to those of earlier invasive studies, highlighting that appropriate noninvasive methodologies may provide a viable alternative to those that are invasive in some cases. While no macrostructural differences were found between the sleep of cats and dogs, and the characteristic PSDs were mostly similar across sleep stages within the 2 species, the high-frequency resolution comparison of PSD distributions revealed differences between the 2 species in all sleep stages (concerning the delta, theta, alpha, sigma, and beta bands in drowsiness and NREM sleep; and the delta, alpha, and sigma bands in REM sleep). Potential factors underlying these differences are discussed, including differences in circadian rhythms, sleep homeostatic regulation, experienced stress, or even differential attitudes toward owners—highlighting important links between sleep characteristics and often more complex neural and behavioral features.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139581247","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}
Stephanie G Nicolaides, Theodorus H C Mostert, Trevor McIntyre
Latrine sites are used as areas for the deposition of scent-containing excretions and play important roles in intraspecific olfactory communication, territoriality, sexual attraction, and defense behaviors of many mammals. African clawless otters (Aonyx capensis) likely use latrine sites as primary areas for scent marking and scent communication but no studies to date have investigated their potential role or site selection. We assessed latrine site selection at 2 spatial scales (micro- and macroscale) and recorded behaviors via camera trap recordings. Thirty-eight latrine sites were identified and assessed at 2 locations in Mtunzini on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (uMlalazi Nature Reserve and Zini Fish Farm) during the months of August to November 2021. Latrine sites were identified through several intensive surveys, while we characterized nonselected sites through a systematic sampling approach. Latrine and control sites were inventoried along a 52-m buffer around all water bodies in both study areas. At each site we measured a series of potential environmental predictors, including horizontal and vertical vegetation cover, surface slope, and averaged wind speeds for days classified as relatively wind-still and relatively windy. To assess the relative role of various environmental predictors, we used a binomial generalized linear model resource selection function to model both spatial scales of latrine site selection. The majority of latrine sites were located at the ecotone between 2 vegetation units or between a vegetation unit and a water source. At a macroscale, latrine sites were associated with areas containing little vegetative substrate cover and minimal canopy cover. The top-ranked models at the microscale also indicated that latrine sites were characterized as occurring in open areas with less canopy and horizontal cover and on flatter areas that are relatively protected against wind. The most common behaviors recorded at 3 latrine sites were the “jiggle dance” (42%) and sniffing (29%). We hypothesize that otters evaluate numerous environmental parameters to enhance the functionality of latrine sites. For example, sites with little vegetative cover may increase the conspicuousness of latrines to conspecifics, while areas exposed to less wind likely aid in the retention of scent. Ongoing research is characterizing the behaviors of otters around latrines and chemical signatures of latrine sites in an effort to facilitate interpretation of their social function to African clawless otters.
{"title":"Latrine site selection by African clawless otters, Aonyx capensis, and their behavior during latrine visitations","authors":"Stephanie G Nicolaides, Theodorus H C Mostert, Trevor McIntyre","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad118","url":null,"abstract":"Latrine sites are used as areas for the deposition of scent-containing excretions and play important roles in intraspecific olfactory communication, territoriality, sexual attraction, and defense behaviors of many mammals. African clawless otters (Aonyx capensis) likely use latrine sites as primary areas for scent marking and scent communication but no studies to date have investigated their potential role or site selection. We assessed latrine site selection at 2 spatial scales (micro- and macroscale) and recorded behaviors via camera trap recordings. Thirty-eight latrine sites were identified and assessed at 2 locations in Mtunzini on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (uMlalazi Nature Reserve and Zini Fish Farm) during the months of August to November 2021. Latrine sites were identified through several intensive surveys, while we characterized nonselected sites through a systematic sampling approach. Latrine and control sites were inventoried along a 52-m buffer around all water bodies in both study areas. At each site we measured a series of potential environmental predictors, including horizontal and vertical vegetation cover, surface slope, and averaged wind speeds for days classified as relatively wind-still and relatively windy. To assess the relative role of various environmental predictors, we used a binomial generalized linear model resource selection function to model both spatial scales of latrine site selection. The majority of latrine sites were located at the ecotone between 2 vegetation units or between a vegetation unit and a water source. At a macroscale, latrine sites were associated with areas containing little vegetative substrate cover and minimal canopy cover. The top-ranked models at the microscale also indicated that latrine sites were characterized as occurring in open areas with less canopy and horizontal cover and on flatter areas that are relatively protected against wind. The most common behaviors recorded at 3 latrine sites were the “jiggle dance” (42%) and sniffing (29%). We hypothesize that otters evaluate numerous environmental parameters to enhance the functionality of latrine sites. For example, sites with little vegetative cover may increase the conspicuousness of latrines to conspecifics, while areas exposed to less wind likely aid in the retention of scent. Ongoing research is characterizing the behaviors of otters around latrines and chemical signatures of latrine sites in an effort to facilitate interpretation of their social function to African clawless otters.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139501625","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}
Mammals that cope with harsh environmental conditions by hibernating show seasonal variation in body mass, as fat reserves are accumulated during summer and depleted during winter. In hibernating species, pre-hibernation mass is often considered a key phenotypic trait that can influence future survival and reproductive success—yet we know little about how variation in environmental conditions and seasonality affect pre-hibernation mass. We used 30 years of demographic data from a high-elevation population of golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) to identify life history and environmental variables that influenced pre-hibernation mass in females. Additionally, we determined if pre-hibernation mass influenced overwinter survival or subsequent reproduction. Growth curves revealed female-biased size dimorphism in body mass; adult mass was not attained until age 2 years, so we considered 3 age classes of females: juveniles, yearlings, and adults (≥2 years). We found that earlier snow melt during spring is associated with higher subsequent pre-hibernation body mass for yearlings and adults, and that juveniles emerging earlier from their natal burrows had higher pre-hibernation masses than later-emerging juveniles. Estimates of food quantity or quality did not affect pre-hibernation mass for any age class, nor was there an effect of reproductive status. Juvenile females with greater pre-hibernation mass were more likely to survive overwinter and reproduce as yearlings, but we found no such effect for yearlings or adult females. We did not find an effect of snow depth or winter duration on either survival or reproduction. Our results indicate that time appears to be the key variable for golden-mantled ground squirrels to acquire sufficient body mass to survive and reproduce, but the effects vary by age class.
{"title":"Causes and consequences of pre-hibernation body mass in golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis)","authors":"Summer Howland, Caitlin P Wells, Dirk H Van Vuren","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad131","url":null,"abstract":"Mammals that cope with harsh environmental conditions by hibernating show seasonal variation in body mass, as fat reserves are accumulated during summer and depleted during winter. In hibernating species, pre-hibernation mass is often considered a key phenotypic trait that can influence future survival and reproductive success—yet we know little about how variation in environmental conditions and seasonality affect pre-hibernation mass. We used 30 years of demographic data from a high-elevation population of golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) to identify life history and environmental variables that influenced pre-hibernation mass in females. Additionally, we determined if pre-hibernation mass influenced overwinter survival or subsequent reproduction. Growth curves revealed female-biased size dimorphism in body mass; adult mass was not attained until age 2 years, so we considered 3 age classes of females: juveniles, yearlings, and adults (≥2 years). We found that earlier snow melt during spring is associated with higher subsequent pre-hibernation body mass for yearlings and adults, and that juveniles emerging earlier from their natal burrows had higher pre-hibernation masses than later-emerging juveniles. Estimates of food quantity or quality did not affect pre-hibernation mass for any age class, nor was there an effect of reproductive status. Juvenile females with greater pre-hibernation mass were more likely to survive overwinter and reproduce as yearlings, but we found no such effect for yearlings or adult females. We did not find an effect of snow depth or winter duration on either survival or reproduction. Our results indicate that time appears to be the key variable for golden-mantled ground squirrels to acquire sufficient body mass to survive and reproduce, but the effects vary by age class.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139461468","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}
Wanessa Teixeira Gomes Barreto, Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo, Filipe Martins Santos, Andreza Castro Rucco, Nayara Yoshie Sano, William Oliveira de Assis, Heitor Miraglia Herrera, Grasiela Edith de Oliveira Porfírio, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos
Increasing urbanization and consequent habitat fragmentation and loss call for studies of the influence of urbanization on native fauna. South American Coati (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) live in groups and are common in urban areas of South America. Here, we aimed to understand how coatis occupy and select space, and whether they change their circadian activity in an urban environment. We estimated home range sizes, verified any overlap, and evaluated the effects of sex and weight on home range size. We also described coati activity patterns associated with habitat selection. Animals established their home ranges only within the study area, with few exploratory exits to surrounding areas. Furthermore, our home range estimates of 0.66 km2 are lower than previously found in natural habitats. We did not observe an effect of sex or weight on home range size. Coatis predominantly selected forested areas and explored houses only early in the morning. We suggest that this demonstrates the need for forested areas for survival of the species. Regarding activity patterns, coatis were active only during the day, as described for the species in its natural environment. Human barriers—in addition to human refuse that serves as food—could reduce the home range sizes. Our data demonstrate differences in home range size, but not circadian activity or habitat selection when compared to coatis in their natural environment.
{"title":"How does an urban landscape influence spatiotemporal ecology of South American coatis (Nasua nasua)?","authors":"Wanessa Teixeira Gomes Barreto, Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo, Filipe Martins Santos, Andreza Castro Rucco, Nayara Yoshie Sano, William Oliveira de Assis, Heitor Miraglia Herrera, Grasiela Edith de Oliveira Porfírio, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad121","url":null,"abstract":"Increasing urbanization and consequent habitat fragmentation and loss call for studies of the influence of urbanization on native fauna. South American Coati (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) live in groups and are common in urban areas of South America. Here, we aimed to understand how coatis occupy and select space, and whether they change their circadian activity in an urban environment. We estimated home range sizes, verified any overlap, and evaluated the effects of sex and weight on home range size. We also described coati activity patterns associated with habitat selection. Animals established their home ranges only within the study area, with few exploratory exits to surrounding areas. Furthermore, our home range estimates of 0.66 km2 are lower than previously found in natural habitats. We did not observe an effect of sex or weight on home range size. Coatis predominantly selected forested areas and explored houses only early in the morning. We suggest that this demonstrates the need for forested areas for survival of the species. Regarding activity patterns, coatis were active only during the day, as described for the species in its natural environment. Human barriers—in addition to human refuse that serves as food—could reduce the home range sizes. Our data demonstrate differences in home range size, but not circadian activity or habitat selection when compared to coatis in their natural environment.","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"114 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139412390","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}
Agustina Novillo, Cecilia Lanzone, J Pablo Jayat, Pablo Teta, Agustina A Ojeda, Luciana Cristobal, Ricardo A Ojeda
The Andes are known to be one of the most species-rich regions on Earth, with their origination promoting formation of new habitats and acting as climatic barriers. This orogenic event was structured latitudinally with 3 major segments having different formation times and with different environmental and historical conditions. The Andean region has been historically important in the evolutionary history of small mammals and is considered the region of Earth with the highest values of rodent species richness and turnover. Therefore, the region provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate mechanisms involved in structuring rodent assemblages and beta diversity patterns. Here, we assessed spatial patterns of rodent beta diversity along the Andes Mountains, with specific goals of examining patterns of turnover and nestedness as 2 recognized processes that drive species composition. We explored the role of spatial, climate, and historical factors on beta diversity patterns using geographic range maps for 432 rodent species to construct a species presence–absence matrix. We used piecewise regressions to identify latitudinal breakpoints in turnover and nestedness, and conducted multiple regressions and variation-partitioning approaches to assess the contribution of each set of postulated drivers in shaping beta diversity patterns. Beta diversity decreases from north to south. The highest turnover was located at the Northern Andes (5°N and 10°S) and western-central Andes (20°S and 35°S). Nestedness was higher below 40°S and in some areas of the western-central Andes between 15° and 20°S. Turnover and nestedness registered breakpoints coincident with the Central and Southern Andes limit. Turnover explained most of the beta diversity for all segments, although within the Southern Andes there was also some contribution of nestedness. In all segments, beta diversity was mainly explained by spatial factors with minor contributions from spatially structured climate (Northern Andes), interaction of all factors (Central Andes), and the interaction between current climate and history (Southern Andes).
{"title":"Beta diversity patterns in Andean rodents: current and historical factors as drivers of turnover and nestedness","authors":"Agustina Novillo, Cecilia Lanzone, J Pablo Jayat, Pablo Teta, Agustina A Ojeda, Luciana Cristobal, Ricardo A Ojeda","doi":"10.1093/jmammal/gyad123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad123","url":null,"abstract":"The Andes are known to be one of the most species-rich regions on Earth, with their origination promoting formation of new habitats and acting as climatic barriers. This orogenic event was structured latitudinally with 3 major segments having different formation times and with different environmental and historical conditions. The Andean region has been historically important in the evolutionary history of small mammals and is considered the region of Earth with the highest values of rodent species richness and turnover. Therefore, the region provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate mechanisms involved in structuring rodent assemblages and beta diversity patterns. Here, we assessed spatial patterns of rodent beta diversity along the Andes Mountains, with specific goals of examining patterns of turnover and nestedness as 2 recognized processes that drive species composition. We explored the role of spatial, climate, and historical factors on beta diversity patterns using geographic range maps for 432 rodent species to construct a species presence–absence matrix. We used piecewise regressions to identify latitudinal breakpoints in turnover and nestedness, and conducted multiple regressions and variation-partitioning approaches to assess the contribution of each set of postulated drivers in shaping beta diversity patterns. Beta diversity decreases from north to south. The highest turnover was located at the Northern Andes (5°N and 10°S) and western-central Andes (20°S and 35°S). Nestedness was higher below 40°S and in some areas of the western-central Andes between 15° and 20°S. Turnover and nestedness registered breakpoints coincident with the Central and Southern Andes limit. Turnover explained most of the beta diversity for all segments, although within the Southern Andes there was also some contribution of nestedness. In all segments, beta diversity was mainly explained by spatial factors with minor contributions from spatially structured climate (Northern Andes), interaction of all factors (Central Andes), and the interaction between current climate and history (Southern Andes).","PeriodicalId":50157,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"12 4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2024-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139412323","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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