Download or read book Maternal Factors Affect Individual and Population Level Morphometrics of Captive Male White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus written by Eric S. Michel and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 93 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maternal factors have the potential to influence the morphometrics of offspring; however, the magnitude and persistence of those influences are not well known. I investigated the extent to which maternal factors influenced offspring phenotype at the individual and population level for captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) originating from three distinct physiographic regions of Mississippi, USA. First, I tested whether male white-tailed deer displayed improvements in weaponry and body size after two generations of being released from nutritional restrictions. I found that improved nutrition positively influenced all morphometrics; however, we observed variation in magnitude of improvement. Antler size was most responsive to improved nutrition while body mass and skeletal structures were less responsive; potentially indicating an adaptive strategy allowing males to increase yearly reproductive success without jeopardizing lifetime reproductive success. Second, we assessed whether maternal characteristics, early life characteristics or a combination of both persistently influenced morphometrics throughout maturity. I found that late birth date positively influenced offspring body mass through three-years of age; indicating that late-born fawns over-compensated for a late start to life. I also identified an indirect silver-spoon effect as early-, heavy-born fawns were heavy juveniles. In turn, heavy juveniles were also heavy adults. Therefore, male white-tailed deer may gain reproductive opportunities by displaying one of two strategies to increase body mass. Lastly, I estimated heritability for six antler characteristics and quantified the influence of maternal factors such as parturition date and litter size on the predictability of antler size. All antler characteristics were highly heritable. Yearling antler size was a moderate predictor of antler size later in life, but accounting for maternal factors greatly improved predictability. The influence of maternal factors decreased with increasing male age suggesting that compensation for the negative influence of maternal factors may occur after an individual's first year of life. My results suggest that although antler characteristics are highly heritable, the large influence of maternal factors on predictability indicates that use of yearling antler size as selective harvest criteria may not achieve all management goals.
Download or read book Factors Affecting Morphometrics and Epiphyseal Closure of White tailed Deer written by Emily Brooke Flinn and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Factors affecting morphometrics and epiphyseal closure are important in understanding regional variation and growth of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). I compared body and antler growth from birth to 3 years of age in captive, first-generation, male white-tailed deer from three regions with varying soil quality and deer morphometrics. I also determined gender and age effects on epiphyseal closure timing in captive white-tailed deer. I found regional morphological variation present in first-generation male deer, which may be caused by regional genetic variation or lingering maternal effects. Determining cause of regional morphological variation will require data collection through a second-generation of males raised on the controlled diet. Epiphyseal closure timing was associated positively with age. Two of the four epiphyseal plates examined were affected by gender, with females closing prior to males. Morphometric and epiphyseal data confirm that age and gender affect epiphyseal closure timing in white-tailed deer.
Download or read book Effect of Dominance in Captive Female White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Factors associated with rank position are poorly understood whereas even fewer studies assessed if benefits were associated with increased rank position when resources were unlimited. I assessed whether age, body mass, size, and testosterone levels were important in rank establishment among 132 captive female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). I also assessed if the benefit metrics of improved body condition, decreased stress level, and earlier parturition date were related to rank position. Deer in each of 9 study pens had a linear hierarchy with a mean h' of 0.39 (SD = 0.09). Rank position was moderately related to age (P
Download or read book Population Size Estimation and Quality Management Techniques for a Local Population of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus written by Mark Earl Moore and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Gene Flow Effective Population Size and Genetic Population Structure in White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus in Northeastern Minnesota written by Michael Edward Nelson and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Factors Influencing Scaling Relationships of Body Mass and Antler Mass in White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus written by Willis P. Sontheimer and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Antlers are a costly trait that require skeletal reserves to grow to a large size. Thus, insight into variation in antler size requires understanding the connection between antler and body size, which can be summarized through ontogenetic and static scaling relationships. Both types of scaling relationships are needed to examine the influence of factors besides body mass on antler growth at different ages and whether the influence of these factors diminish with age. Size deficits influenced by diet variability and maternal effects might decline during ontogeny through compensatory growth. I sought insight into the influences of diet and maternal attributes of mother's age at birth of offspring and litter size on body-antler size relationships throughout ontogeny and at discrete ages. I also examined whether diet and maternal effects diminished with age of males.
Download or read book Annual Report written by Mississippi State University. Forest and Wildlife Research Center and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Influences of Genetic Variability and Maternal Factors on Fetal Growth in White tailed Deer written by E. Gus Cothran and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Estimating the Ecological Impact and Carrying Capacity of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus at Camp James A Garfield Joint Military Training Center written by Curtis D. Burns (Jr.) and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anthropogenic habitat modification, predator extirpation, and reduced hunting pressure have pushed white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) populations to unprecedentedly high densities throughout much of eastern North America. Importantly, their selective foraging can depress the abundance of preferred native plant species, increase that of less nutritious ones, and facilitate exotic species invasion. However, few have researched areas where WTD densities have been maintained, for decades, at low levels. Moreover, scant data exists on canopy species regeneration across different-aged canopy gaps, in different habitats, and in areas of historically high and low WTD densities. Here, we ask: 1) across a range of canopy gap ages, does WTD density affect the number and relative cover of native and non-native plant species, in wet and dry habitats?, and 2) does vegetation structure differ in areas of historically low WTD density relative to areas where WTD are excluded via fenced exclosures? - here, an answer of `no' suggests WTD are at or below their carrying capacity. This study took place in and outside of Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center (C-JAG, Portage Co., OH), which has maintained WTD densities 2-3 times lower than the surrounding areas, since 1955. Excluding WTD at C-JAG for one year did not result in different plant communities, suggesting C-JAG's aggressive WTD management has them at or below their carrying capacity. Relative to surrounding areas, canopy gaps at C-JAG generally harbored a more diverse and abundant assemblage of native species, especially in dry habitats, and lower levels of non-native species in both habitats. Canopy gap age did not affect any response variable, suggesting a low WTD density generally promotes native plant diversity, and reduces the incidence of exotic species, regardless of gap successional stage. Given that energy transfer to higher trophic levels tends to be greater in areas of high native plant diversity, maintaining low WTD densities may facilitate the diversity and abundance of species at higher trophic levels. Lastly, without adequate WTD management, our forests will likely suffer continued native biodiversity loss, altered successional trajectories, and become increasingly dominated by exotic species.
Download or read book White tailed Deer and Small Mammal Population Dynamics Over Time written by Ilianna Eden Anise and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 95 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: My research contributed to a long-term study of small mammal and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population dynamics over time in Morris County, specifically at Drew University and the Great Swamp Watershed Association. I used live trapping to gather data on small mammal populations and a fecal pellet index (FPI) and visual census to assess the white-tailed deer population. Overall, I was interested in how the population dynamics change over time, independently and interacting with each other. I also started weighing small mammals in an attempt to use weight to clarify small mammal age class. I found that changes occurred in four target mammal species (raccoon, Peromyscus spp., eastern chipmunk, and eastern gray squirrel) over time. Specifically, I noticed an increase in raccoon, squirrel, and Peromyscus spp. numbers but a decrease in chipmunk population from 2015-2016. The decrease in chipmunks is a result of older individuals not surviving whereas squirrel numbers increased due to their younger reproducing population. Similarly, the raccoon population had the highest number captured in 2016 compared to previous years, most likely caused by increased reproduction and a greater number of juveniles. In analyzing relationships between small mammal populations, my study documented a strong relationship between the squirrel and chipmunk populations. I found that over time, chipmunks and squirrels displayed a strong negative relationship in a lagged Pearson correlation and in 2016, I determined that either squirrel or chipmunk activity dominates the trapping grids at Drew University. Moreover, I found that squirrel activity was significantly higher at the Hepburn Woods site than at the President's House or the Zuck Arboretum sites, when comparing squirrel activity among Drew sites. My research displayed some interesting findings regarding small mammal weight measurements. On average, Drew University chipmunks and squirrels weighed more than their respective captures at the Great Swamp Watershed Association's sites. I was able to use weight as an indicator of determined age class in chipmunks and squirrels. I found no significant difference in adult weight based on sex. In looking at the impact of deer exclosures on small mammal activity, I found no significant impact from the deer exclosure on small mammal activity. My study of the white-tailed deer population at Drew University using the fecal pellet index and visual census indicated interesting shifts in the population over time. Of note, there was a marked decline in the population due to epizootic hemorrhagic disease in 2011. However, the population completely recovered in 3-4 years in 2015. By 2016, the population exhibited a crash, most likely due to an overshoot in carrying capacity. The visual census provided a conservative assessment of the age and sex distribution of the deer population. The visual census also indicated that the Drew University population exceeded carrying capacity in 2015, according to Tilghman (1989). The present findings of this thesis display the importance of long-term research with small mammal and white-tailed deer populations. Future research will continue to be essential in documenting how small mammal and white-tailed deer population dynamics change overtime.
Download or read book Influences of Habitat Composition Plant Phenology and Population Density on Autumn Indices of Body Condition in a Northern White tailed Deer Population written by Anouk Simard and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Body condition has a strong influence on reproduction and survival. Consequently, understanding spatiotemporal variation in body condition may help identify processes that determine life history, and thus demography. The effect of environmental variables on individuals' body condition, although widely documented, is generally achieved by investigating habitat, plant phenology, or density separately, such that cumulative or interactive effects can rarely be considered. We investigated how spatial and annual variation in habitat composition, deer density, and vegetation productivity influenced white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) body condition during the breeding period. We detailed changes in body condition using several indices, including body mass, peroneus muscle mass, rump fat, kidney fat index, and antler size in >4,000 male and female deer of different ages harvested during September-December, 2002-2006 on Anticosti Island, Québec, Canada. Overall, females and yearlings harvested in fir forests were in poorer condition than those harvested in peatlands or spruce forests, whereas body condition of adult males was greater when open habitats were highly available. High deer density reduced autumn gains in fat, muscle mass, and body mass in males and yearlings, and in fat for females. Surprisingly, density positively affected the size of male antlers. High density at birth favored fat accumulation in adult females, suggesting strong selective pressure that removed low-quality individuals in early age at high deer density. Low Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in spring was associated with delayed but rapid spring green-up, and favored higher body condition in autumn. Reproduction affected most parameters of body condition; lactating females had less mass, fat, and muscle than non-lactating females, whereas mass and fat of males >4 years old steeply declined during the rut. Body mass and fat reserves showed a stronger response to density, habitat, NDVI, and reproduction than muscle mass. Body mass was a good integrating measure of fat and muscle mass, although allocation between muscle growth and energy storage was confounded. Our study highlighted the influence of environmental conditions on individual fat reserves, muscle mass, and body mass in autumn, with potential effects on reproduction and winter survival. Appropriate monitoring of body-condition indices in the fall can track the effect of environmental variables and management practices on animal populations.
Download or read book Biology and Management of White tailed Deer written by David G. Hewitt and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2011-06-24 with total page 668 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Vertebrate Mating Systems written by Marco Apollonio and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2000 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reviews the relationship of mating systems with other aspects of vertebrate biology. It presents many stimulating new perspectives and ideas on mating systems studies. While many of the authors present some of their own research, in all cases they underline the general relevance of their work and speculate on future directions of scientific inquiry.
Download or read book Quantitative Genetics in the Wild written by Anne Charmantier and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book gathers the expertise of 30 evolutionary biologists from around the globe to highlight how applying the field of quantitative genetics - the analysis of the genetic basis of complex traits - aids in the study of wild populations.
Download or read book Quality Whitetails written by Karl V. Miller and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Top deer biologists and deer hunting authors discuss how and when hunters should harvest bucks and antlerless deer, and how to ensure a better chance of getting that trophy buck.
Download or read book White tailed Deer written by Lowell K. Halls and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 870 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Information on white-tail deer population in 21 regions worldwide, covering: ecology, population, and management needs and opportunities.
Download or read book Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores written by Robert A. Long and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-09-26 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The status of many carnivore populations is of growing concern to scientists and conservationists, making the need for data pertaining to carnivore distribution, abundance, and habitat use ever more pressing. Recent developments in “noninvasive” research techniques—those that minimize disturbance to the animal being studied—have resulted in a greatly expanded toolbox for the wildlife practitioner. Presented in a straightforward and readable style, Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores is a comprehensive guide for wildlife researchers who seek to conduct carnivore surveys using the most up-to-date scientific approaches. Twenty-five experts from throughout North America discuss strategies for implementing surveys across a broad range of habitats, providing input on survey design, sample collection, DNA and endocrine analyses, and data analysis. Photographs from the field, line drawings, and detailed case studies further illustrate on-the-ground application of the survey methods discussed. Coupled with cutting-edge laboratory and statistical techniques, which are also described in the book, noninvasive survey methods are effi cient and effective tools for sampling carnivore populations. Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores allows practitioners to carefully evaluate a diversity of detection methods and to develop protocols specific to their survey objectives, study area, and species of interest. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in the study of carnivores, from scientists engaged in primary research to agencies or organizations requiring carnivore detection data to develop management or conservation plans.
