Wildlife Damage to Agricultural Crops in Pennsylvania: The Farmers\u27 Perspective

Agricultural damage by wildlife is a major concern for both agricultural and wildlife agencies at the state and federal level. Our objective was to estimate wildlife damage to agricultural crops on a statewide basis. We sent questionnaires to 4,958 farmers and 1,003 were returned after 2 mailings. Twenty-five percent of farmers responding to our survey rated the level of wildlife damage to their crops as severe or very severe, 46% as moderate, and 29% had none or very little. Mean levels of crop loss to wildlife ranged from 6% for wheat to 10% for corn grain, and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were the most commonly reported cause of damage for all crops except soybeans. Farmers estimated the economic value of damage caused by wildlife to 6 crops (corn grain, silage, alfalfa, soybeans, oats, and wheat) as \u3e $70 million. Ninety-one percent of Pennsylvania farmers allowed deer hunting on their farms, but 62% of the farms were bordered at least partially by land that was posted (no hunting or limited hunting). Fifty-six percent of farmers whose land was bordered by posted land believed adjacent posted land made it difficult for them to control deer numbers and damage on the land they farmed. Thirty-one percent of farmers responding to the questionnaire reported that they had changed farming practices (i.e., no longer farmed a particular field or raised a particular crop) as a consequence of deer damage. Additional methods used to control deer damage included shooting (28%), chasing (13%), fencing (9.3%), repellents (7%), and noise devices (5%). Fencing and shooting were the only methods rated as being at least moderately effective

Social Ecology and Behavior of Coyotes

Behavioral patterns are subject to natural selection and behavior like any other attributes of an animal, which contributes to individual survival. The chapter summarizes a long-term study of coyotes that was conducted in the Grand Teton National Park, in the northwest comer of Wyoming. There is remarkable agreement in the results stemming from a limited number of field projects concerned with the social behavior and behavioral ecology of coyotes, and some general principles concerning social ecology, scent marking, predatory behavior, time budgeting, and reproductive and care-giving patterns can be developed that are applicable not only to coyotes but to many other carnivores

Supplemental Information 2: Table S2.

Ecologists have long recognized the influence that environmental conditions have on abundance and range extent of animal species. We used the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite) as a model species for studying how microclimates serve as refuge against severe weather conditions. This species serves as an indicator or umbrella species for other sensitive ground-nesting, grassland obligate species. We conducted a mensurative field experiment in the rolling plains of Texas, USA, a semi-arid ecosystem on the southwestern periphery of bobwhite range, to determine whether native bunch grasses, apparently suitable for bobwhite nesting, could reduce ambient temperature below levels harmful for eggs. During the nesting season, we compared temperature and relative humidity readings at daily heat maxima (i.e., the 3 h during each day with highest temperatures) during the nesting season over the course of two years at 63 suitable nest sites paired with 63 random locations (n = 126) using two sensors at ∼10 and ∼60 cm above ground level. Mean temperature at nest height was 2.3% cooler at nest sites (35.99 °C ± 0.07 SE) compared to random locations (36.81 °C ± 0.07 SE); at ambient height, nest sites were slightly cooler (32.78 °C ± 0.06 SE) than random location (32.99 °C ± 0.06 SE). Mean relative humidity at nest sites was greater at nest height (34.53% ± 0.112 SE) and ambient height (36.22% ± 0.10 SE) compared to random locations at nest (33.35% ± 0.12 SE) and ambient height (35.75% ± 0.10 SE). Based on these results, cover at sites that appear visually suitable for nesting by bobwhites and other ground nesting birds provided adequate thermal refuge in the rolling plains by maintaining cooler, moister microclimates than surrounding non-nesting locations. Post-hoc analyses of data revealed that habitat conditions surrounding suitable nest sites strongly influenced thermal suitability of the substrate. Given that eggs of bobwhites and probably other species would experience lethal temperatures without these thermal refuges in the context of proper habitat condition, nesting vegetation is a critical component of niche space for bobwhites and other ground nesting birds in semi-arid regions. Many contemporary land uses, however, degrade or destroy bunch grasses and grassland systems, and thus decrease landscape inhabitability. Conservationists working with obligate grassland species that require bunch grasses in semi-arid regions should develop land management strategies that maximize the availability of these thermal refuges across space and time

PRELIMINARY TESTING OF A SELENIUM-BASED SYSTEMIC DEER BROWSE REPELLENT

Silviculturists use a variety of techniques, including repellents, to reduce browse damage by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to valuable eastern hardwood seedlings. Systemic selenium, sodium selenite, was evaluated with captive white-tailed deer for its repellency in white ash (Fraxinus americana) and black cherry (Prunus serotina) seedlings. Selenium had no effect in reducing browsing of black cherry. However, there was a reduction (p\u3c0.05) in the white ash browsing level

MORTALITY PATTERNS OF RADIO-MARKED COYOTES IN JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING

Coyote (Canis latrans) mortality was measured in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The study area included portions of Grand Teton National Park, National Elk Refuge and Bridger-Teton National Forest. Coyote exploitation is prohibited on both the National Park and Refuge, environments minimally influenced by man. Ninety-two coyotes, 43 males and 49 females, at least 4 months of age or older, were captured during 5 trapping periods from December 1973 to September 1976. Coyotes were collared with radio telemetric transmitters which revealed geographic location and served as mortality indicators. Thirty-three pups ((LESSTHEQ) 7 weeks) were ear-tagged; two were subsequently captured and radio-marked. Forty-one radio-marked coyotes, 18 males and 23 females, were recovered. Only 1 ear-tagged pup was recovered. A positive linear relationship existed between recovery time (days) and age (years) at marking. Eighty-five % (N = 41) of the recoveries were during September through May. Ninety-three % of the mortalities were man-caused. Mortality causes of recovered coyotes included: shot, 80.5%; trapped, clubbed, snow-machined and starvation, 2.4%; road-killed and unknown, 4.9%. Annual (June to subsequent May) recovery rates were: 1974-75, 25% (N = 47); 1975-76, 5% (N = 18); and 1976-77, 40% (N = 25). Recovery rates from marking to recovery from the composite sample were: year 0, 26% (N = 90); year 1, 18% (N = 65); and year 2, 8% (N = 47). Shooting mortality rates (h(,x)) for the 0 years since marking class of the young-of-the-year Jackson Hole coyotes (0.4194) were compared to rates from Curlew Valley (0.3125) and Yellowstone National Park (0.2531). Mean total mortality rates (q) were: 0.7339, Curlew Valley; 0.5596, Yellowstone National Park; and 0.4561, Jackson Hole. The mean total mortality rate (q) was 0.3783 and the mean shooting mortality (h) was 0.2540 for Jackson Hole coyotes. Monthly survival rates were higher in 1975-76 that 1974-75. Female young-of-the-year survival was less (P = 0.03) for 1974-75 than 1975-76. There was no difference (P \u3e 0.05) between years in survival rates for males or adult and yearling females. Estimates of areas of utilization (22 January 1975 to 22 April 1975) were computed for 19 coyotes. The mean area of utilization of 5 adult or yearling males was 35.5 km(\u272) (+OR-) 18.9, and for 13 adult or yearling females was 70.1 (+OR-) 80.3. Coyotes radio-marked primarily in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge had mortality patterns similar to other coyote populations exploited by man

Wildlife Damage to Agricultural Crops in Pennsylvania: The Farmers’ Perspective

Agricultural damage by wildlife is a major concern for both agricultural and wildlife agencies at the state and federal level. Our objective was to estimate wildlife damage to agricultural crops on a statewide basis. We sent questionnaires to 4,958 farmers and 1,003 were returned after 2 mailings. Twenty-five percent of farmers responding to our survey rated the level of wildlife damage to their crops as severe or very severe, 46% as moderate, and 29% had none or very little. Mean levels of crop loss to wildlife ranged from 6% for wheat to 10% for corn grain, and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were the most commonly reported cause of damage for all crops except soybeans. Farmers estimated the economic value of damage caused by wildlife to 6 crops (corn grain, silage, alfalfa, soybeans, oats, and wheat) as \u3e $70 million. Ninety-one percent of Pennsylvania farmers allowed deer hunting on their farms, but 62% of the farms were bordered at least partially by land that was posted (no hunting or limited hunting). Fifty-six percent of farmers whose land was bordered by posted land believed adjacent posted land made it difficult for them to control deer numbers and damage on the land they farmed. Thirty-one percent of farmers responding to the questionnaire reported that they had changed farming practices (i.e., no longer farmed a particular field or raised a particular crop) as a consequence of deer damage. Additional methods used to control deer damage included shooting (28%), chasing (13%), fencing (9.3%), repellents (7%), and noise devices (5%). Fencing and shooting were the only methods rated as being at least moderately effective

SELECTED HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS AND PINE VOLE ABUNDANCE IN PENNSYLVANIA APPLE ORCHARDS

In the past, researchers from The Pennsylvania State University have Investigated specific aspects of the pine vole (Microtus pinetorum) and its biology (Fisher 1976, Gettle 1975, Simpson 1978). In our current research, we are Investigating many factors of the pine vole\u27s orchard habitat and examining these factors collectively. Our objectives are: 1) To determine what combinations of habitat characteristics relate best to abundance of pine voles in Pennsylvania apple orchards. 2) To recommend strategies on how to consider or modify those habitat characteristics to maintain the lowest possible numbers of pine voles

Predicting fish species richness and habitat relationships using Bayesian hierarchical multispecies occupancy models

Understanding how stream fishes respond to changes in habitat availability is complicated by low occurrence rates of many species, which in turn reduces the ability to quantify species–habitat relationships and account for imperfect detection in estimates of species richness. Multispecies occupancy models have been used sparingly in the analysis of fisheries data, but address the aforementioned deficiencies by allowing information to be shared among ecologically similar species, thereby enabling species–habitat relationships to be estimated for entire fish communities, including rare species. Here, we highlight the utility of hierarchical multispecies occupancy models for the analysis of fish community data and demonstrate the modeling framework on a stream fish community dataset collected in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, USA. In particular, we demonstrate the ability of the modeling framework to make inferences at the species-, guild-, and community-levels, thereby making it a powerful tool for understanding and predicting how environmental variables influence species occupancy probabilities and structure fish assemblages.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Effects of Liming on Forage Availability and Nutrient Content in a Forest Impacted by Acid Rain

<div><p>Acidic deposition and subsequent forest soil acidification and nutrient depletion can affect negatively the growth, health and nutrient content of vegetation, potentially limiting the availability and nutrient content of forage for white-tailed deer (<em>Odocoileus virginianus</em>) and other forest herbivores. Liming is a mitigation technique that can be used to restore forest health in acidified areas, but little is known about how it affects the growth or nutrient content of deer forage. We examined the effects of dolomitic limestone application on the growth and chemical composition of understory plants in an acidified forest in central Pennsylvania, with a focus on vegetative groups included as white-tailed deer forage. We used a Before-After-Control-Impact study design with observations 1 year before liming and up to 5 years post-liming on 2 treated and 2 untreated 100-ha sites. Before liming, forage availability and several nutrients were below levels considered optimal for white-tailed deer, and many vegetative characteristics were related to soil chemistry. We observed a positive effect of liming on forb biomass, with a 2.7 fold increase on limed sites, but no biomass response in other vegetation groups. We observed positive effects of liming on calcium and magnesium content and negative effects on aluminum and manganese content of several plant groups. Responses to liming by forbs and plant nutrients show promise for improving vegetation health and forage quality and quantity for deer.</p> </div