Movement Patterns, Survival, and Sightability of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Eastern South Dakota

Limited information is available on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) movements, survival, density, and resource selection in the Prairie Pothole Region of South Dakota where semi-permanent wetland densities are relatively high. Primary objectives of this study were to develop a sightability model for aerial surveying and document seasonal movement patterns and survival rates for white-tailed deer in this region. Secondary objectives were to calculate seasonal home ranges, daily and seasonal movements relative to management unit boundaries, determine cause specific mortality, and evaluate summer and winter resource use and selection. From February 2009 – February 2010, 43 adult female white-tailed deer along with 5 adult male white-tailed deer were monitored for survival and movements using radio telemetry. An additional 20 deer also were captured and ear-tagged. Capture methods included helicopter net guns and the use of Clover traps. A total of 6,877 locations was collected, with a mean 95% error ellipse of 1.8 ha. We documented a total of 55 seasonal movements during 4 migration periods. Snow depth and temperature were the primary causes of seasonal migration. Mean migration distance between seasonal home ranges was 4.76 km (SE= 0.38). A total of 119 individual home ranges was calculated during 4 periods of seasonal use. Mean 95% home range size was 2.94 km2 (n=58, SE= 0.38) during winter and 1.49 km2 (n=61, SE=0.10) during summer. No deer crossed management unit boundaries and no dispersals were documented throughout the study. Movement and migration distances were likely reduced because of the juxtaposition of suitable habitat (i.e., wetlands and CRP grasslands) in the Clark County area. During this study, 17 deer died, and overall (24 month) survival rate was 0.55 (SE=0.08, n=43). Annual survival rates of female deer during 2009 and 2010 were 0.78 (SE = 0.08, n = 26) and 0.70 (SE = 0.08, n= 37), respectively. Seasonal survival rates for post-hunt, pre-hunt, and hunting seasons during 2009 and 2010 were 0.96 (SE= 0.04, n=26), 1.00 (SE \u3c 0.001, n= 25), 0.84 (SE = 0.07, n= 34) and 0.94 (SE = 0.04, n= 37), 1.00 (SE \u3c 0.001, n= 36), 0.72 (SE = 0.07, n= 36), respectively. Survival was predominately dependent on hunting, which was responsible for 64.5% of all mortalities. Liberal antlerless deer-tag numbers, lengthy hunting seasons, and high hunter densities likely influenced human related mortality of white-tailed deer in this region. Habitat categories encompassing 61 summer and 58 winter home ranges of 42 radiocollared female white-tailed deer were mapped during summer 2009 (n=25) and 2010 (n=36), and winter 2009 (n=22) and 2010 (n=36). We collected 4,688 summer locations and 1,826 winter locations via radio telemetry. Habitat use differed slightly between seasons with CRP grasslands, standing corn, and wetlands being used the most throughout summer home ranges and CRP grasslands, trees, and wetlands being used the most during winter. Overall, wetland habitat was used the most by deer in the Clark County area, and provided essential thermal and escape cover; however, deer use of wetlands did not exceed availability. We evaluated winter and summer resource selection using design II and III analyses. Analysis using design II demonstrated that trees (ŵ = 3.81) were selected with higher probability (P\u3c0.10) when compared to all other habitats available for both winter and summer. During the winter, CRP grasslands (ŵ = 1.45) and standing corn (ŵ = 2.89) also were selected by deer. Design III analysis indicated that extensive variation existed between animals and the proportions of habitat categories found within individual home ranges; however, the model using all animals indicated that trees (ŵ = 2.67) were selected with higher probability then other habitats (P\u3c0.10). In the spring of 2009 and 2010, a total of seven sightability flights were conducted in late April and early May when potential color differences between sun-bleached deer and spring green-up were present. In the winter of 2010 and 2011, a total of 8 flights were conducted in January and February when 100% snow cover was present and deer were in large winter herds. Several variables were collected during the flights including; group size, activity, habitat, and canopy cover. Deer were sighted in the winter at a rate of 84.4% (146/173) and spring sightability rate was 54.6% (88/161). Logistic regression analysis indicated that visibility was significantly influenced by group size and canopy cover for both models. The winter model estimated deer sightability as μ = 3.064 + 0.044 (group size) – 1.13 (canopy cover) and the spring model estimated deer sightability as μ = 2.297 + 0.252 (group size) – 1.10 (canopy cover). These models will assist South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks in estimating population size of white-tailed deer in agricultural dominated landscapes throughout eastern South Dakota

PopR: Software for Wildlife Managers

It is widely recognized that modern computer software makes wildlife management and research easier and allows increasingly complex tasks to become routine.  Unfortunately, data storage and reporting rarely keep pace with the rapid expansion of data analysis software.  Such disconnects in workflow can lead to missed opportunities where data are not used to their fullest extent and results are slow to emerge.  Here we present a server-based software system, PopR (https://popr.cfc.umt.edu), which merges wildlife management agency databases with state-of-the-art statistical software for real-time wildlife data analysis, population modeling and reporting.  The interface to PopR is a secure website allowing access from any location with internet access and from any platform (personal computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.).  PopR connects to remote data sources through an application program interface (API).  PopR implements Bayesian integrated population models (IPM) combining multiple data sources.  The IPM’s efficiently deal with limited data, overcome missing data and facilitate prediction with error.  PopR also implements individual data source analyses such as survival, sightability and herd composition, among others.  PopR modules are in development or in use in the states of Idaho, Montana and South Dakota where the software is used for a variety of species including deer, elk and mountain lions.  Finally, add-on applications include tools for defining biological populations, checking data integrity and eliciting expert opinion.  The PopR workflow management system promises to streamline data collection, automate routine analyses and generally save managers time while increasing inference from limited data

Defective Hand1 phosphoregulation uncovers essential roles for Hand1 in limb morphogenesis

The morphogenesis of the vertebrate limbs is a complex process in which cell signaling and transcriptional regulation coordinate diverse structural adaptations in diverse species. In this study, we examine the consequences of altering Hand1 dimer choice regulation within developing vertebrate limbs. Although Hand1 deletion via the limb-specific Prrx1-Cre reveals a non-essential role for Hand1 in mouse limb morphogenesis, altering Hand1 phosphoregulation, and consequently Hand1 dimerization affinities, results in a severe truncation of proximal-anterior limb elements. Molecular analysis reveals a non-cell-autonomous mechanism that causes widespread cell death within the embryonic limb bud. In addition, we observe changes in proximal-anterior gene regulation, including a reduction in the expression of Irx3, Irx5, Gli3 and Alx4, all of which are upregulated in Hand2 limb conditional knockouts. A reduction of Hand2 and Shh gene dosage improves the integrity of anterior limb structures, validating the importance of the Twist-family bHLH dimer pool in limb morphogenesis., Summary: Altering Hand1 phosphoregulation, and consequently Hand1 dimerization affinities, results in a severe truncation of anterior-proximal limb elements in mice

Effects of Plant Phenology and Vertical Height on Accuracy of Radio-telemetry Locations

The use of very high frequency (VHF) radio-telemetry remains wide-spread in studies of wildlife ecology andmanagement. However, few studies have evaluated the influence of vegetative obstruction on accuracy in differing habitats with varying transmitter types and heights. Using adult and fawn collars at varying heights above the ground (0, 33, 66 and 100 cm) to simulate activities (bedded, feeding and standing) and ages (neonate, juvenile and adult) of deer Odocoileus spp., we collected 5,767 bearings and estimated 1,424 locations (28-30 for each of 48 subsamples) in three habitat types (pasture, grassland and forest), during two stages of vegetative growth (spring and late summer). Bearing error was approximately twice as large at a distance of 900mfor fawn (9.98) than for adult deer collars (4.98). Of 12 models developed to explain the variation in location error, the analysis of covariance model (HT*D + C*D + HT*TBA + C*TBA) containing interactions of height of collar above ground (HT), collar type (C), vertical height of understory vegetation (D) and tree basal area (TBA) was the best model (wi¼0.92) and explained ; 71% of the variation in location error. Location error was greater for both collar types at 0 and 33 cmabove the ground compared to 66 and 100 cm above the ground; however, location error was less for adult than fawn collars. Vegetation metrics influenced location error, which increased with greater vertical height of understory vegetation and tree basal area. Further, interaction of vegetation metrics and categorical variables indicated significant effects on location error. Our results indicate that researchers need to consider study objectives, life history of the study animal, signal strength of collar (collar type), distance from transmitter to receiver, topographical changes in elevation, habitat composition and season when designing telemetry protocols. Bearing distances in forested habitat should be decreased (approximately 23% in our study) compared to bearing distances in open habitat to maintain a consistent bearing error across habitats. Additionally, we believe that field biologists monitoring neonate ungulates for habitat selection should rely on visual locations rather than using VHF-collars and triangulation

Skeletal adaptations in young male mice after 4 weeks aboard the International Space Station

Gravity has an important role in both the development and maintenance of bone mass. This is most evident in the rapid and intense bone loss observed in both humans and animals exposed to extended periods of microgravity in spaceflight. Here, cohabitating 9-week-old male C57BL/6 mice resided in spaceflight for ~4 weeks. A skeletal survey of these mice was compared to both habitat matched ground controls to determine the effects of microgravity and baseline samples in order to determine the effects of skeletal maturation on the resulting phenotype. We hypothesized that weight-bearing bones would experience an accelerated loss of bone mass compared to non-weight-bearing bones, and that spaceflight would also inhibit skeletal maturation in male mice. As expected, spaceflight had major negative effects on trabecular bone mass of the following weight-bearing bones: femur, tibia, and vertebrae. Interestingly, as opposed to the bone loss traditionally characterized for most weight-bearing skeletal compartments, the effects of spaceflight on the ribs and sternum resembled a failure to accumulate bone mass. Our study further adds to the insight that gravity has site-specific influences on the skeleton

Control of Bone Anabolism in Response to Mechanical Loading and PTH by Distinct Mechanisms Downstream of the PTH Receptor

Osteocytes integrate the responses of bone to mechanical and hormonal stimuli by poorly understood mechanisms. We report here that mice with conditional deletion of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor 1 (Pth1r) in dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1)-8kb-expressing cells (cKO) exhibit a modest decrease in bone resorption leading to a mild increase in cancellous bone without changes in cortical bone. However, bone resorption in response to endogenous chronic elevation of PTH in growing or adult cKO mice induced by a low calcium diet remained intact, because the increased bone remodeling and bone loss was indistinguishable from that exhibited by control littermates. In contrast, the bone gain and increased bone formation in cancellous and cortical bone induced by daily injections of PTH and the periosteal bone apposition induced by axial ulna loading were markedly reduced in cKO mice compared to controls. Remarkably, however, wild-type (WT) control littermates and transgenic mice overexpressing SOST injected daily with PTH exhibit similar activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, increased bone formation, and cancellous and cortical bone gain. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Pth1r in DMP1-8kb-expressing cells is required to maintain basal levels of bone resorption but is dispensable for the catabolic action of chronic PTH elevation; and it is essential for the anabolic actions of daily PTH injections and mechanical loading. However, downregulation of Sost/sclerostin, previously shown to be required for bone anabolism induced by mechanical loading, is not required for PTH-induced bone gain, showing that other mechanisms downstream of the Pth1r in DMP1-8kb-expressing cells are responsible for the hormonal effect

Effects of plant phenology and vertical height on accuracy of radio-telemetry locations

The use of very high frequency (VHF) radio-telemetry remains wide-spread in studies of wildlife ecology and management. However, few studies have evaluated the influence of vegetative obstruction on accuracy in differing habitats with varying transmitter types and heights. Using adult and fawn collars at varying heights above the ground (0, 33, 66 and 100 cm) to simulate activities (bedded, feeding and standing) and ages (neonate, juvenile and adult) of deer Odocoileus spp., we collected 5,767 bearings and estimated 1,424 locations (28-30 for each of 48 subsamples) in three habitat types (pasture, grassland and forest), during two stages of vegetative growth (spring and late summer). Bearing error was approximately twice as large at a distance of 900 m for fawn (9.9°) than for adult deer collars (4.9°). Of 12 models developed to explain the variation in location error, the analysis of covariance model (HT*D + C*D + HT*TBA + C*TBA) containing interactions of height of collar above ground (HT), collar type (C), vertical height of understory vegetation (D) and tree basal area (TBA) was the best model (wi = 0.92) and explained ∼ 71% of the variation in location error. Location error was greater for both collar types at 0 and 33 cm above the ground compared to 66 and 100 cm above the ground; however, location error was less for adult than fawn collars. Vegetation metrics influenced location error, which increased with greater vertical height of understory vegetation and tree basal area. Further, interaction of vegetation metrics and categorical variables indicated significant effects on location error. Our results indicate that researchers need to consider study objectives, life history of the study animal, signal strength of collar (collar type), distance from transmitter to receiver, topographical changes in elevation, habitat composition and season when designing telemetry protocols. Bearing distances in forested habitat should be decreased (approximately 23% in our study) compared to bearing distances in open habitat to maintain a consistent bearing error across habitats. Additionally, we believe that field biologists monitoring neonate ungulates for habitat selection should rely on visual locations rather than using VHF-collars and triangulation.This article is published as Grovenburg, Troy W., Christopher N. Jacques, Robert W. Klaver, Christopher S. DePerno, Chad P. Lehman, Todd J. Brinkman, Kevin A. Robling, Susan P. Rupp, and Jonathan A. Jenks. "Effects of plant phenology and vertical height on accuracy of radio-telemetry locations." Wildlife biology 19, no. 1 (2013): 30-40, doi: 10.2981/11-044.</p

Effects of plant phenology and vertical height on accuracy of radio-telemetry locations

The use of very high frequency (VHF) radio-telemetry remains wide-spread in studies of wildlife ecology andmanagement. However, few studies have evaluated the influence of vegetative obstruction on accuracy in differing habitats with varying transmitter types and heights. Using adult and fawn collars at varying heights above the ground (0, 33, 66 and 100 cm) to simulate activities (bedded, feeding and standing) and ages (neonate, juvenile and adult) of deer Odocoileus spp., we collected 5,767 bearings and estimated 1,424 locations (28-30 for each of 48 subsamples) in three habitat types (pasture, grassland and forest), during two stages of vegetative growth (spring and late summer). Bearing error was approximately twice as large at a distance of 900mfor fawn (9.98) than for adult deer collars (4.98). Of 12 models developed to explain the variation in location error, the analysis of covariance model (HT*D + C*D + HT*TBA + C*TBA) containing interactions of height of collar above ground (HT), collar type (C), vertical height of understory vegetation (D) and tree basal area (TBA) was the best model (wi¼0.92) and explained ; 71% of the variation in location error. Location error was greater for both collar types at 0 and 33 cmabove the ground compared to 66 and 100 cm above the ground; however, location error was less for adult than fawn collars. Vegetation metrics influenced location error, which increased with greater vertical height of understory vegetation and tree basal area. Further, interaction of vegetation metrics and categorical variables indicated significant effects on location error. Our results indicate that researchers need to consider study objectives, life history of the study animal, signal strength of collar (collar type), distance from transmitter to receiver, topographical changes in elevation, habitat composition and season when designing telemetry protocols. Bearing distances in forested habitat should be decreased (approximately 23% in our study) compared to bearing distances in open habitat to maintain a consistent bearing error across habitats. Additionally, we believe that field biologists monitoring neonate ungulates for habitat selection should rely on visual locations rather than using VHF-collars and triangulation