Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana D. Davidson, Michelle Fink, Michael Menefee, Lindsey Sterling-Krank, William Van Pelt, David J. Augustine
Summary: The black-tailed prairie dog ecosystem in North America's Central Grasslands is of great importance and is facing serious threats. This study developed a habitat suitability model to support conservation planning in the region. It identified large areas of suitable habitat across the western half of the historical range of the black-tailed prairie dog ecosystem. However, future climate change may lead to a northward expansion of their geographic range and a decline in habitat suitability in the southern Central Grasslands.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Rebecca E. COLMAN, R. Jory BRINKERHOFF, Joseph D. BUSCH, Chris RAY, Adina DOYLE, Jason W. SAHL, Paul KEIM, Sharon K. COLLINGE, David M. WAGNER
Summary: Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is widespread in rodent populations in western United States and periodically causes epizootics, especially in black-tailed prairie dogs. The study suggests that Y. pestis was introduced multiple times from different sources and may be transmitted to black-tailed prairie dogs through bridging hosts such as deer mice.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
R. A. Adams
Summary: Black-tailed prairie dog (BTPD) colonies are considered ecosystems engineers that enhance plant and animal diversity in grasslands. Research in the eastern foothills of Colorado showed that bats are significantly more active in BTPD colonies, especially species like the small-footed myotis. This study provides the first evidence of a relationship between BTPD colonies and bats in western North America.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sufia Akter Neha, Jorge Salazar-Bravo
Summary: This study examined the impact of habitat, geographic location, and environmental factors on the fecal microbiota of prairie dogs. The results showed that microbiota diversity and composition varied across sampling sites and habitats, with urban areas having reduced diversity and higher abundance of pathogenic bacteria. Alistipes shahii was identified as an important species driving changes in fecal microbiome composition. The average maximum temperature was found to be the best predictor of microbial diversity.
Article
Ecology
Noelle C. Guernsey, Patrick E. Lendrum, Lindsey Sterling Krank, Shaun M. Grassel
Summary: Prairie dogs have drastically declined in North American grasslands. Translocations were used to reestablish colonies of prairie dogs and mitigate human-wildlife conflict, with positive results observed in this study. Understanding the behavioral responses of prairie dogs to translocation is crucial for species conservation and the survival of dependent species. The research demonstrates the importance of translocating prairie dogs as a conservation tool.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
S. E. Hernandez, R. Avila-Flores, A. De Villa-Meza, M. C. Romano
Summary: The main objective of this study was to identify the dominant glucocorticoid (GC) hormone in the stress response of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in an arid grassland of Chihuahua, Mexico. The study found that both cortisol and corticosterone were present at measurable levels in serum and fecal samples of black-tailed prairie dogs, with higher concentration of corticosterone in fecal samples. Fecal analysis can be implemented as a method to measure stress responses in wild prairie dogs.
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David J. Augustine, Justin D. Derner
Summary: The presence of black-tailed prairie dogs had a negative effect on the mass gains of yearling steers during the growing season in shortgrass steppe. However, this effect was not significantly impacted by the interaction between precipitation and prairie dog occupancy.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tess A. Rooney, David Eshar, Charles Lee, J. Scott Weese
Summary: This study aimed to explore and compare the bacterial communities in caecal and hard faecal samples from free-ranging black-tailed prairie dogs. The results showed that the microbiota of both samples were dominated by the phylum Firmicutes, with significantly greater richness in faecal samples compared to caecal samples. Significant differences were also found in the microbial composition among different geographic regions.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
J. M. Kusch, S. E. Conway, A. Kapchinske, J. E. Lane
Summary: Environmental conditions play a significant role in the phenotypic variation and timing of reproduction in a population of black-tailed prairie dogs at their northern range limit, which may impact the survival and reproductive success of the population.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justin L. Pitschmann, Jonathan M. Conard, Elaina M. Hubbell
Summary: The study analyzed the vigilance and foraging patterns of black-tailed prairie dogs in relation to landscape context in urban and rural areas. Prairie dogs in rural colonies were found to be more vigilant and have a lower proportion of non-vigilant individuals compared to urban colonies. This difference may be attributed to urban prairie dogs being habituated to disturbance and facing a lower risk of predation.
AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Courtney J. Duchardt, David J. Augustine, Lauren M. Porensky, Jeffrey L. Beck, Jacob D. Hennig, David W. Pellatz, J. Derek Scasta, Lauren C. Connell, Ana D. Davidson
Summary: Habitat loss and changing climate, coupled with disease pathogens, have direct impacts on native species and can lead to drastic shifts in wildlife communities. This study examined the effects of a plague event on black-tailed prairie dog populations and the subsequent changes in mesocarnivore occupancy, avian abundance, and vegetation structure. The results showed that the plague decimated prairie dog populations and led to dramatic declines in mesocarnivore occupancy and raptor abundance. Additionally, abnormally high precipitation after the plague event influenced vegetation recovery and caused shifts in avian communities. These findings highlight the complex interactions between precipitation, disease-induced loss of a keystone species, and wildlife communities.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Autumn H. Smart, Clint R. V. Otto, Alisa L. Gallant, Michael P. Simanonok
Summary: The study investigates the spatial and temporal variability of floral resources in different grassland categories in the PPR, finding that engineered pollinator habitat has the highest abundance and richness of flowers despite its small area. Private grasslands and Conservation Reserve Program lands contribute the most flowers overall, but may not have the highest abundance per unit area.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah K. Olimb, Carl A. Olimb, Kristy Bly, Noelle C. Guernsey, Daoru Li
Summary: The black-tailed prairie dog is a keystone species in North American grasslands and requires conservation and management actions to increase its population. By evaluating different statistical techniques, we identified the best predictive model and found the most important factors for black-tailed prairie dog habitat. This study also serves as a guide for assessing habitat suitability and restoration for other species dependent on or interconnected with black-tailed prairie dogs.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
C. Cullingham, T. R. Stephens, K. D. Swan, S. C. Wilson, J. K. Janes, M. R. Matchett, R. Griebel, A. Moehrenschlager
Summary: The northernmost population of black-tailed prairie dog in Canada is isolated and has low genetic variability and high inbreeding. The population was connected to Montana in the past. Genetic rescue through translocations is needed to increase diversity and mitigate the effects of inbreeding.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jacquelyn M. Gehrt, Derek A. Moon, Shawn C. Stratton, David A. Haukos
Summary: Due to habitat degradation and loss, the population of Greater Prairie-chickens has declined in the past decade. However, the population within the Fort Riley Military Reservation has remained relatively stable, possibly due to containment of woody encroachment.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrew G. McAdam, Quinn M. R. Webber, Ben Dantzer, Jeffrey E. Lane, Stan Boutin
Summary: When resources are limited, competition can reduce an individual's fitness. However, when resources are abundant, social constraints on fitness are greatly reduced or eliminated.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lauren Petrullo, Tiantian Ren, Martin Wu, Rudy Boonstra, Rupert Palme, Stan Boutin, Andrew G. McAdam, Ben Dantzer
Summary: The gut microbiome diversity and metabolic function are affected by glucocorticoids. Understanding the relationship between ecological factors, glucocorticoids, and gut microbiome diversity in wild populations is important. This study used wild North American red squirrels as subjects and found that increased glucocorticoids led to decreased gut microbiome diversity and increased metabolic taxa, but in line with previous studies, gastrointestinal pathogens decreased. Dietary heterogeneity and food availability directly influenced gut microbiome diversity, while conspecific density and reproductive activity indirectly affected diversity through changes in glucocorticoids.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Clayton T. Lamb, Roland Willson, Carmen Richter, Naomi Owens-Beek, Julian Napoleon, Bruce Muir, R. Scott McNay, Estelle Lavis, Mark Hebblewhite, Line Giguere, Tamara Dokkie, Stan Boutin, Adam T. Ford
Summary: Indigenous Peoples in the northern hemisphere have relied on caribou for subsistence for a long time. However, caribou populations in Canada are currently declining. The West Moberly First Nations and Saulteau First Nations came together to create a vision for caribou recovery. Through habitat protection and predator reduction, the Klinse-Za caribou population has more than doubled in recent years, and a landmark conservation agreement has been secured.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Yasmine N. Majchrzak, Allyson K. Menzies, Darcy Doran-Myers, Michael J. L. Peers, Emily K. Studd, Rudy Boonstra, Stan Boutin
Summary: Researches are increasingly using motion-triggered cameras to study wildlife, and the reliable identification of individual animals in photos is crucial. By creating unique barcode patterns and attaching them to collars and ear tags, researchers have successfully achieved highly accurate identification of animals in photos.
Article
Ecology
Joanie L. Kennah, Michael J. L. Peers, Eric Vander Wal, Yasmine N. Majchrzak, Allyson K. Menzies, Emily K. Studd, Rudy Boonstra, Murray M. Humphries, Thomas S. Jung, Alice J. Kenney, Charles J. Krebs, Stan Boutin
Summary: Climate warming causes asynchronies between animal phenology and environments, and mismatched traits may decrease survival. However, coat color change can provide advantages other than camouflage. In this study, we found that mismatched snowshoe hares in Yukon had a significantly reduced autumn mortality risk, possibly due to the increased coat insulation and lower metabolic rates of winter-acclimatized hares. Mismatched hares also foraged less and had lower predation risk, leading to higher survival rates. However, mismatch did not affect spring mortality risk, suggesting a potential temperature limit where the costs of conspicuousness outweigh energetic benefits.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tyler Trump, Kyle Knopff, Andrea Morehouse, Mark S. Boyce
Summary: This study analyzed regional trends in elk harvest and hunter success in Alberta and found that increasing populations of large predators do not necessarily reduce hunter harvest of elk, except in the mountain areas where predation on elk calves has reduced recruitment. The data also indicate that Alberta's elk harvest management has been sustainable.
Article
Ecology
Quinn M. R. Webber, Ben Dantzer, Jeffrey E. E. Lane, Stan Boutin, Andrew G. G. McAdam
Summary: Through studying North American red squirrels, we found that territory size and intrusion rates display negative density dependence. When food availability increases, territories shrink while population density increases. However, when resources decrease, territories expand and population density decreases.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Sam F. Walmsley, Stan Boutin, Ben Dantzer, Jeffrey E. Lane, David W. Coltman, Andrew G. McAdam
Summary: The study on North American red squirrels revealed that kinship has an influence on their survival and reproductive success. Female red squirrels have higher annual survival when they live closer to their daughters, while males have higher annual reproductive success when they live closer to their fathers.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Melanie Dickie, Caroline Bampfylde, Thomas J. Habib, Michael Cody, Kendal Benesh, Mandy Kellner, Michelle McLellan, Stan Boutin, Robert Serrouya
Summary: Habitat loss is a major threat to species at risk, and habitat restoration is essential for the recovery of woodland caribou populations in Western Canada. An algorithm was developed to prioritize restoration efforts and monitor progress. The algorithm ranked landscape units into five zones of restoration priority based on maximizing gain in unaltered caribou habitat per unit cost. Ambitious and coordinated restoration efforts are needed to meet habitat management targets and minimize alteration within caribou range.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lauren Petrullo, Stan Boutin, Jeffrey E. Lane, Andrew G. McAdam, Ben Dantzer
Summary: This study shows that phenotype-environment mismatch errors in wild red squirrels can be explained by asymmetrical costs of different types of errors. Mothers that mistakenly increased reproductive effort when signals of an upcoming food pulse were absent were more likely to correctly increase effort when a food pulse did occur. However, mothers that failed to increase effort when cues of an upcoming food pulse were present suffered lifetime fitness costs that could only be offset through food supplementation. Therefore, these phenotype-environment mismatches may reflect a bias to overestimate environmental cues and avoid making the costliest error, ultimately enhancing lifetime fitness.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michelle L. McLellan, Melanie Dickie, Stan Boutin, Marcus Becker, Bevan Ernst, Darcy Peel, Kathryn L. Zimmerman, Robert Serrouya
Summary: For wide-ranging species, it is often difficult to implement effective conservation action due to cost or political challenges. To address this, a prioritization approach is needed to focus on areas where conservation efforts are more likely to succeed. Using Southern Mountain Caribou as an example, a simple algorithm is developed to rank subpopulations based on habitat quality and population characteristics, weighted according to expert opinion. Sensitivity analyses are used to measure the impact of criteria variance and expert weighting. This transparent framework allows for discussions on conservation, subpopulation comparisons, and adaptive management. The algorithm can be adapted for other species and used by conservation scientists and managers to prioritize populations for recovery actions.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Michael F. Proctor, Clayton. T. Lamb, John Boulanger, A. Grant Machutchon, Wayne F. Kasworm, David Paetkau, Cori L. Lausen, Eric C. Palm, Mark S. Boyce, Christopher Servheen
Summary: The demographic trajectory of grizzly bear populations in southeastern British Columbia is influenced by bottom-up food resources and top-down mortality risk. Understanding the factors driving population dynamics is crucial for effective management and conservation. This study integrated analyses of bottom-up and top-down factors to inform grizzly bear management. Black huckleberry was found to be the most influential bottom-up factor, while secure habitat was the most consistent top-down variable. Both bottom-up and top-down influences are necessary for mitigating the expanding human footprint on carnivore species. The study highlights the importance of considering both types of influences and the need for comprehensive assessments in population management.
WILDLIFE MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Camille H. H. Warbington, Mark S. S. Boyce
Summary: Climate change has affected precipitation patterns, which in turn affect hydrology. This study found that water-level fluctuations did not significantly impact the space use of different ungulate species in central Uganda. Differences in dietary and habitat use appear to mitigate the risk of competitive exclusion between native and domestic ungulates. Habitat loss due to agriculture and development is of greater concern than hydrological conditions for ungulate communities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alicia Halhed, Lauren Petrullo, Stan Boutin, Ben Dantzer, Andrew McAdam, Martin Wu, Karl Cottenie
Summary: In this study, the gut microbiome samples of red squirrels were analyzed to identify the drivers of microbiome composition. The spatial location of the squirrels was found to be a key contributor to the composition of the gut microbial community. The non-core microbiome showed highly localized spatial patterns, while the core microbiome showed some spatial patterns. The results suggest that environmental transmission plays a role in the spatiotemporal distribution of the red squirrel gut microbiome.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Mark O'Donoghue, Brian G. Slough, Kim Poole, Stan Boutin, Elizabeth J. Hofer, Garth Mowat, Dennis Murray, Charles J. Krebs
Summary: Counting tracks in the snow can provide a relatively simple and inexpensive method for estimating the abundance of meso-carnivores. However, seasonality and snow depth should be taken into account when using this method.