Coyotes Go “Bridge and Tunnel”: A Narrow Opportunity to Study the Socio-ecological Impacts of Coyote Range Expansion on Long Island, NY Pre- and Post-Arrival

Currently, Long Island, NY is without a breeding population of northeastern coyote (Canis latras var.), yet recent evidence of dispersing individuals on the island, coupled with the “dogged” momentum of coyote range expansion across North America, suggests a Long Island coyote population is close at hand. We highlighted the fleeting opportunity to takes advantage of this natural experiment by developing a multidisciplinary research framework to investigate the ecological and social impacts of the coyote, pre- and post- range expansion. We reviewed coyote spatial ecology, community ecology, and human dimensions research and identified three components of future investigation: predicting future occupancy, monitoring colonization, testing hypotheses of trophic cascades by leveraging and expanding existing ecological data, and exploring attitudes towards coyotes to better understand and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. Each proposed component will integrate for a comprehensive investigation to advance theory and applied management of northeastern coyotes

Ecology of the Jaguar and Its Prey in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize

Abstract not availabl

Initial colonization of Long Island, New York by the eastern coyote, Canis latrans (Carnivora, Canidae), including first record of breeding

Coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) have increased their range dramatically over the past century. Formerly restricted to western North America, they now roam across the continent, in many habitats including large cities. One of the last areas in North America without coyotes has been Long Island, NY, a 3629 km2 island in the New York metropolitan area. Here  we summarize all verified accounts of coyotes on Long Island, including the first record of breeding. There are few coyotes on Long Island currently; however, given the history of coyote success, we expect coyotes to establish a growing population there in the near future

Distribution of the American milliped genus \u3ci\u3eBoraria\u3c/i\u3e Chamberlin, 1943: Introductions of \u3ci\u3eB. stricta\u3c/i\u3e (Brölemann, 1896) in New York and \u3ci\u3eB. infesta\u3c/i\u3e (Chamberlin, 1918) in Connecticut; indigenous occurrence of \u3ci\u3eB. profuga\u3c/i\u3e (Causey, 1955) in Louisiana (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae).

The southern Appalachian millipeds Boraria stricta (Brölemann, 1896) and B. infesta (Chamberlin, 1918) (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) have become established in Westchester Co., New York, and Hartford Co., Connecticut, respectively. Only three individuals are available for the latter, but B. stricta has established a reproducing population in southern New York state. This species is also recorded from Bland Co., Virginia, in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province. Boraria profuga (Causey, 1955) comprises two allopatric populations, one in Montgomery Co., Arkansas, and the other in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Distributional records and gonopod drawings are presented for these species plus B. deturkiana (Causey, 1942)

Coyotes in New York City Carry Variable Genomic Dog Ancestry and Influence Their Interactions with Humans

Coyotes are ubiquitous on the North American landscape as a result of their recent expansion across the continent. They have been documented in the heart of some of the most urbanized cities, such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. Here, we explored the genomic composition of 16 coyotes in the New York metropolitan area to investigate genomic demography and admixture for urban-dwelling canids in Queens County, New York. We identified moderate-to-high estimates of relatedness among coyotes living in Queens (r = 0.0–0.5) and adjacent neighborhoods, suggestive of a relatively small population. Although we found low background levels of domestic-dog ancestry across most coyotes in our sample (5%), we identified a male suspected to be a first-generation coyote–dog hybrid with 46% dog ancestry, as well as his two putative backcrossed offspring that carried approximately 25% dog ancestry. The male coyote–dog hybrid and one backcrossed offspring each carried two transposable element insertions that are associated with human-directed hypersociability in dogs and gray wolves. An additional, unrelated coyote with little dog ancestry also carried two of these insertions. These genetic patterns suggest that gene flow from domestic dogs may become an increasingly important consideration as coyotes continue to inhabit metropolitan regions

Distribution of the American milliped genus Boraria Chamberlin, 1943: Introductions of B. stricta (Brölemann, 1896) in New York and B. infesta (Chamberlin, 1918) in Connecticut; indigenous occurrence of B. profuga (Causey, 1955) in Louisiana (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae).

The southern Appalachian millipeds Boraria stricta (Brölemann, 1896) and B. infesta (Chamberlin, 1918) (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) have become established in Westchester Co., New York, and Hartford Co., Connecticut, respectively. Only three individuals are available for the latter, but B. stricta has established a reproducing population in southern New York state. This species is also recorded from Bland Co., Virginia, in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province. Boraria profuga (Causey, 1955) comprises two allopatric populations, one in Montgomery Co., Arkansas, and the other in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Distributional records and gonopod drawings are presented for these species plus B. deturkiana (Causey, 1942)

MHC-linked microsatellite genotypes

This data file contains genotypes for 14 microsatellite markers linked to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes that were genotyped in 105 coyotes (Canis latrans) sampled in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Metadata includes sample identification number and urbanization subgroup. The two subgroups include coyotes sampled within New York City (NYC) and outside of NYC (non-NYC). Please see the map provided in Figure 1 to better visualize sampling locations. Missing genotype data is indicated with zeros

Data from: Genetics of urban colonization: neutral and adaptive variation in coyotes (Canis latrans) inhabiting the New York metropolitan area

Theory predicts that range expansion results in genetic diversity loss in colonizing populations. Rapid reduction of population size exacerbates negative effects of genetic drift, while sustained isolation decreases neutral variation. Amid this demographic change, natural selection can act to maintain functional diversity. Thus, characterizing neutral and functional variation is critical for disentangling the evolutionary forces that shape genetic variation in newly established populations. Coyotes (Canis latrans) provide an ideal study system for examining the genetic effects of urban colonization. Capable of thriving in environments ranging from natural to highly urbanized, this mobile carnivore recently established a breeding population in New York City (NYC), one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. In the present study, we characterized neutral and functionally linked genetic diversity on a regional scale, traversing NYC and its surrounding counties in the New York metropolitan area. We report decreased variation and significant genotypic differentiation in NYC coyotes following recent colonization of this super-urban environment. In accordance with our hypotheses, we observed evidence for a recent population bottleneck as coyotes entered NYC. Counter to our expectations, we found only minimal support for selection maintaining diversity at immune-linked loci. These findings suggest that stochastic processes, such as genetic drift, are more likely driving patterns of decreased variation in super-urban coyotes. This work not only improves our understanding of NYC’s newest inhabitants, but also contributes to the growing body of knowledge surrounding urban colonization ecology. It highlights the importance of examining both neutral and functional variation when assessing the roles of drift and selection in newly established populations. When combined with similar studies across diverse systems, these insights can aid wildlife management and green design to better facilitate gene flow and maintain healthy populations of wildlife in an increasingly urban world