Download or read book Individual based Modeling of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus Movements and Epizootiology written by Lene Jung Kjaer and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are important game mammals and potential reservoirs of diseases of domestic livestock, so diseases of deer are of great concern to wildlife managers. Individual-based modeling (IBM) has become more commonplace in ecology as a tool to link individual behavior to population dynamics and community interactions, especially for gauging the effects of management actions. Spatially explicit IBMs are especially useful when ecological processes, such as disease transmission, are affected by the spatial composition of the environment. The author developed a spatially explicit IBM, DeerLandscapeDisease (DLD), to simulate direct and indirect disease transmission in white-tailed deer. Using data from GPS-collared deer in southern Illinois, methods were developed to identify habitats and times of high contact probability. The results demonstrate the utility of IBMs in incorporating spatio-temporal variables as well as animal behavior when predicting and modeling disease spread.

Download or read book The Genetic Structure of White Tailed Deer to Evaluate the Potential Epizootiology of Chronic Wasting Disease in an Area of Recent Emergence written by William Leroy Miller and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Movements Relatedness and Modeled Genetic Manipulation of White tailed Deer written by Stephen Lance Webb and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Estimation of Abundance and Movement Patterns for White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus in Cayuga Heights New York written by Bazartseren Boldgiv and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Connections Between Ecology and Infectious Disease written by Christon J. Hurst and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-30 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes current advances in our understanding of how infectious disease represents an ecological interaction between a pathogenic microorganism and the host species in which that microbe causes illness. The contributing authors explain that pathogenic microorganisms often also have broader ecological connections, which can include a natural environmental presence; possible transmission by vehicles such as air, water, and food; and interactions with other host species, including vectors for which the microbe either may or may not be pathogenic. This field of science has been dubbed disease ecology, and the chapters that examine it have been grouped into three sections. The first section introduces both the role of biological community interactions and the impact of biodiversity on infectious disease. In turn, the second section considers those diseases directly affecting humans, with a focus on waterborne and foodborne illnesses, while also examining the critical aspect of microbial biofilms. Lastly, the third section presents the ecology of infectious diseases from the perspective of their impact on mammalian livestock and wildlife as well as on humans. Given its breadth of coverage, the volume offers a valuable resource for microbial ecologists and biomedical scientists alike.

Download or read book Topical Bibliography for the White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus in Nine U S National Park Service Regions and Parts of Canada written by Jonathan E. Hoeldtke and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Individual Based Modeling of Animal Populations Using Object Oriented Simulation Techniques written by Carl Duane German and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Movements Relatedness and Modeled Genetic Manipulation of White tailed Deer written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of the most widely studied wildlife species in North America. However, many aspects of the white-tailed deers ecology have not been studied at very fine temproal scales of

Download or read book A Parallel Individual based Model of White tailed Deer in the Florida Everglades written by Catherine Anne Abbott and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Spatio temporal Analysis of Movement Activity of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus Using Camera Traps written by Sandor Dibble and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Understanding Urban White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus Movement and Related Social and Ecological Considerations for Management written by Erin C. McCance and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban -- deer -- management -- vehicle -- collisions -- human -- dimensions -- movement -- ecology -- biology -- animal -- geographies.

Download or read book Ecology and Management of White tailed Deer in Northeastern Coastal Habitats written by Brian L. Cypher and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus Fawn Survival and Seasonal Movement Patterns of White tailed Deer and Coyotes Canis Latrans in the Cleveland Metropolitan Area written by Sara I. Kennedy and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both does and fawns used natural habitat out of proportion with availability. Both showed little seasonal change in habitat use or selection, although some does increased their use of open habitat post-parturition. Habitat use by fawns showed more variation between individuals than between seasons. Coyotes showed substantial individual variation in all spatial metrics, but a majority increased their use of forested habitat during the hiding period. Seasonal overlap indices varied from 6.2% to 82.5% for home ranges and from 0.0% to 42.9% for core use areas. Improved estimates of population parameters for urban white-tailed deer can aid in management of this potentially overabundant species. Our work demonstrates that fawn survival can be high in urban areas and reinforces the link between urban parkland and surrounding residential areas for managing urban wildlife.

Download or read book Spatial Utilization and Movement Behavior of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus in Rhode Island written by Robert Bain Saunders and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Mortality and Movements of White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus Zimmerman Fawns in Southeastern Minnesota written by John H. Schulz and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Evaluation of Life History Parameters of White tailed Deer odocoileus Virginianus in North Dakota written by Brian A. Schaffer and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life history characteristics of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been documented in the Northern Great Plains, but limited information is available in regions dominated by grasslands. The objectives of our study were to document movements, cause-specific mortality, survival rates, and habitat selection of white-tailed deer.

Download or read book Some Observations on Movements and Spatial Utilization by White tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus in Rhode Island written by Frederick Burden Hurley and published by . This book was released on 1968 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: