Article
Biology
Mark C. Fisher, Ryan A. Prioreschi, Lisa L. Wolfe, Jonathan P. Runge, Karen A. Griffin, Heather M. Swanson, Michael W. Miller
Summary: This article describes the stable prevalence and abundance of CWD infection in an unmanaged mule deer herd. Despite the high apparent prevalence, predation by mountain lions may be helping to control CWD. Despite outward stability, prion disease still impairs adult survival and resilience in the deer herd.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Tayler N. LaSharr, Rhiannon P. Jakopak, Bard-Jorgen Bardsen, Timothy J. Robinson, Samantha P. H. Dwinnell, Jill Randall, Rusty C. Kaiser, Mark Thonhoff, Brandon Scurlock, Troy Fieseler, Neil Hymas, Kevin L. Monteith
Summary: The balance of resource allocation to life-history traits can have significant consequences for survival, reproduction, and fitness for species in unpredictable environments. Environmental severity, food availability, and population size all influence the allocation of resources in animals. Animals facing extreme resource limitation may allocate resources to body reserves for survival at the cost of reproduction. In contrast, animals in relatively benign landscapes may allocate resources to reproduction. The theory of risk-sensitive allocation suggests that animals may shift resource allocation to building capital over reproduction when exposed to unprecedented or life-threatening conditions. This study on mule deer found that a life-threatening winter and a reduction in population abundance influenced how animals acquired and allocated energy to survival. Fat accumulation was influenced by per capita precipitation and the reduction in population abundance. Fat accrual in preparation for winter was associated with shifts in risk tolerance, supporting the idea of risk-sensitive allocation as an essential adaptation for animals in rapidly changing landscapes.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sydney Lamb, Brock R. McMillan, Madelon van de Kerk, Paul B. Frandsen, Kent R. Hersey, Randy T. Larsen
Summary: Maternal effects refer to the influence of maternal phenotype and environment on the phenotype of offspring. This influence can occur both before and after birth. Our study demonstrates that maternal nutritional condition affects the birth weight, growth rates, and survival of mule deer fawns.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carly Q. White, Joshua P. Bush, Benjamin N. Sacks
Summary: The increasing impacts of wildfire on arid regions due to climate change highlight the necessity of understanding the response of natural communities to fire. A study conducted in northern California investigated the use of and diets within burned and unburned habitats by black-tailed deer before and after a large wildfire. The study found that deer increased their use of unburned sites and reduced use of burn sites immediately after the fire, but started returning to burned sites in subsequent years. The diversity of the deer's diet was lower in burn sites post-fire, dominated by oak, but increased in subsequent years with more herbaceous plants in burn sites.
Article
Ecology
Kilian J. Murphy, David R. Roberts, William F. Jensen, Scott E. Nielsen, Sandra K. Johnson, Brian M. Hosek, Bruce Stillings, Jesse Kolar, Mark S. Boyce, Simone Ciuti
Summary: Wildlife population dynamics are influenced by climate, resources, density, and predator-prey interactions. Understanding the impact of human disturbances on these processes is important for wildlife conservation. However, there is a lack of long-term data on wildlife populations and the interplay between human activity, climate, and predator density. In this study, a 50-year time series was used to investigate the effects of landscape-level disturbance on mule deer fawn fall recruitment. The study found that density-dependent effects and harsh weather were the main drivers of fawn fall recruitment in the North Dakota Badlands.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Molly R. Caldwell, J. Mario K. Klip
Summary: The study found that the underpasses were primarily used by migrating mule deer during spring and fall, while resident deer used them in the summer. However, deteriorating infrastructure, such as fencing and gates, led to some migrating deer crossing the highway directly and getting involved in traffic accidents.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brock R. McMillan, Jacob T. Hall, Eric D. Freeman, Kent R. Hersey, Randy T. Larsen
Summary: Recent meta-analyses suggest that predator removal experiments only result in marginal increases in prey abundance. However, most of these studies lack targeted spatial approaches and do not consider the target prey's generation time. In this study, multiyear coyote removals were conducted using a crossover experimental design, and it was found that consecutive years of predator removal and removal efforts targeting fawning habitat significantly improved neonate mule deer survival.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Madelon van de Kerk, Randy T. Larsen, Daniel D. Olson, Kent R. Hersey, Brock R. McMillan
Summary: This study aimed to demonstrate and characterize the variations in migration strategies of mule deer in Utah, USA, including typical and atypical migratory behaviors. The research identified various migration classifications, including dual-range migrants, multi-range migrants, commuters, poly migrants, gradual movers, residents, and dispersers. Additionally, a substantial number of deer were found to switch among categories over multiple years, highlighting the importance of studying less-stereotyped migratory behaviors for effective conservation strategies.
Article
Ecology
Daniel W. Sallee, Brock R. McMillan, Kent R. Hersey, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen
Summary: Spatial modeling showed that habitat use by female mule deer was influenced by other ungulate species, but competition did not affect their survival and growth.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Taylor R. Ganz, Melia T. DeVivo, Brian N. Kertson, Trent Roussin, Lauren Satterfield, Aaron J. Wirsing, Laura R. Prugh
Summary: Wildfires, climate change and fire suppression are causing an increase in wildfire severity, frequency and size. The impact of these wildfires on wildlife, particularly ungulates, remains unresolved. Fire can improve forage for ungulates but also increase vulnerability to predation in winter. The behavior of ungulates in response to wildfires may be influenced by the hunting mode of resident predators. A study in northern Washington, USA, found that mule deer generally selected burned areas in summer but avoided burns in winter. The use of burned areas by deer was influenced by the presence and activity of wolf and cougar predators. These findings suggest that the impact of wildfires on ungulates depends on trade-offs between summer forage and reduced winter range mediated by predator community characteristics.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Patrick A. Rodgers, Hall Sawyer, Tony W. Mong, Sam Stephens, Matthew J. Kauffman
Summary: The study found that hunting has gender-specific effects on habitat selection and migratory behavior of ungulates, with males and females exhibiting different responses. Additionally, weather factors such as temperature and precipitation influence migration timing. For deer that survived to rifle season, hunting had less impact on migration timing compared to environmental factors.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Patrick A. Rodgers, Hall Sawyer, Tony W. Mong, Sam Stephens, Matthew J. Kauffman
Summary: Sexual segregation theory, including the forage-selection hypothesis and the reproductive strategy hypothesis, applies to migratory periods, with male and female mule deer exhibiting clear sex-specific migratory behaviors.
Article
Ecology
Tayler N. LaSharr, Samantha P. H. Dwinnell, Rhiannon P. Jakopak, Jill Randall, Rusty C. Kaiser, Mark Thonhoff, Brandon Scurlock, Troy Fieseler, Neil Hymas, Adam Hymas, Nick Roberts, James Hobbs, Mark Zornes, Douglas G. Brimeyer, Gary Fralick, Kevin L. Monteith
Summary: Behavioral modification is effective in mitigating harsh environmental conditions, but intrinsic factors such as age and nutrition are crucial for survival when behavioral adjustments are not enough. A study on mule deer revealed that movement behavior was minimally affected by age and nutrition, but played a role in survival as animals with restricted movements were more likely to die in winter. The study also found that nutrition and snow depth significantly influenced survival, with animals exposed to deep snow and low fat reserves being less likely to survive.
Article
Ecology
Collin J. Peterson, Nicholas J. DeCesare, Teagan A. Hayes, Chad J. Bishop, Michael S. Mitchell
Summary: This study assessed the availability and selection of forage and predation risk on summer ranges of migratory and resident mule deer populations, showing that the two groups face different choices at various spatial scales. Resident deer were able to compensate for lower forage availability and higher predation risk compared to migrants through stronger selection at finer scales.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Helena Rheault, Charles R. Anderson, Maegwin Bonar, Robby R. Marrotte, Tyler R. Ross, George Wittemyer, Joseph M. Northrup
Summary: The study reveals the significant influence of spatial experience on mule deer's habitat selection across different seasons, with short-term and long-term memory playing important roles in driving seasonal range habitat selection. Mule deer are able to update their cognitive map of seasonal ranges in real time and retain long-term information, supporting the theory that memory is a mechanism leading to emergent space-use patterns such as site fidelity.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Nelson B. Walker, Trevor J. Hefley, Daniel P. Walsh
Article
Zoology
Joseph M. Northrup, Alexandra Avrin, Charles R. Anderson, Emma Brown, George Wittemyer
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2019)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Daniel P. Walsh, Ting Fung Ma, Hon S. Ip, Jun Zhu
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2019)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chad J. Bishop, Mathew W. Alldredge, Daniel P. Walsh, Eric J. Bergman, Charles R. Anderson, Darlene Kilpatrick, Joe Bakel, Christophe Febvre
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Tyler J. Garwood, Chadwick P. Lehman, Daniel P. Walsh, E. Frances Cassirer, Thomas E. Besser, Jonathan A. Jenks
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Joseph M. Northrup, Charles R. Anderson, Brian D. Gerber, George Wittemyer
Summary: This study found that wildlife exhibit behavioral responses to habitat modification caused by hydrocarbon development, but these responses did not result in individual-level physiological or reproductive costs. Different levels of development in areas had significant impacts on mule deer habitat selection and survival rates, highlighting the importance of reducing human activity on wildlife.
WILDLIFE MONOGRAPHS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Douglas H. Johnson, Charles Anderson, Roger D. Applegate, Larissa Bailey, Evan Cooch, John Fieberg, Alan B. Franklin, R. J. Gutierrez, Karl V. Miller, James D. Nichols, Neal D. Niemuth, David Otis, Christine A. Ribic, Mary M. Rowland, Terry L. Shaffer
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Helena Rheault, Charles R. Anderson, Maegwin Bonar, Robby R. Marrotte, Tyler R. Ross, George Wittemyer, Joseph M. Northrup
Summary: The study reveals the significant influence of spatial experience on mule deer's habitat selection across different seasons, with short-term and long-term memory playing important roles in driving seasonal range habitat selection. Mule deer are able to update their cognitive map of seasonal ranges in real time and retain long-term information, supporting the theory that memory is a mechanism leading to emergent space-use patterns such as site fidelity.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Roderick B. Gagne, Simona Kraberger, Rebekah McMinn, Daryl R. Trumbo, Charles R. Anderson, Ken A. Logan, Mathew W. Alldredge, Karen Griffin, Sue Vandewoude
Summary: Monitoring pathogens in wildlife populations is crucial for effective management, and using hunter-collected teeth from puma can provide a cost-effective way to obtain viral genomic data, aiding in a more accurate understanding of viral dynamics in wildlife.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brenda J. Hanley, Michelle Carstensen, Daniel P. Walsh, Sonja A. Christensen, Daniel J. Storm, James G. Booth, Joseph Guinness, Cara E. Them, Md Sohel Ahmed, Krysten L. Schuler
Summary: Understanding the role of an environmental prion reservoir in the outbreak dynamics of CWD in white-tailed deer is crucial for disease surveillance resource allocation. A compartment model was used to analyze the epidemic dynamics and found that transmission rates, environmental contamination, and system type play key roles in the outbreak. CWD can persistently infect individuals living in a contaminated environment even without direct transmission.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Biology
Maegwin Bonar, Spencer J. Anderson, Charles R. Anderson Jr, George Wittemyer, Joseph M. Northrup, Aaron B. A. Shafer
Summary: Animal migrations are a widespread and threatened ecological process globally. Analyzing migratory traits based on genetic mechanisms is crucial for understanding species' adaptive potential in novel environments and environmental changes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alison C. C. Ketz, Daniel J. J. Storm, Rachel E. E. Barker, Anthony D. D. Apa, Cristian Oliva-Aviles, Daniel P. P. Walsh
Summary: Integrating ecological theory with empirical methods is common in ecology, but there is limited development in integrating ecological theory into survival analysis models. Survival is a crucial process in population dynamics, but including life history strategies into survival estimation can be challenging. This study developed an approach that incorporates species' life history strategy into survival analysis using shape constrained generalized additive models (CGAMs). The results showed that models with shape constraints outperformed models without explicit functional constraints, and demonstrated the utility of this approach in obtaining hazard rates and survival probabilities for different species.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ellen P. Robertson, Daniel P. Walsh, Julien Martin, Thierry M. Work, Christina A. Kellogg, Victoria Barker, Aine Hawthorn, Greta Aeby, Valerie J. Paul, Brian K. Walker, Yasunari Kiryu, Cheryl M. Woodley, Julie L. Meyer, Stephanie M. Rosales, Michael Studivan, Jennifer F. Moore, Marilyn E. Brandt, Andrew Bruckner
Summary: Emerging diseases can have devastating consequences for wildlife. Identifying the etiology of the disease is crucial for appropriate management, but can be challenging in the early stages. This study presents a rapid prototyping method that combines expert elicitation and Bayesian modeling to quantify belief weights for competing hypotheses. The approach is efficient, providing a snapshot assessment of current knowledge, and can be updated over time as scientific understanding improves.Overall, this approach is valuable for addressing emergent diseases and other urgent conservation problems.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Danielle Bilyeu Johnston, Charles R. R. Anderson Jr
Summary: Land managers in western North America often use mechanical methods such as chaining, roller-chopping, and mastication to reverse succession and reduce fire risk. These methods differ in cost and impact on vegetation and animal responses.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tim C. C. Swearingen, Robert W. W. Klaver, Charles R. R. Anderson Jr, Christopher N. N. Jacques
Summary: The probability of obtaining images of target species may differ based on camera models and alignment of cameras. The alignment of cameras within paired stations can affect species detection due to exposure issues. Our study found that the alignment of cameras did not significantly impact the number of usable mammal photos, but reliability varied between different camera models. Further testing is recommended before large-scale deployment to optimize reliability and performance.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2023)