Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Javier Perez-Gonzalez, Juan Carranza, Gabriel Anaya, Camilla Broggini, Giovanni Vedel, Eva de la Pena, Alberto Membrillo
Summary: The analysis of population genetic structure and individual multilocus heterozygosity is crucial for wildlife management and conservation. SNPs have shown to provide better insights and higher precision than microsatellites in inferring genetic status and population processes.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Linas Balciauskas, Yukichika Kawata
Summary: This article reviews the history, current population status, and (un)sustainable management of red deer in Lithuania. After extinction in the 19th century, the species was reintroduced during the World Wars and through local translocations. In the past 20 years, the population has exponentially increased, requiring an increase in hunting bag size for sustainable management.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabriella Saloni Duarte, David Javier Galindo, Maria Helena Mazzoni Baldini, Jeferson Ferreira da Fonseca, Jose Mauricio Barbanti Duarte, Maria Emilia Franco Oliveira
Summary: The present study aimed to test the efficiency of transcervical artificial insemination techniques with different methods of cervical immobilization in the brown brocket deer. The results showed that both TCAI-CI and TCAI-CT techniques were successful in achieving artificial insemination, regardless of using OT as a cervical dilation protocol. This method has a high success rate and applicability, and is beneficial for the conservation of deer species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Krisztian Frank, Kinga Szepesi, Norbert Bleier, Laszlo Sugar, Szilvia Kusza, Endre Barta, Peter Horn, Laszlo Orosz, Viktor Steger
Summary: The study revealed high genetic diversity among red deer subpopulations in the Carpathian Basin with complex genetic structures and varying degrees of population admixture. Populations in the south-western and north-eastern parts formed two highly separated groups, while those in between showed high levels of admixture.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Margaret A. Wild, Kyle R. Taylor, Eric E. Nilsson, Daniel Beck, Michael K. Skinner
Summary: The study found that TAHD is associated with epigenetic changes in elk, with infected elk showing systemic epigenetic alterations related to the disease. Despite TAHD pathology usually being limited to the feet, the disease may have impacts on the overall health of elk.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Svenja Hartung, Kernt Koehler, Christiane Herden, Manfred Henrich
Summary: This case describes a large unilateral mandibular mass in a free-ranging female adult red deer, which upon pathological examination was diagnosed as odontoameloblastoma with secondary chronic purulent osteomyelitis. Odontogenic tumors are rare in domestic and wildlife species, and this case represents a unique differential diagnosis to be considered when inflammatory lesions mask the presence of a neoplasm in the mandible.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lily Cunningham, Huitong Zhou, Qian Fang, Mark Tapley, Jonathan G. H. Hickford
Summary: This study found no association between variation in the myostatin gene and muscle and growth traits in red deer. The results suggest that the myostatin gene in red deer is less variable compared to other livestock species, and its activity may be controlled to maintain a size-growth equilibrium.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Johan Mansson, Lovisa Nilsson, Annika M. Felton, Anders Jarnemo
Summary: The study in Sweden found that red deer exhibit transitional use between arable land and forests, with different crop selection patterns in the North and South areas. In the North, red deer selected arable land while in the South, forest and wetlands were preferred. This highlights the need for regionally-focused knowledge on red deer habitat selection to develop appropriate damage mitigation and wildlife management strategies.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eduardo Laguna, Antonio J. Carpio, Joaquin Vicente, Jose A. Barasona, Roxana Triguero-Ocana, Saul Jimenez-Ruiz, Angel Gomez-Manzaneque, Pelayo Acevedo
Summary: This study aimed to describe the spatial ecology of red deer in Mediterranean ecosystems of South-Central Spain, showing that red deer exhibited less activity, a shorter daily range, and a smaller home range during the food shortage period. In different land use types, individuals in fenced hunting estates showed the lowest activity and daily range.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jose Antonio Ortiz, Olga Garcia-alvarez, Mariano Amo-Salas, Alejandro Maroto-Morales, Maria Iniesta-Cuerda, Maria del Rocio Fernandez-Santos, Ana Josefa Soler, Jose Julian Garde
Summary: The study found that melatonin implants in yearling Iberian red deer hinds significantly improved their reproductive performance, increased calves' weight, advanced calving date, and had a positive impact on the reproductive outcomes of yearling hinds with low liveweight.
Article
Forestry
Tomasz Jelonek, Karol Tomczak, Bartlomiej Naskrent, Katarzyna Klimek, Arkadiusz Tomczak, Karol Lewandowski
Summary: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of browsing by deer on infection rate development in beech trees. The results showed that the infection only affects the rings formed before the tree was injured. The average size of stem decay was 7.75% of its area, spreading at a rate of 2.52% per year. Furthermore, the study found a significant correlation between the size of the wound and the time elapsed since the tree was damaged.
Article
Ecology
Friederike Riesch, Anya Wichelhaus, Bettina Tonn, Marcus Meissner, Gert Rosenthal, Johannes Isselstein
Summary: Eutrophication from atmospheric nutrient deposition poses a threat to the biodiversity of low nutrient habitats. Grazing by red deer may be a suitable alternative for conserving open habitats. The study found that red deer grazing led to a net nutrient removal, supporting the idea that red deer can mitigate the effects of atmospheric nutrient deposition and are suitable for open habitat conservation.
Article
Microbiology
Magdalena Swislocka, Miroslaw Ratkiewicz, Anetta Borkowska
Summary: It is important to assess the distribution of parasite species across wildlife populations. In this project, the prevalence of Elaphostrongylus species in moose populations was quantified. Results showed that E. alces was more commonly found as a single parasite species in moose individuals, and males had higher prevalence of both E. alces and E. cervi. Red deer were identified as playing a dominant role in sharing these nematodes with other cervids.
Article
Parasitology
Alex Chambers, Paul Candy, Peter Green, Christian Sauermann, Dave Leathwick
Summary: Gastrointestinal nematode parasites and lungworm are significant animal health issues for farmed wapiti and red deer. Understanding the epidemiology of these parasites is essential for developing control programs. Results from this study show that different stock classes of farmed deer consistently shed low numbers of nematode eggs and lungworm larvae throughout the year, with little seasonality and variation between farms.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Maciej Sykut, Slawomira Pawelczyk, Natalia Piotrowska, Krzysztof Stefaniak, Bogdan Ridush, Daniel Makowiecki, Pavel Kosintsev, Barbara Wilkens, Tomasz Borowik, Ralph Fyfe, Jessie Woodbridge, Magdalena Niedzialkowska
Summary: Through the analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in 68 red deer bone samples from Europe and Asia, it was found that the feeding habits of red deer are related to environmental conditions such as forest cover, mean July temperature, annual precipitation, and altitude. Red deer shifted their feeding habitats in response to environmental oscillations over the last 50,000 years, with modern red deer populations inhabiting the most densely forested areas.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Tommaso Illarietti, Pelayo Acevedo, Paulo Alves, Thomas S. Jung, Horst Kierdorf, Gilliard Lach, Jorge Lopez-Olvera, Rory Putman, Massimo Scandura, Marcelo Vallinoto, Christian Gortazar
Summary: Expanding from Zeitschrift fur Jagdwissenschaft in 1955, European Journal of Wildlife Research (EJWR) publishes original research and reviews on wildlife science worldwide. After 18 years, we reflect on the journal and its audience, which includes researchers, wildlife biologists, and practitioners interested in wildlife science. With ecosystems under immense pressure due to global crisis, EJWR plays a vital role in sharing relevant research with the scientific community.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mohan Gupta, Roji Raut, Sulochana Manandhar, Ashok Chaudhary, Ujwal Shrestha, Saubhagya Dangol, G. C. Sudarshan, Keshab Raj Budha, Gaurab Karki, Sandra Diaz-Sanchez, Christian Gortazar, Jose de la Fuente, Pragun Rajbhandari, Prajwol Manandhar, Rajindra Napit, Dibesh Karmacharya
Summary: This study aimed to isolate and test potential probiotics bacteria from the cloacal swabs of indigenous chicken breeds in the rural outskirts of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Four strains of Lactobacillus spp. with potential probiotics properties were identified. Further research is needed to evaluate these strains for use as poultry probiotics feed supplements.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Laura Lux, Rainer G. Ulrich, Sergio Santos-Silva, Joao Queiros, Christian Imholt, Christian Klotz, Joana Pauperio, Ricardo Pita, Helia Vale-Goncalves, Paulo Celio Alves, Joao R. Mesquita
Summary: This study is the first investigation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia parasites in wild rodents and shrews in Portugal. The results show that Cryptosporidium was rarely detected, while Giardia was frequently detected, with the highest infection rates found in southwestern water voles and Lusitanian pine voles. Genetic characterization revealed rodent-adapted Giardia microti and potentially zoonotic Cryptosporidium muris as the only circulating species. This study suggests that wild rodents and shrews have a limited role as natural sources of human infections in Portugal.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joana Pauperio, Luis Martin Gonzalez, Jesus Martinez, Marcos Gonzalez, Filipa M. S. Martins, Joana Verissimo, Pamela Puppo, Joana Pinto, Catia Chaves, Catarina J. Pinho, Jose Manuel Grosso-Silva, Lorenzo Quaglietta, Teresa Luisa Silva, Pedro Sousa, Paulo Celio Alves, Nuno Fonseca, Pedro Beja, Sonia Ferreira
Summary: This study constructed a large reference collection of Trichoptera specimens from the Iberian Peninsula, with a success rate of over 80% when comparing morphological identifications and DNA barcodes. However, DNA barcoding was not successful in identifying species in six Trichoptera genera due to high levels of intraspecific genetic variability and challenging morphological identification.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leili Khalatbari, Raquel Godinho, Hamed Abolghasemi, Ehsan Hakimi, Taher Ghadirian, Houman Jowkar, Urs Breitenmoser, Jose Carlos Brito
Summary: Decreased genetic diversity, gene flow rates, and population connectivity in Asiatic cheetahs have led to increased inbreeding rates and extinction risks. This study used genetic markers to estimate genetic diversity and relatedness, minimum effective population size, and gene flow between subpopulations, as well as to assess population structure. The results indicate low genetic diversity and high relatedness in both Northern and Southern Subpopulations. Inferred corridors potentially connecting subpopulations show signs of gene flow and movement of individuals, but recent generations show no traces of gene flow. The extremely low estimated effective population size and decreased genetic diversity highlight the urgent need for population reinforcement, conservation of prey populations, and removal of obstacles to connectivity to prevent the impending extinction of this iconic species.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Ludovica Preite, Patricia Barroso, Beatriz Romero, Ana Balseiro, Christian Gortazar
Summary: Biosafety measures aim to reduce cross-species interactions, but incentives for implementation do not always lead to success.
PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gloria Herrero-Garcia, Pelayo Acevedo, Pablo Quiros, Miguel Prieto, Beatriz Romero, Javier Amado, Manuel Antonio Queipo, Christian Gortazar, Ana Balseiro
Summary: By analyzing the prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle and wild boar as well as their ranging behavior and habitat use in Asturias, northern Spain from 2014 to 2020, this study found that wild boar may contribute to the re-emergence of TB in the region. Infected wild boar shared the same strains of M. bovis with infected cattle, and their spatiotemporal overlap around pastures increased the transmission risk of TB. These findings are important for monitoring and eradication efforts against tuberculosis.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Ana M. Lopes, Tereza Almeida, Silvia Diz, Joao V. Corte-Real, Hugo C. Osorio, David W. Ramilo, Maria Teresa Rebelo, Isabel Pereira da Fonseca, Pedro J. Esteves, Paulo C. Alves, Nuno Santos, Joana Abrantes
Summary: A study conducted in southern Portugal found that wild European rabbits may be mechanically transmitted the GI.2 virus through flies. The abundance of fly species, particularly from the families Calliphoridae and Muscidae, peaked during certain months. The presence of GI.2 was detected in flies collected during an outbreak, suggesting that flies may act as mechanical vectors in the native range of the European rabbit in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Elisa Ferreras-Colino, Esther Descalzo, Beatriz Romero, Christian Gortazar, Pablo Ferreras
Summary: This study reported the presence of M. bovis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, in Egyptian mongooses captured in Spain. Although no visible lesions were observed, further research is needed to understand its role in tuberculosis epidemiology.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Rajesh Man Rajbhandari, Rajindra Napit, Prajwol Manandhar, Roji Raut, Anupama Gurung, Ajit Poudel, Nisha Shrestha, Amir Sadaula, Dibesh Karmacharya, Christian Gortazar, Paulo Celio Alves, Jose de la Fuente, Joao Queiros
Summary: In this study, whole genome sequencing was conducted on Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from Asian elephants and a human in Chitwan, Nepal. The results showed that the strains belonged to different lineages and were not drug-resistant. This study provides evidence for bidirectional transmission between humans and elephants, highlighting the importance of a One Health approach to tuberculosis prevention and control at the human-animal interface.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jose de la Fuente, Agustin Estrada-Pena, Christian Gortazar, Rita Vaz-Rodrigues, Isabel Sanchez, Juan Carrion Tudela
Summary: This study used a citizen science approach to evaluate the risks associated with Lyme borreliosis (LB) and the implementation of control interventions in Spain. The results showed that factors such as age, gender, tick bites, disease clinical signs, comorbidities, health care services, and treatment effectiveness affect LB. The main conclusion of the study is the need for better surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of LB and related comorbidities, as well as the development and implementation of new interventions.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Beatrice Nussberger, Soraia Barbosa, Mark Beaumont, Mathias Currat, Sebastien Devillard, Marco Heurich, Jo Howard-McCombe, Federica Mattucci, Carsten Nowak, Claudio Sebastian Quilodran, Helen Senn, Paulo Celio Alves
Summary: Preserving natural genetic diversity and ecological function of wild species is a major goal in conservation biology. Anthropogenic hybridization poses a threat to wild populations by changing their genetic makeup and potentially causing extinction. The impacts of gene flow from domestic cats on European wildcats are largely unknown, but it has been shown to overwhelm wild genomes in small and isolated populations. Understanding hybridization dynamics is crucial for managing and preserving the genetic diversity and integrity of the European wildcat. This paper aims to provide an overview of anthropogenic hybridization in European wildcats, clarify evaluation methods, and propose management and research guidelines.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Sandra Diaz-Sanchez, Luis M. Hernandez-Triana, Marcelo B. Labruna, Octavio Merino, Juan Mosqueda, Santiago Nava, Matias Szabo, Evelina Tarragona, Jose M. Venzal, Jose de la Fuente, Agustin Estrada-Pena
Summary: This study investigates the variability of mitochondrial and nuclear genes in the population of cattle ticks in the Neotropics. The results show that the genetic diversity does not correlate with geographic distance or environmental factors, which may be due to recent introduction of the tick, frequent population exchange, and minimal effect of climate on gene evolution rates.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Rita Vaz-Rodrigues, Francisco Feo Brito, Raul Guzman Rodriguez, Lorena Mazuecos, Jose de la Fuente
Summary: Objective Vector-borne diseases are a growing burden worldwide, and the risks of allergic reactions associated with arthropods are increasing. The diversity of allergic reactions makes it difficult to diagnose, prognose, and prevent diseases, requiring better surveillance of arthropod populations and disease diagnosis and management.
ANNALS OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rita Vaz-Rodrigues, Lorena Mazuecos, Margarita Villar, Marinela Contreras, Sara Artigas-Jeronimo, Almudena Gonzalez-Garcia, Christian Gorazar, Jose de la Fuente
Summary: This study used a multi-omics approach to investigate the impact of tick saliva and mammalian meat consumption on the gut transcriptome and proteome of zebrafish. The results revealed significant changes in biological and metabolic pathways associated with the alpha-Gal syndrome. Tick saliva treatment was found to increase zebrafish mortality, allergic reactions, and changes in behavior and feeding patterns. The analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics data provided insights into the pathways involved in allergic reactions, cardiac and vascular function, and nervous and musculoskeletal disorders.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)