Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joanna Klees van Bommel, Catherine Sun, Adam T. Ford, Melissa Todd, A. Cole Burton
Summary: The urban-wildland interface is expanding and increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. In this study, we investigated black bear habitat use in a North American hotspot of conflict and found that bears modify their behaviors by avoiding humans in space and time, but conflicts still occur in summer and autumn.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Don W. Hardeman Jr, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, J. Walter McCown, Brian K. Scheick, Robert A. McCleery
Summary: Growing human populations and development have led to increased conflicts between humans and carnivores, especially bears. Wildlife managers often remove bears from developed areas under the assumption that they will become food conditioned and more likely to cause conflicts. However, our study using isotopic values of bear hair found that the presence of bears in developed areas does not necessarily indicate food conditioning. Therefore, assumptions about bears in developed areas should not be made based solely on observations of their behavior.
Article
Virology
Arturo Oliver-Guimera, Alzbeta Hejtmankova, Kenneth Jackson, Patricia A. Pesavento
Summary: Polyomaviruses are ancient DNA viruses that infect various species of animals. Black bears are the natural hosts for Ursus americanus polyomavirus 1 (UaPyV1), with the virus detected in tissues of six out of seven bears submitted for examination. However, there is currently no evidence of a specific disease associated with UaPyV1 infection in this small group of bears.
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matteo Cleary, Omkar Joshi, W. Sue Fairbanks
Summary: The study found that human tolerance of black bears in North America is influenced by various psychological factors, including perceived risks and benefits, as well as trust in state wildlife management agencies. Residents of metropolitan areas have more positive attitudes and trust the management agencies more compared to rural residents, who have lower trust levels and higher risk perceptions.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James P. Kilfoil, Thomas P. Quinn, Aaron J. Wirsing
Summary: Humans can significantly alter the temporal activity of wildlife, and the ecological consequences of such shifts can lead to reduced fitness, increased competition, and trophic cascades. This study examined the potential of human disturbance as a temporal-shield for brown bears foraging on sockeye salmon in southwestern Alaska. The results showed that all bears avoided peak times of human activity, but socially-subordinate subadult bears had higher overlap with humans compared to females with cubs and single adults. The findings suggest that human-disturbance can have complex effects on large carnivores and may provide increased foraging opportunities for socially subordinate, but more human-tolerant individuals.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jennifer Vonk
Summary: By training an American black bear, it was found that the bear was able to choose the correct response button for a preferred food item but struggled with a less preferred food item. This study represents the first attempt to train a bear to indicate its preferences using a Likert scale-like method, and it could be beneficial for improving animal welfare.
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Hooker, Joseph D. Clark, Bobby T. Bond, Michael J. Chamberlain
Summary: Habitat fragmentation and loss have negative impacts on the isolation and extinction risks of American black bear populations. The study found limited demographic connectivity between the central Georgia bear population and surrounding bear populations, and the establishment of corridors may have marginal effects on gene flow.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ludovick Brown, Maikel Rosabal, Christian Dussault, Jon M. Arnemo, Boris Fuchs, Andreas Zedrosser, Fanie Pelletier
Summary: This study investigated the long-term lead (Pb) exposure in American black bears in areas with higher big game harvest densities in Quebec, Canada. The results showed that female black bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations in these areas, and older bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations compared to younger ones. The study suggests that hunters may drive mammalian scavengers into an evolutionary trap due to increased Pb exposure from bullet fragments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nalleli E. Lara-Diaz, Heli Coronel-Arellano, Christian A. Delfin-Alfonso, Maria Eugenia Espinosa-Flores, Juan L. Pena-Mondragon, Carlos A. Lopez-Gonzalez
Summary: The study assessed and validated long-distance corridors for black bears in the southern distribution by using resistance models, occurrence records, and radio-telemetry data. It identified connectivity core areas and important corridors through Natural Protected Areas, emphasizing the need for monitoring dispersal individuals to understand the plasticity of organisms and the barriers they face.
Article
Ecology
Melanie R. Boudreau, Mariela G. Gantchoff, Laura Conlee, Charles Anderson, Nathaniel R. Bowersock, Jerrold L. Belant, Raymond B. Iglay
Summary: Having reproducible and transparent science-based processes is crucial in wildlife management, especially when establishing harvest frameworks. This study provides an example of using multiple data sets to assess spatial and temporal vulnerability of black bear harvest, resulting in the establishment of bear management zones and timing recommendations to limit female harvest bias.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Michelle L. Crabb, Matthew J. Clement, Andrew S. Jones, Kirby D. Bristow, Larisa E. Harding
Summary: This study investigates the habitat selection and home ranges of American black bears before and after the largest wildfire in Arizona history. The results show that after the fire, black bears continued to use all levels of burn severity and their home ranges did not expand.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Greta M. Schmidt, Tabitha A. Graves, Jordan C. Pederson, Sarah L. Carroll
Summary: Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models are powerful tools for estimating abundance and density of wild animal populations. This study evaluated the factors influencing the uncertainty of SCR parameter estimates using black bear data, and provided density estimates for Utah black bear populations. The results showed that sample sizes are important for the accuracy and precision of parameter estimates, and multiple years of data are needed for precise density estimates.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Maximilian L. Allen, L. Mark Elbroch, Heiko U. Wittmer
Summary: Interactions between apex predators and dominant scavengers, such as kleptoparasitism by American black bears on puma kills, can have significant effects on the foraging behavior and energetics of the apex predators. The study found that black bears were the most frequent scavenger of puma kills, leading to pumas spending less time at their kill sites and experiencing energetic losses, which in turn influenced their inter-kill intervals and kill rates. The results highlight the importance of understanding interspecific interactions in ecological communities and how dominant scavengers can impact apex predator dynamics.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hannah S. Tiffin, Michael J. Skvarla, Erika T. Machtinger
Summary: The study indicates that black bears may play an important role in tick ecology and dispersal, as all three mobile life-stages of Ixodes scapularis were found parasitizing black bears in a region with high numbers of Lyme disease cases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ashley Friedenberger, Colleen Doyle, Lindsey Couillard, Christopher J. Kyle
Summary: A multiplex qPCR assay was developed in this study to detect and distinguish different bear species, showing its sensitivity and applicability in bile mixture recipes. This assay can aid wildlife enforcement applications for the protection of bear species.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Julius D. Metcalf, Gabriel R. Karns, Meaghan R. Gade, Philip R. Gould, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Summary: Debates among scholars highlighted rifts in the conservation community, potentially driven by shifting public values regarding conservation goals. An analysis of mission statements from state fish and wildlife agencies in the U.S. revealed a trend of emphasizing nature and wildlife as beneficiaries rather than economic use and recreational opportunities as the proportion of mutualists in a state increased. Additionally, agency decision-making bodies being predominantly male and sportspersons may hinder the adoption of goals aligning with broader societal values.
HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF WILDLIFE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Manfredo, Richard E. W. Berl, Tara L. Teel, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Summary: A socio-cultural index was developed based on a survey of US residents to inform decision making regarding public values towards wildlife. The opposing values of mutualism and domination were found to be highly predictive of societal attitudes. The technique, although initially developed for the US, is encouraged to be expanded globally to better account for human factors in conservation decisions.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Jeremy T. Bruskotter, John A. Vucetich, Sophie L. Gilbert, Neil H. Carter, Kelly A. George
Summary: The conflict between biodiversity conservation and food production is increasingly prominent. Two main agricultural strategies, sharing land with biodiversity or sparing land from agriculture, both have their challenges in reconciling the trade-offs. The rising concern for the welfare of individual animals, including wild and domestic, further complicates negotiations between agriculture and conservation.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kristina M. Slagle, Gabriel Karns, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Robyn S. Wilson
Summary: Managing wildlife diseases is a challenge in wildlife management, especially with increasing range and transmission cycles due to climate change. A study in Ohio assessed hunters' compliance with chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk-reduction practices, and found high noncompliance in the disease surveillance area. Addressing this issue would require locally focused communication and outreach, emphasizing the prevailing norms and combining it with culturally driven outreach.
HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF WILDLIFE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristina M. Slagle, Robyn S. Wilson, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Summary: This study applies a psychological hazard-acceptance model to U.S. wolf conservation and finds that there is a high level of tolerance for wolves among the American public. The study also indicates some support for the restoration of wolf populations and only a small minority engaging in oppositional behavior. Additionally, the perceived importance of the wolf issue is found to be the most predictive factor for engaging in behavior relevant to wolf conservation.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
William J. Ripple, Christopher Wolf, Michael K. Phillips, Robert L. Beschta, John A. Vucetich, J. Boone Kauffman, Beverly E. Law, Aaron J. Wirsing, Joanna E. Lambert, Elaine Leslie, Carly Vynne, Eric Dinerstein, Reed Noss, George Wuerthner, Dominick A. Dellasala, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Michael Paul Nelson, Eileen Crist, Chris Darimont, Daniel M. Ashe
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shelby C. C. Carlson, Alia M. M. Dietsch, Kristina M. M. Slagle, Jeremy T. T. Bruskotter
Summary: As conservation scholars recognize the critical role of human thought and behavior in biodiversity persistence, this study explores the differences between attitudes and acceptance and their relationships with other factors. The findings highlight the potential implications for conservation decision-making.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Veronica Yovovich, Nathaniel Robinson, Hugh Robinson, Michael J. Manfredo, Shelby Perry, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, John A. Vucetich, Luis Anibal Solorzano, Lydia A. Roe, Alison Lesure, Jamie Robertson, Tom Bulter, L. Mark Elbroch
Summary: This study identified 17 areas in the Upper Midwest, Ozarks, Appalachia, and New England that could potentially host puma populations in the future. Thirteen of these areas were large enough to ensure the long-term genetic health of the puma population. The study also considered factors such as patch size, human and livestock density, percent public land, and sociocultural values, providing valuable information for puma management and restoration in the East.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Correction
Biodiversity Conservation
Veronica Yovovich, Nathaniel Robinson, Hugh Robinson, Michael J. Manfredo, Shelby Perry, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, John A. Vucetich, Luis Anibal Solorzano, Lydia A. Roe, Alison Lesure, Jamie Robertson, Tom Butler, L. Mark Elbroch
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Shelby C. Carlson, John A. Vucetich, L. Mark Elbroch, Shelby Perry, Lydia A. Roe, Tom Butler, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Summary: A critical but neglected feature of the biodiversity crisis is the shrinking geographic range of most studied terrestrial vertebrates. In the United States, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the primary policy tool for mitigating the crisis, but federal agencies have not focused on this geographic element. As a result, state wildlife agencies have taken on the responsibility of addressing the crisis, and our research shows that most constituents expect these agencies to prioritize species restoration over hunting. This prioritization holds true even among self-identified hunters, which is significant as hunting opportunities are often the top priority for state agencies. By prioritizing rewilding efforts that restore native species throughout their historic range, state agencies can unite hunting and nonhunting constituents while addressing the biodiversity crisis.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Melissa E. Stanger, Kristina M. Slagle, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Summary: Preferences for predator control vary among urban, suburban, and rural residents. Most people prefer non-lethal forms of predator control, especially in urban areas. In agricultural areas, people are more sensitive to changes in the severity of control measures.
FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tara L. Teel, Brett Bruyere, Ashley Dayer, Kathryn E. Stoner, Chad Bishop, Jeremy Bruskotter, Stephanie Freeman, Jennifer Newmark, Corey Jager, Michael J. Manfredo
Summary: The future viability of wildlife conservation in the United States relies on the field's ability to adapt to changing social-ecological conditions. University education programs play a crucial role in preparing future wildlife professionals to meet the challenges of this new era. Integrating technical, leadership, administrative, and adaptive competencies into these programs is essential to support the emerging needs of the wildlife profession.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lincoln R. Larson, Markus Nils Peterson, Richard Von Furstenberg, Victoria R. Vayer, Kangjae Jerry Lee, Daniel Y. Choi, Kathryn Stevenson, Adam A. Ahlers, Christine Anhalt-Depies, Taniya Bethke, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Christopher J. Chizinski, Brian Clark, Ashley A. Dayer, Kelly Heber Dunning, Benjamin Ghasemi, Larry Gigliotti, Alan Graefe, Kris Irwin, Samuel J. Keith, Matt Kelly, Gerard Kyle, Elizabeth Metcalf, Wayde Morse, Mark D. Needham, Neelam C. Poudyal, Michael Quartuch, Shari Rodriguez, Chelsie Romulo, Ryan L. Sharp, William Siemer, Matthew T. Springer, Brett Stayton, Richard Stedman, Taylor Stein, Timothy R. Van Deelen, Jason Whiting, Richelle L. Winkler, Kyle Maurice Woosnam
Summary: Insufficient funding is a major obstacle to global conservation efforts, with declining hunting participation in the United States threatening the long-standing user-pay, public benefit model that supports wildlife conservation. College students show a preference for innovative funding approaches, with support for industry and state sources, highlighting the importance of considering diverse perspectives and preferences in conservation funding decisions.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2021)
