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Deak G, Ionică AM, Péter Á, Sándor AD, Matei IA, D'Amico G, Liénard E, Gherman CM, Mihalca AD, Bouhsira E. Fleas of wild carnivores in Romania: diversity, distribution, and host-associations. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:148. [PMID: 38515160 PMCID: PMC10956227 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06235-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fleas are important hematophagous insects, infesting mammals and birds with a worldwide distribution. Fleas of medical importance have been reported from various carnivores worldwide, such as felids, canids, or mustelids. Romania hosts a wide carnivore diversity, but very little is known about flea species that parasitize these animals in Romania. This study aimed to provide a better understanding of the fleas' diversity and their distribution in a relatively large and diverse number of wild carnivore hosts from Romania. METHODS From 2013 to 2021, 282 carcasses of wild carnivores from different locations in Romania were collected and examined for the presence of ectoparasites. All collected fleas were morphologically identified using specific keys and descriptions. An analysis of the co-occurrence networks was performed. RESULTS A total of 11 flea species were identified: Pulex irritans (41.09%), Paraceras melis (20.11%), Ctenocephalides felis (7.33%), Ctenocephalides canis (7.83%), Monopsyllus sciurorum (11.11%), Chaetopsylla trichosa (21.96%), Chaetopsylla homoea (5.5%), Chaetopsylla tuberculaticeps (100%), Chaetopsylla rothschildi (13.33%), Chaetopsylla sp. (14.34%), Chaetopsylla globiceps (5.12%), Echidnophaga gallinacea (10%). The statistical analyses showed a significant difference between the infestation of Martes foina with females being more frequently infected than males (66% versus 33%). Paraceras melis infesting Meles meles had a significantly higher prevalence in female badgers than in males (× 2 = 7.7977, P < 0.01) and higher intensities of infestations in males than in females (t = 1.871, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This is the first large-scale study investigating the distribution and diversity of flea species infesting wild carnivores in Romania. Three flea species were identified for the first time in Romania (E. gallinacea, C. homoea, and C. tuberculaticeps).
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgiana Deak
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - Áron Péter
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila David Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ioana Adriana Matei
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gianluca D'Amico
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Călin Mircea Gherman
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - Emilie Bouhsira
- InTheres, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France
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Amici F, Meacci S, Caray E, Oña L, Liebal K, Ciucci P. A first exploratory comparison of the behaviour of wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf-dog hybrids in captivity. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:9. [PMID: 38429445 PMCID: PMC10907477 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01849-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Extensive introgression of genes from domesticated taxa may be a serious threat for the genomic integrity and adaptability of wild populations. Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are especially vulnerable to this phenomenon, but there are no studies yet assessing the potential behavioural effects of dog-introgression in wolves. In this study, we conducted a first systematic comparison of admixed (N = 11) and non-admixed (N = 14) wolves in captivity, focusing on their reaction to unfamiliar humans and novel objects, and the cohesiveness of their social groups. When exposed to unfamiliar humans in the experimental task, wolves were more vigilant, fearful and aggressive than admixed wolves, and less likely to approach humans, but also more likely to spend time in human proximity. When exposed to novel objects, wolves were more aggressive than admixed wolves, less likely to spend time in object proximity, and more likely to interact with objects, but also less vigilant and as fearful as admixed wolves. Finally, social networks were more cohesive in wolves than in admixed wolves. Although caution is needed when comparing groups of captive individuals with different life experiences, our study suggests that dog admixture may lead to important behavioural changes in wolves, with possible implications for conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Amici
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Simone Meacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emmeline Caray
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Linda Oña
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Liebal
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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When humans play evolutionary games with animal species. Ecol Modell 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Stephens D, Fleming PJS, Sawyers E, Mayr TP. An isolated population reveals greater genetic structuring of the Australian dingo. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19105. [PMID: 36352001 PMCID: PMC9646726 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23648-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The Australian dingo is a recent anthropogenic addition to the Australian fauna, which spread rapidly across the continent and has since widely interbred with modern dogs. Genetic studies of dingoes have given rise to speculation about their entry to the continent and subsequent biogeographic effects, but few studies of their contemporary population structure have been conducted. Here we investigated the dingo ancestry and population structure of free-living dogs in western Victoria and contrasted it with a wider southern Australian sample. We wished to determine whether their geographic isolation was mirrored in genetic isolation. To address this question, we analysed 34 microsatellite markers using Bayesian clustering and discriminant analysis of principal components, and summarised genetic diversity at the population and individual level. The broader southern Australia sample (n = 1138) comprised mostly hybrid animals, with 30% considered pure dingoes. All western Victorian individuals (n = 59) appeared to be hybrids with high dingo ancestry. The population showed no evidence of admixture with other populations and low genetic diversity on all measures tested. Based upon our characterisation of this unusual mainland population, we advise against assuming homogeneity of dingoes across the continent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter J. S. Fleming
- grid.1680.f0000 0004 0559 5189Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800 Australia ,grid.1020.30000 0004 1936 7371Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia ,grid.1048.d0000 0004 0473 0844Institute for Agriculture and the Environment, Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia
| | - Emma Sawyers
- grid.1680.f0000 0004 0559 5189Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800 Australia ,Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, 10 Valentine Ave, Parramatta, NSW 2150 Australia
| | - Tim P. Mayr
- grid.452205.40000 0000 9561 2798Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 308-390 Koorlong Ave, Irymple, VIC 3498 Australia
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Wolf-Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113235. [PMID: 34827967 PMCID: PMC8614248 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Wolf attacks on hunting dogs are on the rise in many European countries, triggering retaliatory killing and poisoning of wolves. Poisoning may have detrimental effects on endangered vulture species. In critical areas for vulture conservation such as the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, the conflict should be urgently evaluated. We assessed levels, trends, and defined related factors, by interviewing hunters and undertaking a diet analysis of wolf scats. Attacks affected mostly hare hunters, certain dog breeds and age classes, averaged one dog per hunter and decade, and happened under certain circumstances. Affected areas had specific landscape characteristics, fewer livestock, more hunting, and presence of wolf reproduction. Trends of wolf attacks on hunting dogs were positive and those on livestock negative. Wolves fed mainly on roe deer in summer and wild boar in winter, while the presence of dogs in scats was 5.1% in winter. Reduced dependence of wolves on livestock, as well as changes in wolf diet and hunting practices, may have predisposed wolves to kill more dogs recently. Wild boar also injured or killed hunting dogs, very often perplexing assessment of the conflict. The study concludes on practical measures for verifying and reducing hunting dog losses from wolf attacks. Abstract Hunting dog depredation by wolves triggers retaliatory killing, with negative impacts on wildlife conservation. In the wider area of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, reports on such incidents have increased lately. To investigate this conflict, we interviewed 56 affected hunters, conducted wolf trophic analysis, analyzed trends for 2010–2020, applied MAXENT models for risk-map creation, and GLMs to explore factors related to depredation levels. Losses averaged approximately one dog per decade and hunter showing a positive trend, while livestock depredations showed a negative trend. Wolves preyed mainly on wild prey, with dogs consisting of 5.1% of the winter diet. Low altitude areas, with low to medium livestock availability favoring wolf prey and game species, were the riskiest. Dogs were more vulnerable during hare hunting and attacks more frequent during wolf post-weaning season or in wolf territories with reproduction. Hunter experience and group hunting reduced losses. Wolves avoided larger breeds or older dogs. Making noise or closely keeping dogs reduced attack severity. Protective dog vests, risk maps, and enhancing wolf natural prey availability are further measures to be considered, along with a proper verification system to confirm and effectively separate wolf attacks from wild boar attacks, which were also common.
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Pilot M, Moura AE, Okhlopkov IM, Mamaev NV, Manaseryan NH, Hayrapetyan V, Kopaliani N, Tsingarska E, Alagaili AN, Mohammed OB, Ostrander EA, Bogdanowicz W. Human-modified canids in human-modified landscapes: The evolutionary consequences of hybridization for grey wolves and free-ranging domestic dogs. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2433-2456. [PMID: 34745336 PMCID: PMC8549620 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introgressive hybridization between domestic animals and their wild relatives is an indirect form of human-induced evolution, altering gene pools and phenotypic traits of wild and domestic populations. Although this process is well documented in many taxa, its evolutionary consequences are poorly understood. In this study, we assess introgression patterns in admixed populations of Eurasian wolves and free-ranging domestic dogs (FRDs), identifying chromosomal regions with significantly overrepresented hybrid ancestry and assessing whether genes located within these regions show signatures of selection. Although the dog admixture proportion in West Eurasian wolves (2.7%) was greater than the wolf admixture proportion in FRDs (0.75%), the number and average length of chromosomal blocks showing significant overrepresentation of hybrid ancestry were smaller in wolves than FRDs. In wolves, 6% of genes located within these blocks showed signatures of positive selection compared to 23% in FRDs. We found that introgression from wolves may provide a considerable adaptive advantage to FRDs, counterbalancing some of the negative effects of domestication, which can include reduced genetic diversity and excessive tameness. In wolves, introgression from FRDs is mostly driven by drift, with a small number of positively selected genes associated with brain function and behaviour. The predominance of drift may be the consequence of small effective size of wolf populations, which reduces efficiency of selection for weakly advantageous or against weakly disadvantageous introgressed variants. Small wolf population sizes result largely from human-induced habitat loss and hunting, thus linking introgression rates to anthropogenic processes. Our results imply that maintenance of large population sizes should be an important element of wolf management strategies aimed at reducing introgression rates of dog-derived variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Pilot
- Museum and Institute of ZoologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Andre E. Moura
- Museum and Institute of ZoologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Innokentiy M. Okhlopkov
- Institute of Biological Problems of CryolithozoneSiberian Branch of Russian Academy of SciencesYakutskRussia
| | - Nikolay V. Mamaev
- Institute of Biological Problems of CryolithozoneSiberian Branch of Russian Academy of SciencesYakutskRussia
| | - Ninna H. Manaseryan
- Scientific Center of Zoology and HydroecologyNational Academy of SciencesYerevanArmenia
| | | | | | | | - Abdulaziz N. Alagaili
- KSU Mammals Research ChairDepartment of ZoologyKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Osama B. Mohammed
- KSU Mammals Research ChairDepartment of ZoologyKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Elaine A. Ostrander
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics BranchNational Human Genome Research InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
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Santostasi NL, Gimenez O, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Ciucci P. Estimating Admixture at the Population Scale: Taking Imperfect Detectability and Uncertainty in Hybrid Classification Seriously. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina L. Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome La Sapienza Rome Italy
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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Rioja-Lang F, Bacon H, Connor M, Dwyer CM. Prioritisation of animal welfare issues in the UK using expert consensus. Vet Rec 2020; 187:490. [PMID: 32631849 PMCID: PMC7848064 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The welfare of all animals under human management is an area of consistent public concern, but strategies to improve welfare may vary across species. In this study, expert consensus, using a modified Delphi approach, was used to prioritise welfare issues of farmed and companion animals in the UK. METHODS The study involved 117 experts, divided between eight species groups. Experts were recruited from a broad range of disciplines. Two rounds of online surveys were conducted using the online survey tool, and the final round was an in-person workshop with a subsection of experts (n=21). The experts agreed that welfare issues should be ranked considering three categories: (1) severity, (2) duration and (3) perceived prevalence. RESULTS A comprehensive list of welfare issues was generated for each species by discussion boards (cats, rabbits and horses) or by literature review (dogs, pigs, poultry, cattle and small ruminants). In the first online survey, the experts scored each welfare issue using the three categories (severity, duration and prevalence) on a 6-point Likert scale, where 1=never/none and 6=always/high. Lists of welfare issues were reduced to 25 per cent-59 per cent of the total number, by determining mean ranks from expert ratings. In round 2, experts were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the rankings. In the final stage, during the workshop, the top-ranking welfare issues for animals were determined for individual animals (considering the greatest severity and duration, in the expert's opinion) and for perceived prevalence. CONCLUSIONS Overall, prioritised welfare issues included lack of knowledge of welfare needs, social behaviour issues, problem behaviours, inappropriate diet and environment, lack of veterinary care, consequences from breeding decisions, poor pain management, delayed euthanasia and chronic ill health. The Delphi process resulted in consensus on the most significant welfare challenges of animals in the UK and can help to guide future research and education priority decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Rioja-Lang
- Jeanne Marchig international Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Heather Bacon
- Jeanne Marchig international Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Melanie Connor
- Jeanne Marchig international Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cathy Mary Dwyer
- Jeanne Marchig international Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK .,Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, UK
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Geary WL, Hradsky BA, Robley A, Wintle BA. Predators, fire or resources: What drives the distribution of herbivores in fragmented mesic forests? AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William L. Geary
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
- Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning East Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus) Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia
| | - Bronwyn A. Hradsky
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Alan Robley
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Heidelberg Victoria Australia
| | - Brendan A. Wintle
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
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Liker A. Biologia Futura: adaptive changes in urban populations. Biol Futur 2020; 71:1-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s42977-020-00005-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCities represent novel environments where altered ecological conditions can generate strong selection pressures leading to the evolution of specific urban phenotypes. Is there evidence for such adaptive changes in urban populations which have colonized their new environments relatively recently? A growing number of studies suggest that rapid adaptations may be widespread in wild urban populations, including increased tolerance to various anthropogenic stressors, and physiological, morphological and behavioural changes in response to the altered resources and predation risk. Some of these adaptive changes are based on genetic differentiation, although other mechanisms, such as phenotypic plasticity and epigenetic effects, are also frequently involved.
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Ciucci P, Mancinelli S, Boitani L, Gallo O, Grottoli L. Anthropogenic food subsidies hinder the ecological role of wolves: Insights for conservation of apex predators in human-modified landscapes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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Petroelje TR, Belant JL, Beyer DE, Svoboda NJ. Subsidies from anthropogenic resources alter diet, activity, and ranging behavior of an apex predator (Canis lupus). Sci Rep 2019; 9:13438. [PMID: 31530832 PMCID: PMC6748928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49879-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquisition of resources can be costly and individuals are predicted to optimize foraging strategies to maximize net energy gain. Wolves (Canis lupus) would be expected to scavenge on subsidies from anthropogenic resources when these resources provide an energetic benefit over the capture of wild prey. We examined the effects of subsidies from anthropogenic resources in the form of livestock carcass dumps (LCDs) on wolf space use, activity, tortuosity, and diet in portions of North America’s northern hardwood/boreal ecosystem. We fitted 19 wolves with global positioning system collars during May–August of 2009–2011 and 2013–2015. Wolves with LCDs within their home ranges used areas adjacent to LCDs greater than non-LCD sites and had decreased home ranges and activity as compared to wolves without LCDs in their home ranges. Additionally, cattle comprised at least 22% of wolf diet from scavenging in areas with LCDs present as compared to no cattle in the diet of wolves without access to LCDs. Subsidies from anthropogenic resources in the form of LCDs can serve as attractants for wolves and alter wolf diet, activity, and ranging behavior. Apex predators may alter their behavior where subsidies from anthropogenic resources occur and management of these subsidies should be considered when attempting to reduce the impacts of humans on wolf behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R Petroelje
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife Conservation, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA.
| | - Jerrold L Belant
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife Conservation, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
| | - Dean E Beyer
- Wildlife Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 1990 US Highway 41 S, Marquette, MI, 49855, USA
| | - Nathan J Svoboda
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 351 Research Court, Kodiak, AK, 99615, USA
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Behavioural correlations of the domestication syndrome are decoupled in modern dog breeds. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2422. [PMID: 31160605 PMCID: PMC6546797 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestication is hypothesized to drive correlated responses in animal morphology, physiology and behaviour, a phenomenon known as the domestication syndrome. However, we currently lack quantitative confirmation that suites of behaviours are correlated during domestication. Here we evaluate the strength and direction of behavioural correlations among key prosocial (sociability, playfulness) and reactive (fearfulness, aggression) behaviours implicated in the domestication syndrome in 76,158 dogs representing 78 registered breeds. Consistent with the domestication syndrome hypothesis, behavioural correlations within prosocial and reactive categories demonstrated the expected direction-specificity across dogs. However, correlational strength varied between dog breeds representing early (ancient) and late (modern) stages of domestication, with ancient breeds exhibiting exaggerated correlations compared to modern breeds across prosocial and reactive behaviours. Our results suggest that suites of correlated behaviours have been temporally decoupled during dog domestication and that recent shifts in selection pressures in modern dog breeds affect the expression of domestication-related behaviours independently. Dog breeds differ in evolutionary age and admixture with wolves, enabling comparison across domestication stages. Here, Hansen Wheat et al. show that correlations among behaviours are decoupled in modern breeds compared to ancient breeds and suggest this reflects a recent shift in selection pressure.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The Australian dingo continues to cause debate amongst Aboriginal people, pastoralists, scientists and the government in Australia. A lingering controversy is whether the dingo has been tamed and has now reverted to its ancestral wild state or whether its ancestors were domesticated and it now resides on the continent as a feral dog. The goal of this article is to place the discussion onto a theoretical framework, highlight what is currently known about dingo origins and taxonomy and then make a series of experimentally testable organismal, cellular and biochemical predictions that we propose can focus future research. DISCUSSION We consider a canid that has been unconsciously selected as a tamed animal and the endpoint of methodical or what we now call artificial selection as a domesticated animal. We consider wild animals that were formerly tamed as untamed and those wild animals that were formerly domesticated as feralized. Untamed canids are predicted to be marked by a signature of unconscious selection whereas feral animals are hypothesized to be marked by signatures of both unconscious and artificial selection. First, we review the movement of dingo ancestors into Australia. We then discuss how differences between taming and domestication may influence the organismal traits of skull morphometrics, brain and size, seasonal breeding, and sociability. Finally, we consider cellular and molecular level traits including hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic position of dingoes, metabolic genes that appear to be under positive selection and the potential for micronutrient compensation by the gut microbiome. CONCLUSIONS Western Australian Government policy is currently being revised to allow the widespread killing of the Australian dingo. These policies are based on an incomplete understanding of the evolutionary history of the canid and assume the dingo is feralized. However, accumulated evidence does not definitively show that the dingo was ever domesticated and additional focused research is required. We suggest that incorporating ancient DNA data into the debate concerning dingo origins will be pivotal to understanding the evolutionary history of the canid. Further, we advocate that future morphological, behavioural and genetic studies should focus on including genetically pure Alpine and Desert dingoes and not dingo-dog hybrids. Finally, we propose that future studies critically examine genes under selection in the dingo and employ the genome from a wild canid for comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. William O. Ballard
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Laura A. B. Wilson
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
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15
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Saltz D, Berger‐Tal O, Motro U, Shkedy Y, Raanan N. Conservation implications of habituation in Nubian ibex in response to ecotourism. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Saltz
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology Blaustein Institute for Desert Research Ben Gurion University Sde Boqer Israel
| | - O. Berger‐Tal
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology Blaustein Institute for Desert Research Ben Gurion University Sde Boqer Israel
| | - U. Motro
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Department of Statistics Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Y. Shkedy
- Science Division, Nature and Parks Authority Jerusalem Israel
| | - N. Raanan
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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16
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Barocas A, Hefner R, Ucko M, Merkle JA, Geffen E. Behavioral adaptations of a large carnivore to human activity in an extremely arid landscape. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Barocas
- San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research; Escondido CA USA
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Tubney Abingdon UK
| | - R. Hefner
- Israel Nature and Parks Authority; Southern District; Beer Sheva Israel
| | - M. Ucko
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute; National Center for Mariculture; Eilat Israel
| | - J. A. Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology; University of Wyoming; Laramie WY USA
| | - E. Geffen
- Department of Zoology; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv Israel
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17
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