Economic Consequences of the Wolf Comeback in the Western United States

Gray wolves were eradicated from most of the United States in the 1940’s but have made a comeback in parts of their historic range over the last two decades. First reintroduced into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and central Idaho in the mid-1990’s, wolves have subsequently dispersed into at least 7 western states. Coloradoans became the latest state to take interest in bolstering wolf populations, as residents passed a ballot initiative in November 2020 to reintroduce a self-sustaining population of gray wolves by the end of 2023. Conflicts between people in rural areas that might incur costs (such as livestock loss) and people in urban areas geographically removed from direct contact with wolves suggest that the distribution of benefits may not align uniformly with the distribution of costs. Given that Colorado will imminently make many policy decisions that have an impact on costs and benefits, we review available literature to better understand the magnitude of gainers and losers from wolf reintroduction in western states. Although no single study has included all possible economic values, the magnitude of impacts can be inferred by assembling a broad range of estimates for different types of values into a single space. Our review of existing valuation literature from western states indicates that the magnitude of economic benefits of wolves is many times higher than what it costs to manage wolves and to reduce or compensate for losses to livestock producers and others

A systematic map of human-carnivore coexistence

Carnivore populations globally have largely declined, and coexistence, where humans and carnivores share landscapes, plays a crucial role in carnivore conservation. However, the term “coexistence” is often used in scientific and popular literature without being clearly defined. Herein, we provide a global perspective on what coexistence is and how it is studied. We conducted a systematic map of 366 articles published between 1987 and 2020 to characterize human-carnivore coexistence literature according to coexistence definitions, temporal trends, geographic and taxonomic focus, and four thematic aspects of coexistence: carnivore ecology, human endeavors, social conflict and human-carnivore conflict. We used chi-squared tests and generalized linear models to describe the thematic, taxonomic and geographic focus of the literature. The human-carnivore coexistence literature increased exponentially in the past 30 years, but few articles defined the term “coexistence” and those that did used inconsistent definitions. Thematically, coexistence research showed less emphasis on social conflict, even though it is a major driver of conflict regarding carnivores. The literature also focused primarily on larger carnivores, rather than endangered carnivores, and was primarily led by European and North American authors. We offer a simplified, formal definition of “coexistence” that incorporates the four thematic aspects of coexistence encountered in the literature: Co-occurrence of sustainable carnivore populations and human endeavors with minimal human-carnivore and human-human conflict. We encourage researchers to focus on the social dimensions of coexistence, such as human attitudes towards carnivores or the underlying causes of social conflict, and to broaden the taxonomic and cultural breadth of their projects

Prospective Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Versus Palpation Techniques for Arterial Line Placement by Residents in a Teaching Institution

Background: Arterial line insertion is traditionally done by blind palpation. Residents may need multiple attempts for successful insertion, leading to longer procedure times and many failed attempts. Objective: We hypothesized that ultrasound guidance (USG) would be faster and more successful than traditional blind palpation (TBP) for radial artery line placement by residents. Methods: Patients undergoing elective surgery requiring a radial arterial line were randomized to either the USG or TBP groups. Exclusion criteria included a need for arterial line placement in an awake patient, emergent surgery, or American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class VI. After the induction of anesthesia, a postgraduate year 3 (PGY-3) or PGY-4 anesthesia resident placed an arterial line by either USG or TBP. Results: A total of 412 patients and 85 of 106 residents (80%) in the training program were included. The 2 groups were similar with respect to sex, weight, height, ASA class, baseline systolic blood pressure, and baseline heart rate. USG was faster than TBP (mean times 171.1 ± 16.7 seconds versus 243.6 ± 23.5 seconds, P = .012), required fewer attempts (mean 1.78 ± 0.11 versus 2.48 ± 0.15, P = .035), and had an improved success rate (96% versus 90%, P = .012). Conclusions: We found that residents using USG in an academic institution resulted in significantly faster placement of the arterial lines, fewer attempts, and fewer catheters used

CBS domains form energy-sensing modules whose binding of adenosine ligands is disrupted by disease mutations

CBS domains are defined as sequence motifs that occur in several different proteins in all kingdoms of life. Although thought to be regulatory, their exact functions have been unknown. However, their importance was underlined by findings that mutations in conserved residues within them cause a variety of human hereditary diseases, including (with the gene mutated in parentheses): Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (γ2 subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase); retinitis pigmentosa (IMP dehydrogenase-1); congenital myotonia, idiopathic generalized epilepsy, hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis, and classic Bartter syndrome (CLC chloride channel family members); and homocystinuria (cystathionine β-synthase). AMP-activated protein kinase is a sensor of cellular energy status that is activated by AMP and inhibited by ATP, but the location of the regulatory nucleotide-binding sites (which are prime targets for drugs to treat obesity and diabetes) was not characterized. We now show that tandem pairs of CBS domains from AMP-activated protein kinase, IMP dehydrogenase-2, the chloride channel CLC2, and cystathionine β-synthase bind AMP, ATP, or S-adenosyl methionine,while mutations that cause hereditary diseases impair this binding. This shows that tandem pairs of CBS domains act, in most cases, as sensors of cellular energy status and, as such, represent a newly identified class of binding domain for adenosine derivatives

Willingness to pay for reintroducing wolves in a divided voting base

Wolves will soon be reintroduced in Colorado based on a statewide ballot initiative that narrowly passed in November 2020. Using an economic choice experiment, we estimate the benefits that wolf introduction might bring to Colorado. We calculated willingness to pay (WTP) for a sustainable wolf population by considering six program attributes: 1) state wolf population, 2) compensation for livestock-related losses, 3) cost-sharing for conflict reduction, 4) number of livestock killed statewide, 5) lethal government control of wolves, and 6) wolf hunting. Respondents who reported they voted yes on the ballot initiative had a positive WTP for a population of 200 wolves, referred to as the minimum sustainable population in the survey, but WTP diminished for larger populations. Preferences for a population of 200 wolves amounts to an annual WTP of approximately $31.1 million when extrapolating to all yes-voting households statewide. In contrast, respondents who reported they voted no would have to be paid to accept wolf populations. We also found statistically significant preferences for other attributes of the management program, such as cost sharing for conflict reduction measures to livestock producers or compensating livestock losses. When these attributes were included, the willingness to pay increased to$115 million statewide among yes-voting households. We estimated a $57.5 to$1 benefit-cost ratio for a sustainable wolf population. However, benefits and costs are not evenly distributed across urban and rural residents, which suggests that mechanisms to transfer resources from those willing to pay to those that incur costs would be needed to balance that distribution

Prospective Identification of Malaria Parasite Genes under Balancing Selection

BACKGROUND: Endemic human pathogens are subject to strong immune selection, and interrogation of pathogen genome variation for signatures of balancing selection can identify important target antigens. Several major antigen genes in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have shown such signatures in polymorphism-versus-divergence indices (comparing with the chimpanzee parasite P. reichenowi), and in allele frequency based indices. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To compare methods for prospective identification of genes under balancing selection, 26 additional genes known or predicted to encode surface-exposed proteins of the invasive blood stage merozoite were first sequenced from a panel of 14 independent P. falciparum cultured lines and P. reichenowi. Six genes at the positive extremes of one or both of the Hudson-Kreitman-Aguade (HKA) and McDonald-Kreitman (MK) indices were identified. Allele frequency based analysis was then performed on a Gambian P. falciparum population sample for these six genes and three others as controls. Tajima's D (TjD) index was most highly positive for the msp3/6-like PF10_0348 (TjD = 1.96) as well as the positive control ama1 antigen gene (TjD = 1.22). Across the genes there was a strong correlation between population TjD values and the relative HKA indices (whether derived from the population or the panel of cultured laboratory isolates), but no correlation with the MK indices. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although few individual parasite genes show significant evidence of balancing selection, analysis of population genomic and comparative sequence data with the HKA and TjD indices should discriminate those that do, and thereby identify likely targets of immunity

A new genus and species of clingfish from the Rangitāhua Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae)

Flexor incus, new genus and species, is described from 15 specimens (14.0–27.2 mm SL) collected from shallow (0–9 meters) intertidal and sub-tidal waters of the Rangitāhua Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. The new taxon is distinguished from all other members of the Gobiesocidae by a combination of characters, including a heterodont dentition comprising both conical and distinct incisiviform teeth that are laterally compressed with a strongly recurved cusp, an oval-shaped opening between premaxillae, a double adhesive disc with a well-developed articulation between basipterygia and ventral postcleithra, and many reductions in the cephalic lateral line canal system. The new taxon is tentatively placed within the subfamily Diplocrepinae but shares a number of characteristics of the oral jaws and the adhesive disc skeleton with certain members of the Aspasminae and Diademichthyinae

Predicting Dispersal and Conflict Risk for Wolf Recolonization in Colorado

1. The colonization of suitable yet unoccupied habitat due to natural dispersal or human introduction can benefit recovery of threatened species. Predicting habitat suitability and conflict potential of colonization areas can facilitate conservation planning. 2. Planning for reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to the United States state of Colorado is underway. Assessing which occupancy sites minimize the likelihood of human-wolf conflict during dispersal events and seasonal movements is critical to the success of this initiative. 3. We used a spatial absorbing Markov chain (SAMC) framework, which extends random walk theory and probabilistically accounts for both movement behavior and mortality risk, to compare the viability of potential occupancy sites (public lands \u3e 500 km2 to minimally meet wolf pack range area). The SAMC framework produced spatially explicit predictions of wolf dispersal, philopatry and conflict risk ahead of recolonization prior to reintroduction efforts. Our SAMC model included: (1) movement resistance based on terrain, roads and housing density; (2) mortality risk and potential conflict (absorption) based on livestock presence, social tolerance, land ownership and state boundaries; and (3) site fidelity based on habitat quality. Using this model, we compared 21 public land units by deriving predictions of: (A) relative survival time outside each site, (B) intensity of use and retention time within each site, and (C) the probability of use on adjacent public lands. We also predicted and mapped potential conflict hot spots associated with each site. 4. Among the units assessed, a complex of United States Forest Service Wilderness areas near Aspen, chiefly the Hunter-Fryingpan and Collegiate Peaks Wilderness areas, had the best overall rankings when comparing predictions of each metric. The area balances high-quality, well-connected habitat with relatively low livestock density and high social tolerance. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our findings highlight the utility of the SAMC framework for assessing colonization areas and the capacity to identify locations for effective proactive management, especially of conflict prone species. The flexibility of the SAMC framework enables predicting likely areas of philopatry and human-wildlife conflict using spatially explicit metrics which can improve the success of conservation translocations and management of species with changing geographic extents