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Author: Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 13
Book Description
Abstract: Social behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can have important management implications. The formation of matrilineal social groups among female deer has been documented and management strategies have been proposed based on this well-developed social structure. Using radiocollared (n = 17) and hunter or vehicle-killed (n = 21) does, we examined spatial and genetic structure in white-tailed deer on a 7,000-ha portion of the Savannah River Site in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. We used 14 microsatellite DNA loci to calculate pairwise relatedness among individual deer and to assign doe pairs to putative relationship categories. Linear distance and genetic relatedness were weakly correlated (r = -0.08, P = 0.058). Relationship categories differed in mean spatial distance, but only 60% of first-degree-related doe pairs (full sibling or mother-offspring pairs) and 38% of second-degree-related doe pairs (half sibling, grandmother-granddaughter pairs) were members of the same social group based on spatial association. Heavy hunting pressure in this population has created a young age structure among does, where the average age is 2.5 years, and
Author: Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 13
Book Description
Abstract: Social behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can have important management implications. The formation of matrilineal social groups among female deer has been documented and management strategies have been proposed based on this well-developed social structure. Using radiocollared (n = 17) and hunter or vehicle-killed (n = 21) does, we examined spatial and genetic structure in white-tailed deer on a 7,000-ha portion of the Savannah River Site in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. We used 14 microsatellite DNA loci to calculate pairwise relatedness among individual deer and to assign doe pairs to putative relationship categories. Linear distance and genetic relatedness were weakly correlated (r = -0.08, P = 0.058). Relationship categories differed in mean spatial distance, but only 60% of first-degree-related doe pairs (full sibling or mother-offspring pairs) and 38% of second-degree-related doe pairs (half sibling, grandmother-granddaughter pairs) were members of the same social group based on spatial association. Heavy hunting pressure in this population has created a young age structure among does, where the average age is 2.5 years, and
Author: David G. Hewitt Publisher: CRC Press ISBN: 1482295989 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 668
Book Description
Winner of the Wildlife Society Outstanding Edited Book Award for 2013! Winner of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Outstanding Book Award for 2011! Winner of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award for 2011! Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer organizes and presents information on the most studied large mammal species in the world. The book covers the evolutionary history of the species, its anatomy, physiology, and nutrition, population dynamics, and ecology across its vast range (from central Canada through northern South America). The book then discusses the history of management of white-tailed deer, beginning with early Native Americans and progressing through management by Europeans and examining population lows in the early 1900s, restocking efforts through the mid 1900s, and recent, overabundant populations that are becoming difficult to manage in many areas. Features: Co-published with the Quality Deer Management Association Compiles valuable information for white-tailed deer enthusiasts, managers, and biologists Written by an authoritative author team from diverse backgrounds Integrates white-tailed deer biology and management into a single volume Provides a thorough treatment of white-tailed deer antler biology Includes downloadable resources with color images The backbone of many state wildlife management agencies' policies and a featured hunting species through much of their range, white-tailed deer are an important species ecologically, socially, and scientifically in most areas of North America. Highly adaptable and now living in close proximity to humans in many areas, white-tailed deer are both the face of nature and the source of conflict with motorists, home-owners, and agricultural producers. Capturing the diverse aspects of white-tailed deer research, Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer is a reflection of the resources invested in the study of the species’ effects on ecosystems, predator-prey dynamics, population regulation, foraging behavior, and browser physiology.
Author: William Leroy Miller Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
Wildlife diseases are important stressors of natural populations and commonly impact species of management and conservation interest. Because of this, mitigating the negative effects of these diseases is a common goal of many management strategies. One of the key goals in areas of recent disease emergence is to minimize the geographic diffusion of diseases across landscapes so that nave populations remain minimally impacted. Prospective tools for predicting disease flow are particularly helpful in the initial stages of the epizootic cycle. Evaluating patterns of population structure, susceptibility, and connectivity can provide important insights into the potential spread of diseases across landscapes. Landscape genetic analyses, in particular, have proven particularly useful in elucidating these population characteristics. Chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disease of members of the family Cervidae, is a disease of particular concern due to the ecological and economic importance of infected species. Chronic wasting disease is caused by an infectious prion protein that can be passed by contact among individuals and/or through the use of shared environments. Contact among nave and infected individuals is thought to play an important role in the geographic diffusion of this disease, and management plans commonly focus on minimizing contact among these groups. Population structure and patterns of gene flow impact the distribution and occurrence of chronic wasting disease on landscape where it occurs. Thus, assessing these factors may help to identify effective management units and to predict transmission patterns within and among populations. Additionally, individual and population susceptibility to this disease is modulated by genetic variability in the prion protein (PRNP) gene, so evaluating transmission dynamics in tandem with spatial PRNP variability provides a means of assessing the innate vulnerability of populations to disease occurrence and establishment.In this study, I evaluated the genetic structure of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America in order to evaluate factors that may influence the epizootiology of chronic wasting disease. I used a panel of 11 microsatellite markers to assess spatial genetic structure and gene flow. These markers were chosen from a large suite of available loci (106 candidate markers) identified from 58 previous or ongoing studies of white-tailed deer genetics. These markers were chosen because they were characterized by low genotyping error rates and were inferred to be broadly applicable across the range of white-tailed deer in North America given the geographic distribution of previous studies. I genotyped a total of 2222 individuals to assess spatial genetic structure of white-tailed deer in the Mid-Atlantic region. White-tailed deer conformed to a pattern of isolation-by-distance at both fine and broad spatial scales. Despite this, 11 distinct subpopulation clusters were identified throughout the region. The edges of these subpopulations were associated with high-volume traffic roads and areas of greater elevational relief. Despite significant structure, subpopulations maintained high rates of connectivity. There was evidence of hierarchical genetic structure with the bounds of larger population units generally corresponding to physiographic provinces. Subpopulation units defined this way are more likely to be an effective disease management unit relative to those commonly defined by anthropocentric boundaries. Population structure is only one factor influencing the geographic distribution of diseases. Cervids are farmed in this region, and several captive cervid facilities have experienced recent outbreaks of chronic wasting disease. Egression from infected facilities represents another potential pathway for transmission. I used a Bayesian assignment algorithm to test for captive egression and dispersal events among free-ranging populations, both of which may contribute to epizootic patterns. I found a low (2.0%) but significant proportion of free-ranging deer that assigned to captive origin. Two deer that were infected with chronic wasting disease had a high probability of sourcing from captive populations. The proportion of individuals that assigned to a migratory origin was as high as 13.8% among the four subsampling units, and the proportion of individuals with admixed ancestry was as high as 46.7%. This suggests dispersal is common and ongoing and is commensurate with the high migration rates reported previously. One deer infected with chronic wasting disease assigned to a migratory origin. These results may indicate that both captive egression and natural dispersal have the potential to contribute to the spread of this disease into previously uninfected regions.Individual susceptibility to chronic wasting disease is thought to be linked to variation at two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the PRNP gene. Thus, population-scale variability at these loci may influence the risk of infection and establishment. The Mid-Atlantic populations of white-tailed deer generally had a higher proportion of susceptible individuals relative to populations with a longer history of chronic wasting disease. Variability at these loci varied spatially within the region and generally conformed to patterns of population structure. This suggests that some populations may be more innately susceptible than others to chronic wasting disease establishment. Understanding patterns of population structure and susceptibility provides insights into the potential occurrence of chronic wasting disease but does not necessarily explain transmission dynamics among populations. Transmission is expected to be facilitated by dispersal, but how deer move among populations is likely a consequence of the underlying landscape matrix. I evaluated the correlation between landscape features and patterns of gene flow using a resistance surface modeling approach to identify potential transmission corridors. Patterns of genetic differentiation were best explained by a resistance surface including percent forest cover, elevational relief, and traffic volume. While large streams were also included in the resistance surface, landscape resistance related to streams was negligible. Elevational relief and traffic volume were less resistant features than areas of low forest cover, highlighting the permeability of these features to deer movement. Gene flow was facilitated through forested corridors in heterogeneous landscapes and was more diffuse in homogeneous landscapes. A large number of chronic wasting disease cases occurred in areas of high connectivity, indicating that these areas may influence disease transmission among distinct groups of deer. In conclusion, patterns of white-tailed deer genetic structure are cryptic and associated with features that are permeable to movement. Nevertheless, these features may influence the distribution of chronic wasting disease and the possibility for transmission among populations. Furthermore, spatial variability at loci associated with disease susceptibility suggests that some populations may be more innately at risk for disease establishment than others. Incorporating the inferred patterns of population structure, connectivity, and susceptibility into disease forecasting models represents a logical extension and may further elucidate the trends observed here. Other sources of infection, such as captive egression, may pose a risk independent of patterns predicted by natural population structure. Thus, joint consideration of anthropogenic and natural sources of infection may further aid in predicting future epizootic patterns.
Author: Sonia Gallina-Tessaro Publisher: Springer Nature ISBN: 3030288684 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 463
Book Description
This book brings together the latest information on tropical ungulates in different Latin American countries. These animals are not only important from the point of view of their role in different ecosystems, but also have cultural value for people. The book also discusses topics such as habitat transformation and hunting as these species are an important source of food in many places. Addressing ungulate natural communities in diverse ecosystems and countries, the book provides information on specific aspects of each of the most representative species, and highlights topics to help readers better understand these species and develop effective management and conservation strategies. The information presented also reveals the need for more knowledge and will hopefully provide the incentive for continued studies on this important group of animals. This publication serves as a reference for academic research on ungulate ecology, behavior and dynamics, as well as the basis for conservation strategies.
Author: Stephen Lance Webb Publisher: ISBN: Category : Antlers Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been intensively studied across their range. However, many aspects of the white-tailed deer's ecology have not been studied or are difficult to study. The advent of global positioning system (GPS) collar technology and molecular genetics techniques now allows researchers to collect fine-scale and cryptic phenomena. In addition, selective harvest of male white-tailed deer, based on antler size, has not been critically evaluated. Thus, development and use of quantitative genetics models will be useful for elucidating the effects of selective harvest on mean population antler size. I used GPS collar technology to further understand white-tailed deer movement ecology. First, I determined the efficacy and influence of a high-tensile electric fence (HTEF) on deer movements. The HTEF controlled deer movements when properly maintained and had little influence on deer spatial dynamics, making it a safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional fencing. Second, I studied fine-scale deer movements using GPS collars collecting locations every 15 minutes. Hourly deer movements were greatest in the morning and evening. Parturition and rut influenced movements of females and males, respectively whereas weather and moon phase had minimal influence on movements. Molecular genetics techniques are becoming more widespread and accessible, which may allow insight into the link between genetics and antler size. I found deer in 3 diverse populations from Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas were relatively heterozygous and unrelated. Groups of deer with similar antler characteristics did not appear to be inbred or share common ancestors. In addition, there was not a strong link between individual multi-locus heterozygosity and antler points or score. Selective harvest has been implicated in causing negative evolutionary and biological responses in several ungulate species. To better determine how selective harvest (i.e., culling; the removal of deer with inferior antlers) affects white-tailed deer antler size, I used quantitative genetic models to simulate response of deer antlers to selection. In simulated controlled breeding situations response to selection was rapid, resulting in improvement in antler size. In simulated free-ranging populations response of antler size to selection was slow and only resulted in minimal increases in antler points after 20 years.
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Author: David G. Hewitt
Author: Mike L. Jones
Author: William Leroy Miller
Author: Sonia Gallina-Tessaro
Author: Cortney Wayne Noble
Author: Nancy E. Mathews
Author: Mark E. Weckel
Author: Stephen Lance Webb