Nearest Neighbor Distance in Relation to Behavior in White Faced Capuchin Monkeys, Cebus capucinus

Articlehttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96976/1/UMURF-Issue04_2007-GMOleson.pd

Evolution of antipredator behavior in an island lizard species, Podarcis erhardii (Reptilia: Lacertidae): The sum of all fears?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110598/1/evo12555.pd

Glade cascades: indirect legacy effects of pastoralism enhance the abundance and spatial structuring of arboreal fauna

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117219/1/ecy2013944827.pd

Effective thermoregulation in a newly established population of Podarcis siculus in Greece: a possible advantage for a successful invader

Temperature affects all aspects of reptilian biology. In order to colonize new habitats and support viable populations lizards have to successfully deal with their thermal environment. Podarcis siculus is a notorious example of a successful colonizer that has invaded numerous habitats outside its natural distribution range. Though certain features of its thermal biology have been assessed so far, the thermoregulatory abilities of the species remain poorly described. Here we investigated a recently discovered population in Greece and evaluated the effectiveness of thermoregulation measuring three main thermal parameters: set-point range, operative and field body temperatures. The Greek P. siculus appear to be accurate, precise and effective thermoregulators achieving E = 0.96. This effective thermoregulation may be used to explain, among other special characteristics, its spreading success

Sex does not affect tail autotomy in lacertid lizards

Caudal autotomy is one of the most effective and widespread defensive mechanisms among lizards. When predators grasp the tail, lizards are able to shed it from the point of the attack and further. Numerous factors have been reported to affect tail-shedding performance such as temperature, age, predation pressure, intraspecific competition etc. Interestingly, the impact of sex on tail loss remains greatly understudied. Here, we analyzed tail autotomy performance, simulated in the lab, in 12 species of lacertid lizards belonging to five genera (Algyroides, Anatololacerta, Hellenolacerta, Ophisops, Podarcis). Our aim was to investigate whether sex affects caudal autotomy and/or the duration of post-autotomic tail movement. We failed to detect any effect of sex on tail loss in the species examined. Also, we did not find any sexual impact on the duration of tail movement after autotomy, with a single exception. Our findings suggest that autotomy serves as a defensive tactic equally in both sexes and is used in the same extent.

University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Forum, Issue 4, Winter 2007

Articlehttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96977/1/UMURF-Issue04_2007.pd

The sero-epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) across livestock species and herding contexts in Laikipia County, Kenya

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Query fever (Q fever), is among the most highly infectious zoonotic pathogens transmitted among livestock, with chronic effects challenging to veterinary and medical detection and care systems. Transmission among domestic livestock species can vary regionally due to herd management practices that determine which livestock species are raised, whether or not livestock are in contact with wildlife, and the susceptibility of these livestock to infection. To explore how different livestock management practices are associated with the risk of infection in multispecies environments, we carried out a comparative study of three types of herd management systems in the central Kenyan county of Laikipia: agro‐commercial, mixed conservancy/commercial, and smallholder ranches. We tested C. burnetii antibody seroprevalence in four common livestock species. Across all management types, the highest seroprevalence was in camels (20%), followed by goats (18%), sheep (13%), and cattle (6%). We observed a lower odds of testing seropositive for young compared to adult animals (adjusted OR = 0.44 [95% CI 0.24, 0.76]), and for males compared to females (adjusted OR = 0.52 [95% CI 0.33, 0.80]). Animals from mixed conservancy/commercial and smallholder operations had a higher odds of testing seropositive compared to animals from agro‐commercial ranches (adjusted OR = 5.17 [95% CI 2.71, 10.44] and adjusted OR = 2.21 [95% CI 1.17, 4.43] respectively). These data suggest that herd management practices might affect the transmission dynamics of C. burnetiiin arid African ecosystems like those seen in Kenya where several transmission modes are possible, risk of drought has promoted new livestock species such as camels, and multiple wildlife species may co‐occur with livestock on the landscape. Further longitudinal studies are needed to disentangle the mechanisms underlying these patterns, and further explore transmission patterns between wildlife, domestic animal, and human populations

Unhealthy Landscapes: Policy Recommendations on Land Use Change and Infectious Disease Emergence

Anthropogenic land use changes drive a range of infectious disease outbreaks and emergence events and modify the transmission of endemic infections. These drivers include agricultural encroachment, deforestation, road construction, dam building, irrigation, wetland modification, mining, the concentration or expansion of urban environments, coastal zone degradation, and other activities. These changes in turn cause a cascade of factors that exacerbate infectious disease emergence, such as forest fragmentation, disease introduction, pollution, poverty, and human migration. The Working Group on Land Use Change and Disease Emergence grew out of a special colloquium that convened international experts in infectious diseases, ecology, and environmental health to assess the current state of knowledge and to develop recommendations for addressing these environmental health challenges. The group established a systems model approach and priority lists of infectious diseases affected by ecologic degradation. Policy-relevant levels of the model include specific health risk factors, landscape or habitat change, and institutional (economic and behavioral) levels. The group recommended creating Centers of Excellence in Ecology and Health Research and Training, based at regional universities and/or research institutes with close links to the surrounding communities. The centers’ objectives would be 3-fold: a) to provide information to local communities about the links between environmental change and public health; b) to facilitate fully interdisciplinary research from a variety of natural, social, and health sciences and train professionals who can conduct interdisciplinary research; and c) to engage in science-based communication and assessment for policy making toward sustainable health and ecosystems

Foraging ecologies of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) and camels (Camelus dromedarius) in northern Kenya: effects of habitat structure and possibilities for competition?

The foraging ecologies of reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) and domestic camels (Camelus dromedarius) were examined in the Laikipia District of Kenya, where these species have recently become sympatric. Camels increased popularity in the region has lead to concerns about their environmental impacts and possible competition with wild giraffe for resources. We gathered foraging data on both species using 2‐min group scans that recorded feeding heights and plant food preferences. Transects sampled the vegetation in areas where foraging observations were recorded. Giraffe females feed at lower elevations than males, while female camels feed below both sexes of giraffe. There was very little observed overlap in food preferences between the species. However, habitat type has an effect on foraging ecologies of both giraffe sexes, but habitat did not influence camel foraging. Camel herder husbandry techniques also influence camel foraging dynamics. These findings have important implications in achieving the twin objectives of wildlife conservation and pastoralist livestock production in northern Kenya.RésuméL'écologie alimentaire de la girafe réticulée (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) et celle du dromadaire (Camelus dromedarius) ont été étudiées dans le District de Laikipia, au Kenya, où ces espèces sont récemment devenues sympatriques. La popularité croissante des dromadaires dans la région a suscité des inquiétudes au sujet des impacts sur l'environnement et d'une éventuelle compétition pour les ressources avec les girafes sauvages. Nous avons récolté des données sur l'alimentation des deux espèces au moyen de scan de groupe de deux minutes, qui enregistraient la hauteur à laquelle les animaux mangeaient et les plantes préférées. Des transects ont permis de récolter des échantillons de végétation dans les zones où les observations alimentaires ont été faites. Les girafes femelles se nourrissent plus bas que les mâles et les dromadaires femelles se nourrissent plus bas que les girafes des deux sexes. Nous avons observé très peu de recouvrement des préférences alimentaires des deux espèces. Le type d'habitat a un effet sur l'écologie alimentaire des girafes des deux sexes mais il n'influence pas l'alimentation des dromadaires. Les techniques d'élevage des dromadaires influencent aussi la dynamique alimentaire des dromadaires. Ces résultats ont d'importantes implications pour atteindre le double objectif de la conservation de la faune sauvage et de la production d'un bétail pastoral dans le nord du Kenya.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111252/1/aje12204-sup-0001-Supinfo.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111252/2/aje12204.pd