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Szabo D, Moodie D, Green MP, Mulder RA, Clarke BO. Field-Based Distribution and Bioaccumulation Factors for Cyclic and Aliphatic Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in an Urban Sedentary Waterbird Population. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8231-8244. [PMID: 35678721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The field-based distribution and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were determined in residential Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) from an urban lake (Melbourne, Australia). The concentrations of 46 aliphatic and cyclic PFASs were determined by HPLC-MS/MS in serum and excrement from swans, and water, sediment, aquatic macrophytes, soil, and grass samples in and around the lake. Elevated concentrations of ∑46PFASs were detected in serum (120 ng mL-1) and excrement (110 ng g-1 dw) were strongly related indicating a potential noninvasive sampling methodology. Environmental concentrations of PFASs were consistent with a highly impacted ecosystem and notably high concentrations of perfluoro-4-ethylcyclohexanesulfonate (PFECHS, 67584-42-3; C8HF15SO3) were detected in water (27 ng L-1) and swan serum (16 ng mL-1). In the absence of credible putative alternative sources of PFECHS input to the lake, we propose that the use of high-performance motorsport vehicles is a likely source of contamination to this ecosystem. The BAF of perfluorocarboxylic acids increased with each additional CF2 moiety from PFOA (15.7 L kg-1 ww) to PFDoDA (3615 L kg-1 ww). The BAF of PFECHS was estimated as 593 L kg-1 ww, which is lower compared with that of PFOS (1097 L kg-1 ww).
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew Szabo
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
| | - Damien Moodie
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
- School of Science, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia 3001
| | - Mark P Green
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
| | - Raoul A Mulder
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
| | - Bradley O Clarke
- Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
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Ostermann‐Miyashita E, Pernat N, König HJ. Citizen science as a bottom‐up approach to address human–wildlife conflicts: From theories and methods to practical implications. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emu‐Felicitas Ostermann‐Miyashita
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Thaer‐Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences Humboldt Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Nadja Pernat
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Research Area 2: Land Use and Governance Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
| | - Hannes J. König
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
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Aulsebrook AE, Lesku JA, Mulder RA, Goymann W, Vyssotski AL, Jones TM. Streetlights Disrupt Night-Time Sleep in Urban Black Swans. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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Carleton RD, Owens E, Blaquière H, Bourassa S, Bowden JJ, Candau JN, DeMerchant I, Edwards S, Heustis A, James PM, Kanoti AM, MacQuarrie CJ, Martel V, Moise ER, Pureswaran DS, Shanks E, Johns RC. Tracking insect outbreaks: a case study of community-assisted moth monitoring using sex pheromone traps. Facets (Ott) 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2019-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect outbreaks can cover vast geographic areas making it onerous to cost-effectively monitor populations to address management or ecological questions. Community science (or citizen science), which entails engaging the public to assist with data collection, provides a possible solution to this challenge for the spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens), a major defoliating pest in North America. Here, we lay out the Budworm Tracker Program, a contributory community science program developed to help monitor spruce budworm moths throughout eastern Canada. The program outsources free pheromone trap kits to volunteers who periodically check and collect moths from their traps throughout the budworm flight period, then return them in a prepaid envelope to the organizers. Over three years, the program engaged an average of 216–375 volunteers and yielded a data return rate of 68%–89%, for a total of 16 311–54 525 moths per year. Volunteer retention among years was 71%–89%. Data from this program offer compelling evidence for the range of long-distance moth dispersal. Although our program was designed for spruce budworm, this template could easily be adapted for forestry, urban forestry, and agricultural systems to monitor any of the numerous organisms for which there is an established trapping method.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Drew Carleton
- New Brunswick Department of Energy and Resource Development, 1350 Regent Street, Suite 300, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Emily Owens
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Holly Blaquière
- Forest Protection Ltd, 2502 Route 102 Highway, Lincoln, NB E3B 7E6, Canada
| | - Stéphane Bourassa
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec City QC G1V 4C7, Canada
| | - Joseph J. Bowden
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Corner Brook, NL, Canada
| | - Jean-Noël Candau
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2E5, Canada
| | - Ian DeMerchant
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Sara Edwards
- Forest Protection Ltd, 2502 Route 102 Highway, Lincoln, NB E3B 7E6, Canada
| | - Allyson Heustis
- Forest Protection Ltd, 2502 Route 102 Highway, Lincoln, NB E3B 7E6, Canada
| | - Patrick M.A. James
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville Montréal, Québec QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Alison M. Kanoti
- Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Forestry Service, 22 State House Station, 18 Elkins Lane, Augusta, ME 04333-0022, USA
| | - Chris J.K. MacQuarrie
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2E5, Canada
| | - Véronique Martel
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec City QC G1V 4C7, Canada
| | - Eric R.D. Moise
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Corner Brook, NL, Canada
| | - Deepa S. Pureswaran
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec City QC G1V 4C7, Canada
| | - Evan Shanks
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Rob C. Johns
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada
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Guay P, Leppitt R, Weston MA, Yeager TR, Dongen WFD, Symonds MRE. Are the big and beautiful less bold? Differences in avian fearfulness between the sexes in relation to body size and colour. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P.‐J. Guay
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation College of Engineering and Science Victoria University Melbourne Vic Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Engineering and the Built Environment Deakin University Burwood Vic Australia
| | - R. Leppitt
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation College of Engineering and Science Victoria University Melbourne Vic Australia
| | - M. A. Weston
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Engineering and the Built Environment Deakin University Burwood Vic Australia
| | - T. R. Yeager
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation College of Engineering and Science Victoria University Melbourne Vic Australia
| | - W. F. D. Dongen
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation College of Engineering and Science Victoria University Melbourne Vic Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Engineering and the Built Environment Deakin University Burwood Vic Australia
| | - M. R. E. Symonds
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Engineering and the Built Environment Deakin University Burwood Vic Australia
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Can Citizen Science Assist in Determining Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) Presence in a Declining Population? Animals (Basel) 2016; 6:ani6070042. [PMID: 27429008 PMCID: PMC4961998 DOI: 10.3390/ani6070042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The acceptance and application of citizen science has risen over the last 10 years, with this rise likely attributed to an increase in public awareness surrounding anthropogenic impacts affecting urban ecosystems. Citizen science projects have the potential to expand upon data collected by specialist researchers as they are able to gain access to previously unattainable information, consequently increasing the likelihood of an effective management program. The primary objective of this research was to develop guidelines for a successful regional-scale citizen science project following a critical analysis of 12 existing citizen science case studies. Secondly, the effectiveness of these guidelines was measured through the implementation of a citizen science project, Koala Quest, for the purpose of estimating the presence of koalas in a fragmented landscape. Consequently, this research aimed to determine whether citizen-collected data can augment traditional science research methods, by comparing and contrasting the abundance of koala sightings gathered by citizen scientists and professional researchers. Based upon the guidelines developed, Koala Quest methodologies were designed, the study conducted, and the efficacy of the project assessed. To combat the high variability of estimated koala populations due to differences in counting techniques, a national monitoring and evaluation program is required, in addition to a standardised method for conducting koala population estimates. Citizen science is a useful method for monitoring animals such as the koala, which are sparsely distributed throughout a vast geographical area, as the large numbers of volunteers recruited by a citizen science project are capable of monitoring a similarly broad spatial range.
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Fleming PA, Bateman PW. The good, the bad, and the ugly: which Australian terrestrial mammal species attract most research? Mamm Rev 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A. Fleming
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- Department of Environment and Agriculture; Curtin University; Bentley Western Australia 6845 Australia
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Cripps JK, Martin JK, Coulson G. Anthelmintic Treatment Does Not Change Foraging Strategies of Female Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Macropus giganteus. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147384. [PMID: 26784582 PMCID: PMC4718527 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Large mammalian herbivores are commonly infected with gastrointestinal helminths. Heavily parasitised hosts are likely to have increased nutritional requirements and would be predicted to increase their food intake to compensate for costs of being parasitised, but experimental tests of the impacts of these parasites on the foraging efficiency of hosts are lacking, particularly in free-ranging wildlife. We conducted a field experiment on a population of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) to test this prediction, removing nematodes from one group of adult females using an anthelmintic treatment. We then carried out observations before and following treatment to assess the influence of parasites on foraging behaviour. Contrary to our predictions, the manipulation of parasite burdens did not result in changes in any of the key foraging variables we measured. Our results suggest that despite carrying large burdens of gastrointestinal parasites, the foraging strategy of female kangaroos is likely be driven by factors unrelated to parasitism, and that kangaroos in high nutritional environments may be able acquire sufficient nutrients to offset the costs of parasitism. We conclude that the drivers of forage intake likely differ between domesticated and free-ranging herbivores, and that free-ranging hosts are likely more resilient to parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma K. Cripps
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Veterinary Clinical Centre, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Jennifer K. Martin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Graeme Coulson
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Wilson ME, Coulson G. Comparative efficacy of levonorgestrel and deslorelin contraceptive implants in free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Fertility control of females with levonorgestrel or deslorelin implants shows promise for managing populations of overabundant eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Although these implants have been tested separately in captive and free-ranging kangaroos, there has been no direct comparison under equivalent field conditions. Aims We investigated the long-term efficacy of levonorgestrel and deslorelin implants, together with the cost of treatment, ease of administration, and the welfare of the animals, in a side-by-side trial under realistic management conditions. Methods We captured 65 adult female kangaroos over 11 days at a golf course in Anglesea, Victoria, Australia. We assigned each female to one of the following three experimental groups: levonorgestrel (210 mg, n = 18), deslorelin (9.4 mg, n = 24) or procedural control (n = 23). We monitored reproductive success for 8 years, by observing young in the pouch in winter and spring. Key results Natural fertility was high; in most years, less than 20% of control females failed to reproduce. For deslorelin-treated females, the odds of failing to reproduce were four times higher than for the control group; for levonorgestrel-treated females, these odds were 74 times higher. Deslorelin was ineffective after 3 years, whereas levonorgestrel was effective for at least 5 years. Conclusions Levonorgestrel was markedly superior in efficacy, as shown by a stronger contraceptive effect persisting for longer. In other respects, the two implants were comparable, being similar in cost and ease of delivery, and equally safe. Implications Only levonorgestrel implants fulfill their promise for non-lethal, long-term control of kangaroo populations. Deslorelin implants cannot be recommended for this purpose.
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van Dongen WFD, Robinson RW, Weston MA, Mulder RA, Guay PJ. Variation at the DRD4 locus is associated with wariness and local site selection in urban black swans. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:253. [PMID: 26653173 PMCID: PMC4676183 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0533-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interactions between wildlife and humans are increasing. Urban animals are often less wary of humans than their non-urban counterparts, which could be explained by habituation, adaptation or local site selection. Under local site selection, individuals that are less tolerant of humans are less likely to settle in urban areas. However, there is little evidence for such temperament-based site selection, and even less is known about its underlying genetic basis. We tested whether site selection in urban and non-urban habitats by black swans (Cygnus atratus) was associated with polymorphisms in two genes linked to fear in animals, the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes. Results Wariness in swans was highly repeatable between disturbance events (repeatability = 0.61) and non-urban swans initiated escape from humans earlier than urban swans. We found no inter-individual variation in the SERT gene, but identified five DRD4 genotypes and an association between DRD4 genotype and wariness. Individuals possessing the most common DRD4 genotype were less wary than individuals possessing rarer genotypes. As predicted by the local site selection hypothesis, genotypes associated with wary behaviour were over three times more frequent at the non-urban site. This resulted in moderate population differentiation at DRD4 (FST = 0.080), despite the sites being separated by only 30 km, a short distance for this highly-mobile species. Low population differentiation at neutrally-selected microsatellite loci and the likely occasional migration of swans between the populations reduces the likelihood of local site adaptations. Conclusion Our results suggest that wariness in swans is partly genetically-determined and that wary swans settle in less-disturbed areas. More generally, our findings suggest that site-specific management strategies may be necessary that consider the temperament of local animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter F D van Dongen
- Applied Ecology Research Group and Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University-Footscray Park Campus, PO Box 14428, Melbourne MC, VIC, 8001, Australia. .,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Randall W Robinson
- Applied Ecology Research Group and Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University-Footscray Park Campus, PO Box 14428, Melbourne MC, VIC, 8001, Australia.
| | - Michael A Weston
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Raoul A Mulder
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Patrick-Jean Guay
- Applied Ecology Research Group and Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University-Footscray Park Campus, PO Box 14428, Melbourne MC, VIC, 8001, Australia.
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Lawson B, Petrovan SO, Cunningham AA. Citizen Science and Wildlife Disease Surveillance. ECOHEALTH 2015; 12:693-702. [PMID: 26318592 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-015-1054-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Achieving effective wildlife disease surveillance is challenging. The incorporation of citizen science (CS) in wildlife health surveillance can be beneficial, particularly where resources are limited and cost-effectiveness is paramount. Reports of wildlife morbidity and mortality from the public facilitate large-scale surveillance, both in time and space, which would otherwise be financially infeasible, and raise awareness of incidents occurring on privately owned land. CS wildlife disease surveillance schemes benefit scientists, the participating public and wildlife alike. CS has been employed for targeted, scanning and syndromic surveillance of wildlife disease. Whilst opportunistic surveillance is most common, systematic observations enable the standardisation of observer effort and, combined with wildlife population monitoring schemes, can allow evaluation of disease impacts at the population level. Near-universal access to digital media has revolutionised reporting modalities and facilitated rapid and economical means of sharing feedback with participants. Here we review CS schemes for wildlife disease surveillance and highlight their scope, benefits, logistical considerations, financial implications and potential limitations. The need to adopt a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to wildlife health surveillance is increasingly recognised and the general public can make a significant contribution through CS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becki Lawson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
| | | | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
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Teixeira B, Hirsch A, Goulart VDLR, Passos L, Teixeira CP, James P, Young R. Good neighbours: distribution of black-tufted marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) in an urban environment. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Primates are one of the most charismatic and widely studied vertebrate groups. However, the study of new world primates in green patches within urban areas has been neglected. Such primates have been viewed as a source of human–animal conflict; however, their ecological importance to urban ecosystems and their role in human well being is poorly understood. Aims To increase understanding of both ecological and socioeconomical factors affecting the distribution, density and group sizes of urban marmosets in a large Brazilian city (Belo Horizonte). Methods A map of vegetation cover and land use was produced and employed to investigate the distribution of marmosets. An online questionnaire was extensively publicised, which permitted the public to report the occurrence or not of marmosets near their residences. For sites with low salary levels and low internet availability, face-to-face interviews were conducted. Additionally, field surveys were conducted in 120 green areas identified by spatial analysis as potential areas of occurrence. The human population density, salary levels and green areas were posteriorly correlated with marmoset distribution. Key results Despite the urbanisation and high human population density, green fragments within the city still housed marmoset groups. However, the presence of green areas did not always indicate primate presence. Group presence was significantly related to the size of parks or green areas and negatively related to built-up areas, and human density. Salary levels were related to more forested streets and possibly tolerance. Marmosets were classified as urban utilisers. Conclusions The human–wildlife conflict with marmoset species was relatively low, owing to marmoset avoidance of built-up areas. The interaction of marmoset species and city dwellers was mainly limited to borders of forest fragments and inside city parks, and appeared to be human motivated. Implications This study showed the importance of public involvement in wildlife studies in urban environments; clarifying the interaction between city dwellers and wild species is essential to mitigate negative interactions.
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Cripps J, Beveridge I, Martin JK, Borland D, Coulson G. Temporal dynamics of helminth infections in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in Victoria. AUST J ZOOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/zo15003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Parasite infection is increasingly recognised as a factor shaping the population dynamics, life history and behaviour of hosts. However, before the impacts of parasites on wildlife hosts can be investigated, seasonal patterns in host exposure to parasitic agents must be determined. We examined infection patterns at three sites in Victoria, and combined field experiments and observations to construct a generalised life cycle of the helminth community in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Kangaroo populations in Victoria had very similar helminth communities, with 20–25 species detected at each site. Despite examining relatively few hosts in this study, at least 87% of all gastrointestinal helminths were recovered according to bootstrap estimates. The prepatent period of infection in eastern grey kangaroo nematodes was at least 3 months, and faecal egg output showed a distinct seasonal pattern, with a peak in egg counts from October through to January each year. Data from one site indicated that faecal egg counts were influenced predominantly by the abundance of a single nematode species (Pharyngostrongylus kappa), despite adults accounting for only 7% of the total nematode burden. This highlights the problems associated with using faecal egg counts to estimate nematode burdens in this host. Contamination of pasture plots showed that nematode eggs take ~14 days to larvate once deposited, and that autumn rains likely triggered emergence from faecal pellets. The abundance of infective larvae in the environment therefore appears to be closely tied to environmental conditions, with a peak in infection of hosts in the winter months.
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Coulson G, Cripps JK, Wilson ME. Hopping Down the Main Street: Eastern Grey Kangaroos at Home in an Urban Matrix. Animals (Basel) 2014; 4:272-91. [PMID: 26480041 PMCID: PMC4494371 DOI: 10.3390/ani4020272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Revised: 05/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropusgiganteus) occur throughout the seaside town of Anglesea in southern Victoria, Australia. We have tagged about half of these kangaroos in a longitudinal study of population dynamics and behavior. A golf course forms the nucleus of this population. Females live on and around the golf course, but males roam across the town in autumn and winter, living in bush reserves, empty blocks and back yards. Most females breed every year, but over half of their young disappear. Vehicles are the major cause of adult deaths, killing a much higher proportion of males than females. Abstract Most urban mammals are small. However, one of the largest marsupials, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropusgiganteus, occurs in some urban areas. In 2007, we embarked on a longitudinal study of this species in the seaside town of Anglesea in southern Victoria, Australia. We have captured and tagged 360 individuals to date, fitting each adult with a collar displaying its name. We have monitored survival, reproduction and movements by resighting, recapture and radio-tracking, augmented by citizen science reports of collared individuals. Kangaroos occurred throughout the town, but the golf course formed the nucleus of this urban population. The course supported a high density of kangaroos (2–5/ha), and approximately half of them were tagged. Total counts of kangaroos on the golf course were highest in summer, at the peak of the mating season, and lowest in winter, when many males but not females left the course. Almost all tagged adult females were sedentary, using only part of the golf course and adjacent native vegetation and residential blocks. In contrast, during the non-mating season (autumn and winter), many tagged adult males ranged widely across the town in a mix of native vegetation remnants, recreation reserves, vacant blocks, commercial properties and residential gardens. Annual fecundity of tagged females was generally high (≥70%), but survival of tagged juveniles was low (54%). We could not determine the cause of death of most juveniles. Vehicles were the major (47%) cause of mortality of tagged adults. Road-kills were concentrated (74%) in autumn and winter, and were heavily male biased: half of all tagged males died on roads compared with only 20% of tagged females. We predict that this novel and potent mortality factor will have profound, long-term impacts on the demography and behavior of the urban kangaroo population at Anglesea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graeme Coulson
- Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
- Macropus Consulting, 105 Canning Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia.
| | - Jemma K Cripps
- Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
- Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Cnr. Midland Highway and Taylor Street, Epsom, VIC 3554, Australia.
| | - Michelle E Wilson
- Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
- Wilson Environmental, 27 Ford Street, Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia.
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rAvis: an R-package for downloading information stored in Proyecto AVIS, a citizen science bird project. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91650. [PMID: 24626233 PMCID: PMC3953487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Citizen science projects store an enormous amount of information about species distribution, diversity and characteristics. Researchers are now beginning to make use of this rich collection of data. However, access to these databases is not always straightforward. Apart from the largest and international projects, citizen science repositories often lack specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to connect them to the scientific environments. Thus, it is necessary to develop simple routines to allow researchers to take advantage of the information collected by smaller citizen science projects, for instance, programming specific packages to connect them to popular scientific environments (like R). Here, we present rAvis, an R-package to connect R-users with Proyecto AVIS (http://proyectoavis.com), a Spanish citizen science project with more than 82,000 bird observation records. We develop several functions to explore the database, to plot the geographic distribution of the species occurrences, and to generate personal queries to the database about species occurrences (number of individuals, distribution, etc.) and birdwatcher observations (number of species recorded by each collaborator, UTMs visited, etc.). This new R-package will allow scientists to access this database and to exploit the information generated by Spanish birdwatchers over the last 40 years.
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Guay PJ, Lorenz RDA, Robinson RW, Symonds MRE, Weston MA. Distance from Water, Sex and Approach Direction Influence Flight Distances Among Habituated Black Swans. Ethology 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick-Jean Guay
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation; Victoria University; St-Albans; VIC; Australia
| | - Rachael D. A. Lorenz
- Applied Ecology Research Group, College of Engineering and Science; Victoria University; St-Albans; VIC; Australia
| | | | - Matthew R. E. Symonds
- Centre for Integrative Ecology; School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science; Engineering and the Built Environment; Deakin University; Burwood; VIC; Australia
| | - Michael A. Weston
- Centre for Integrative Ecology; School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science; Engineering and the Built Environment; Deakin University; Burwood; VIC; Australia
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Guay PJ, McLeod EM, Cross R, Formby AJ, Maldonado SP, Stafford-Bell RE, St-James-Turner ZN, Robinson RW, Mulder RA, Weston MA. Observer effects occur when estimating alert but not flight-initiation distances. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2013. [DOI: 10.1071/wr13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context The estimation of alert (vigilance) and flight-initiation (escape) distances (AD and FID, respectively) has underpinned theoretical and applied studies of the escape behaviour and management of disturbance to wildlife. Many studies use multiple observers, and some conduct meta-analyses; these efforts assume no observer effects in the estimation of these distances. Aims and methods We compared the estimates of FID and AD under ideal conditions (i.e. of black swans, Cygnus atratus, a large species with obvious behaviour, and at a location where swans allowed close approaches in open habitats), by one experienced and four inexperienced observers. Key results FID did not differ among observers but AD differed between the experienced and all inexperienced observers, and among inexperienced observers. Thus, FID estimates appear more repeatable than those of AD. Experience apparently results in more conservative estimates of AD. Conclusions FID represents a repeatable measure that is consistent across observers. This study supports its broad application in the study of wildlife escape behaviour. Implications We recommend the use of FID rather than AD for comparative analyses that involve multiple observers, because FID is more reliably measured.
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