Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey A. Hostetler, Julien Martin, Michael Kosempa, Holly H. Edwards, Kari A. Rood, Sheri L. Barton, Michael C. Runge
Summary: The study utilized an integrated population model to reconstruct the population dynamics of Florida manatees over the past 20 years, revealing slow and fluctuating growth. Precise estimates of abundance could be derived from key parameter estimates, potentially reducing the need for frequent costly surveys. Retrospective analyses were shown to be useful for understanding age distribution dynamics, assessing conservation status, and predicting environmental effects on population dynamics.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Mardan Aghabey Turghan, Zhigang Jiang, Zhongze Niu
Summary: The Przewalski's horse, the only remaining wild horse species, was extinct in the wild in the 1960s. Captive breeding projects have successfully saved the species from extinction, but challenges such as loss of genetic diversity, inbreeding depression, hybridization with domestic horses, and lack of prevention strategies and treatments still need to be addressed. This review summarizes the studies on Przewalski's horse since its extinction in the wild, focusing on reintroduction projects in Mongolia and China.
Article
Ecology
Rachel Kanaziz, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Caitlin P. Wells, Dirk H. Van Vuren, Lise M. Aubry
Summary: The study found that social dynamics and environmental conditions have a significant impact on the survival rate of reproductive female golden-mantled ground squirrels, while maternal characteristics did not. A higher density of related breeding females and a later date of permanent snow cover were associated with an increase in mortality hazard, whereas a shorter growing season reduced the maternal mortality hazard.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Catriona A. Morrison, Simon J. Butler, Robert A. Robinson, Jacquie A. Clark, Juan Arizaga, Ainars Aunins, Oriol Balta, Jaroslav Cepak, Tomasz Chodkiewicz, Virginia Escandell, Ruud P. B. Foppen, Richard D. Gregory, Magne Husby, Frederic Jiguet, John Atle Kalas, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Ake Lindstrom, Charlotte M. Moshoj, Karoly Nagy, Arantza Leal Nebot, Markus Piha, Jiri Reif, Thomas Sattler, Jana Skorpilova, Tibor Szep, Norbert Teufelbauer, Kasper Thorup, Chris van Turnhout, Thomas Wenninger, Jennifer A. Gill
Summary: Conservation policies for declining wildlife species are challenging due to multiple environmental changes impacting population declines. Targeted actions to improve local productivity within Europe, combined with large-scale environmental protection across non-breeding ranges, could help halt migrant landbird declines. Such demographic approaches are increasingly necessary to address global wildlife declines.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marlee A. Tucker, Luca Santini, Chris Carbone, Thomas Mueller
Summary: Global landscapes are changing due to human activities, impacting biodiversity and ecosystems. This study aimed to unravel the effects of human impacts on mammal population density patterns, finding a significant positive relationship between population density and the human footprint index. The results indicate shifts in mammal population densities in human modified landscapes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Phillip A. Morin, Frederick I. Archer, Catherine D. Avila, Jennifer R. Balacco, Yury V. Bukhman, William Chow, Olivier Fedrigo, Giulio Formenti, Julie A. Fronczek, Arkarachai Fungtammasan, Frances M. D. Gulland, Bettina Haase, Mads Peter Heide-Jorgensen, Marlys L. Houck, Kerstin Howe, Ann C. Misuraca, Jacquelyn Mountcastle, Whitney Musser, Sadye Paez, Sarah Pelan, Adam Phillippy, Arang Rhie, Jacqueline Robinson, Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, Teri K. Rowles, Oliver A. Ryder, Cynthia R. Smith, Sacha Stevenson, Barbara L. Taylor, Jonas Teilmann, James Torrance, Randall S. Wells, Andrew J. Westgate, Erich D. Jarvis
Summary: The vaquita is the most critically endangered marine mammal, with fewer than 19 remaining in the wild. Research has shown that its genome has a stable historical population size and low heterozygosity, potentially allowing for the purging of highly deleterious alleles and maintaining the necessary diversity for population health.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Francisco Amorim, Ricardo Pita, Vanessa A. Mata, Pedro Beja, Hugo Rebelo
Summary: This study investigates the effects of crowding on demographic processes, fecundity, and social structure in European free-tailed bats. The results show that crowding after habitat loss can disrupt population processes, reducing genetic relatedness and apparent survival, but not fecundity.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jazlyn A. Mooney, Clare D. Marsden, Abigail Yohannes, Robert K. Wayne, Kirk E. Lohmueller
Summary: Ethiopian wolves, one of the most endangered canids in the world, have experienced long-term small population size and consequent low genetic diversity. Through whole-genome sequencing, it was found that Ethiopian wolves have undergone ancient and recent bottlenecks, resulting in a current population size of less than 500 individuals and an effective population size of approximately 100 individuals. The long-term small population size may have limited the accumulation of strongly deleterious mutations.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hong Ma, Yongbo Liu, Detuan Liu, Weibang Sun, Xiongfang Liu, Youming Wan, Xiujiao Zhang, Rengang Zhang, Quanzheng Yun, Jihua Wang, Zhenghong Li, Yongpeng Ma
Summary: This study presents a high-quality genome of the critically endangered Rhododendron griersonianum, revealing its low genetic diversity and historical genetic bottlenecks. These findings provide valuable resources and insights for future research and conservation efforts for this species.
Article
Ornithology
Yuji Okahisa, Hisashi Nagata
Summary: Reintroduction is a common technique used to restore extinct animal populations within their native range. This study developed an integrated population model and analysis framework to assess the population parameters and criteria for a reintroduced population of Crested Ibis in Japan. The results showed high survival and reproductive success rates, indicating that the reintroduction program is effective and the species is not at risk of extinction in the near future.
Article
Development Studies
Frank Gotmark, Malte Andersson
Summary: The human population is projected to increase by 2.4 billion to 2100, and this poses threats to food security and biodiversity. Economic growth is often assumed to be a factor in lowering fertility rates, but this study found that fertility decline was not caused by economic development, but rather the increasing use of modern contraception. Family planning programs with information on family size and contraception offer promising strategies to achieve sustainable low fertility where it has not yet been achieved.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kaylee Rosenberger, Emily Schumacher, Alissa Brown, Sean Hoban
Summary: The study found that proportional sampling to population size captures more genetic diversity when population sizes differ. A relatively modest improvement (1-5% more allelic diversity for most cases) was observed across all parameters tested, except when recent bottlenecks were present. The study also tailored simulations to three IUCN Red List threatened oaks and found similar results as the generic simulations, suggesting that proportional sampling can be used as a useful strategy to create genetically diverse ex situ plant populations for more efficient resource use.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Dini Hu, Jianming Yang, Yingjie Qi, Boling Li, Kai Li, Kai Meng Mok
Summary: This study investigated the differences in microbial community composition and structure in Przewalski's horses before and after anthelmintic treatment, showing changes in archaea, bacteria, eukaryota, and viruses. The treatment altered the populations of functional microbes related to immunity and digestion, as well as increasing the abundance of phages which were sensitive to treatment. Pathogens related to clinical diseases in horses also increased post-treatment, while overall intestinal microbiota function remained unchanged but with shifted microbial populations.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Aliya Yakupova, Andrey Tomarovsky, Azamat Totikov, Violetta Beklemisheva, Maria L. Logacheva, Polina Perelman, Aleksey Komissarov, Pavel Dobrynin, Ksenia Krasheninnikova, Gaik A. Tamazian, Natalia Serdyukova, Mike Rayko, Tatiana Bulyonkova, Nikolay Cherkasov, Vladimir Pylev, Vladimir Peterfeld, Aleksey Penin, Elena Balanovska, Alla J. Lapidus, Stephen OBrien, Alexander Graphodatsky, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Sergei Kliver
Summary: This study investigates the genetic diversity and demographic history of the Baikal seal. The researchers found that the Baikal seal experienced a more severe population decline compared to other similar species, which could be attributed to the environmental changes during glacial-interglacial cycles. Additionally, they observed high conservation of chromosomal features in the Baikal seal's genome, similar to other marine pinniped species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kevin G. Kelly, Connor M. Wood, Kate McGinn, Anu Kramer, Sarah C. Sawyer, Sheila Whitmore, Dana Reid, Stefan Kahl, Aimee Reiss, Jonathan Eiseman, William Berigan, John J. Keane, Paula Shaklee, Lief Gallagher, Thomas E. Munton, Holger Klinck, R. J. Gutierrez, M. Zachariah Peery
Summary: Monitoring population size at ecosystem scales is challenging for most species of conservation concern. This study demonstrates a method for estimating population size using passive acoustic monitoring and local density monitoring for native California spotted owls and invasive barred owls.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Letter
Biodiversity Conservation
Friederike C. Bolam, Louise Mair, Marco Angelico, Thomas M. Brooks, Mark Burgman, Claudia Hermes, Michael Hoffmann, Rob W. Martin, Philip J. K. McGowan, Ana S. L. Rodrigues, Carlo Rondinini, James R. S. Westrip, Hannah Wheatley, Yuliana Bedolla-Guzman, Javier Calzada, Matthew F. Child, Peter A. Cranswick, Christopher R. Dickman, Birgit Fessl, Diana O. Fisher, Stephen T. Garnett, Jim J. Groombridge, Christopher N. Johnson, Rosalind J. Kennerley, Sarah R. B. King, John F. Lamoreux, Alexander C. Lees, Luc Lens, Simon P. Mahood, David P. Mallon, Erik Meijaard, Federico Mendez-Sanchez, Alexandre Reis Percequillo, Tracey J. Regan, Luis Miguel Renjifo, Malin C. Rivers, Nicolette S. Roach, Lizanne Roxburgh, Roger J. Safford, Paul Salaman, Tom Squires, Ella Vazquez-Dominguez, Piero Visconti, John C. Z. Woinarski, Richard P. Young, Stuart H. M. Butchart
Summary: Conservation actions have prevented multiple extinctions of bird and mammal species since 1993, but many species remain highly threatened and efforts need to be scaled up to prevent further extinctions in the future.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
A. Malagnino, P. Marchand, M. Garel, B. Cargnelutti, C. Itty, Y. Chaval, A. J. M. Hewison, A. Loison, N. Morellet
Summary: Different age and sex groups of large herbivores exhibit varied spatial behavior strategies based on their life histories, with aging and reproductive activity being major determinants of their spatial behavior.
Correction
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Shaminie J. Athinarayanan, Sarah J. Hallberg, Amy L. McKenzie, Katharina Lechner, Sarah King, James P. McCarter, Jeff S. Volek, Stephen D. Phinney, Ronald M. Krauss
CARDIOVASCULAR DIABETOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah R. B. King, Terry A. Messmer
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Laura Gervais, Nicolas Morellet, Ingrid David, Mark Hewison, Denis Reale, Michel Goulard, Yannick Chaval, Bruno Lourtet, Bruno Cargnelutti, Joel Merlet, Erwan Quemere, Benoit Pujol
Summary: Accurate heritability estimates for fitness-related traits are crucial for predicting the ability of organisms to respond to global change. The potential issue of inflated heritability estimates due to environmental similarity among relatives has been pointed out but not examined empirically. This study investigates the link between genetic variation for habitat selection and environmental similarity, and how it affects heritability estimates for fitness-related traits. The results show that accounting for similarity in habitat composition between relatives decreases heritability estimates, suggesting that similar genotypes occupy similar environments and heritable variation may be incorrectly attributed to environmental effects.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Juliette Seigle-Ferrand, Pascal Marchand, Nicolas Morellet, Jean-Michel Gaillard, A. J. Mark Hewison, Sonia Said, Yannick Chaval, Hugo Santacreu, Anne Loison, Glenn Yannic, Mathieu Garel
Summary: Understanding the impact of linear landscape features on animal movements is crucial, especially in fragmented habitats. Large herbivores primarily use linear features as landmarks to demarcate their home range, with different patterns observed in mountain species. In highly fragmented landscapes, the costs of memorizing key features and the need for sufficient area to meet vital needs constrain large herbivores. Linear features play a significant role in how these animals perceive and utilize the landscape, with consistent patterns observed across sexes and species.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ulrika A. Bergvall, Nicolas Morellet, Petter Kjellander, Geir R. Rauset, Johannes De Groeve, Tomasz Borowik, Falko Brieger, Benedikt Gehr, Marco Heurich, A. J. Mark Hewison, Max Kroeschel, Maryline Pellerin, Sonia Said, Leif Soennichsen, Peter Sunde, Francesca Cagnacci
Summary: Studying animal movement in the wild is crucial for ecosystem relationships and conservation efforts. Capturing and handling animals for fitting tracking devices can cause behavioral modifications, but wild species have shown resilience to such events, quickly recovering to average behavior. Researchers are encouraged to adapt methods to minimize stress and prioritize animal welfare in research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jan Pluhacek, Vladimira Tuckova, Radka Sarova, Sarah R. B. King
Summary: This study examined the latency in time between elimination by the sender and sniffing by the receiver, and from sniffing and overmarking, in four captive African equid species. The results supported the social bond hypothesis and sexual competition hypothesis, but not the group cohesion hypothesis. The study also found that younger foals and larger groups spent more time exploring the elimination before overmarking.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sarah R. B. King, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Mary J. Cole
Summary: This study investigated the effects of castration on behavior and social interactions of horses, and found that castration is safe and has minimal effects on horse behavior and social interactions in a reproductive herd.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Julien Renet, Theo Dokhelar, Felix Thirion, Laurent Tatin, Claire Agnes Pernollet, Laure Bourgault
Summary: The knowledge of a species' spatial ecology is essential for its conservation. By monitoring two populations of ocellated lizards in different Mediterranean habitats, this study found that the lizards showed more frequent habitat use and higher habitat density in core areas.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Jan Pluhacek, Vladimira Tuckova, Sarah R. B. King
Summary: Flehmen behavior is a common behavior in equids, which is associated with male sexual behavior, overmarking behavior, and individual recognition. The study found that the main function of Flehmen behavior is to detect the reproductive status of females, but animals of all genders and ages also exhibit Flehmen behavior when inspecting eliminations. Additionally, there are interspecific differences in Flehmen behavior, with the highest rate observed in African wild ass and the lowest in mountain zebra.
BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kathryn A. A. Schoenecker, Saeideh Esmaeili, Sarah R. B. King
Summary: Understanding resource selection and habitat use of feral horses is crucial for their management and conservation. This study examined the effects of vegetation, distance to water, and topography on seasonal resource selection in two feral horse populations in Utah, USA. GPS tracking data revealed that horses selected for herbaceous vegetation and avoided forests, with water sources being a significant predictor of horse movement patterns. The findings emphasize the importance of telemetry devices for targeted management and planning.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Saeideh Esmaeili, Sarah R. B. King, Kathryn A. Schoenecker
Summary: Feral burros in the Sonoran Desert consumed more woody browse and had lower diet diversity compared to burros in the juniper shrubland in Utah, which primarily consumed graminoids and forbs. Feral burros demonstrated a mixed feeding strategy, similar to their ancestor, to meet their nutritional needs in different ecosystems.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr, Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah R. B. King, Mark A. Fraker
Summary: The management of free-roaming horses and burros in the US is a complex issue influenced by societal values. The diverse landscapes and contemporary environments require adaptive management practices. The Bureau of Land Management employs fertility control measures and removals to manage the populations, but the current numbers exceed the appropriate level. More information on effective fertility control measures is needed to reduce population growth.
HUMAN-WILDLIFE INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah R. B. King, Kathryn A. Schoenecker
Summary: This study developed a method of attaching GPS transmitters to feral horse tails and provided step-by-step instructions. By braiding the tail and using epoxy, cable ties, and an attachment cord, the researchers were able to provide a viable alternative to radio collars for short-term tracking of feral horses.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)