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
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
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
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
Ecology
Carlos Bautista, Julian Oeser, Tobias Kuemmerle, Nuria Selva, Nathalie Pettorelli, Abdulhakim Abdi
Summary: This study investigates the impact of tree masting on human-wildlife conflicts. The findings suggest that years of low tree masting can lead to an increased use of anthropogenic foods by wildlife, resulting in conflicts between humans and animals in human-dominated landscapes.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
S. Kudrenko, A. Ordiz, F. Stytsenko, S. L. Barysheva, S. Bartalev, L. Baskin, J. E. Swenson
Summary: The study shows the link between habitat degradation and human-wildlife conflict, specifically in relation to increased road density and brown bear-caused human casualties in Russia. In European Russia, casualties were correlated with bear population size and the presence of Siberian pine, while in Siberia, they were associated with road density and the presence of Siberian pine. This highlights the importance of understanding the interacting effects of habitat change and large carnivore coexistence in forest ecosystems.
ANIMAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Joseph M. Northrup, Eric Howe, Jeremy Inglis, Erica Newton, Martyn E. Obbard, Bruce Pond, Derek Potter
Summary: Human-wildlife conflict can lead to declines in wildlife populations and endanger human safety and livelihoods. This study focused on the conflict between humans and American black bears in Ontario, Canada, examining the effectiveness of implementing a spring hunting season to reduce conflict. The results showed that while harvest increased with the new season, there was no reduction in interactions or incidents, and these were actually higher in areas with the new season. It was also found that human-bear interactions, incidents, and harvest were strongly influenced by the availability of natural foods. Thus, programs promoting coexistence and managing unnatural food sources are the most effective in reducing conflicts.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Allison G. Davis, John J. Cox, Songlin Fei
Summary: This study estimated the impacts of future land-use and sea level rise on the habitats of the Florida panther and black bear. It was found that uncontrolled urban sprawl poses a significant threat to their habitats, while increased land protection policies can enhance their protected habitat area.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2021)
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Jason I. Ransom, Andrea L. Lyons, Katherine C. Hegewisch, Meade Krosby
Summary: As Earth faces a crisis of biodiversity loss, reintroduction of imperiled species has become an important tool toward mitigating extirpation. Current habitat quality for a reintroduced species may change dramatically under future climate scenarios, undermining or supporting species conservation efforts. Models designed to understand such change must consider the niche plasticity of a species to assess the costs and benefits of reintroduction.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Heather E. Johnson, David L. Lewis, Tana L. Verzuh, Cody F. Wallace, Rebecca M. Much, Lyle K. Willmarth, Stewart W. Breck
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ryan C. Wilbur, Stacy A. Lischka, Jessica R. Young, Heather E. Johnson
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Heather E. Johnson, David D. Gustine, Trevor S. Golden, Layne G. Adams, Lincoln S. Parrett, Elizabeth A. Lenart, Perry S. Barboza
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebecca Kirby, Heather E. Johnson, Mathew W. Alldredge, Jonathan N. Pauli
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Jerod A. Merkle, Neil J. Anderson, Danna L. Baxley, Matthew Chopp, Laura C. Gigliotti, Justin A. Gude, Tyler M. Harms, Heather E. Johnson, Evelyn H. Merrill, Michael S. Mitchell, Tony W. Mong, Jerry Nelson, Andrew S. Norton, Michael J. Sheriff, Eric Tomasik, Kelly R. Vanbeek
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Heather E. Johnson, Trevor S. Golden, Layne G. Adams, David D. Gustine, Elizabeth A. Lenart
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Heather E. Johnson, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stacy A. Lischka, Tara L. Teel, Heather E. Johnson, Courtney Larson, Stewart Breck, Kevin Crooks
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John P. Severson, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, William B. Leacock, Michael J. Suitor
Summary: Phenological changes in spring can have significant impacts on the behavior and space utilization patterns of migratory barren-ground caribou, with future climate conditions projected to further shift their distributions westward.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Heather E. Johnson, Trevor S. Golden, Layne G. Adams, David D. Gustine, Elizabeth A. Lenart, Perry S. Barboza
Summary: Spatiotemporal variation in forage is a key factor driving ungulate behavior, with caribou selecting for different nutritional components throughout the growing season. Climate change may further impact caribou access to quality forage due to reduced digestible nitrogen and increased insect harassment. Mosquito activity strongly influences caribou foraging behavior, while oestrid fly activity has minimal impact.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Matthew J. Gould, James W. Cain, Todd C. Atwood, Larisa E. Harding, Heather E. Johnson, Dave P. Onorato, Frederic S. Winslow, Gary W. Roemer
Summary: The genetic structure of the American black bear in the American Southwest and northern Mexico was studied using microsatellites and a sample of 550 bears. The study found that the fragmentation of habitat following the glacial period was the main factor contributing to genetic subdivision, while contemporary anthropogenic barriers had less impact on gene flow.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Heather E. Johnson, Elizabeth A. Lenart, David D. Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Perry S. Barboza
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between summer forage and insect activity and the demographic rates of Arctic caribou. The findings showed that greater early summer digestible nitrogen was associated with increased subsequent calving success, while greater summer biomass was associated with increased adult survival. Mosquito activity was linked to reductions in adult female parturition, calving success, and survival.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
John P. Severson, Timothy C. Vosburgh, Heather E. Johnson
Summary: This study examines the influence of traffic volume on caribou's summer space use and road crossings in Arctic Alaska. The results show that caribou prefer areas further from roads during the post-calving and mosquito seasons, and select areas with lower traffic volumes. Additionally, during the insect seasons, caribou are less likely to cross roads as traffic increases, but this response dissipates as insect harassment becomes more severe.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)