A proposal to conserve black-footed ferrets and the prairie dog ecosystem

Miller, Brian J.; Wemmer, Chris; Biggins, Dean E.; Reading, Richard P.

doi:10.1007/bf02394170

Cited by 55 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Disease can significantly elevate mortality for blacktailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), a species of conservation concern in western North America (Miller et al, 1990(Miller et al, , 1994Gober, 2000). In particular, prairie dogs are highly susceptible to plague, yet little is known about factors that influence spatial and temporal occurrence of plague epizootics in prairie dogs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Generality of a Trophic-cascade Model for Plague

et al. 2005

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Climate may affect the dynamics of infectious diseases by shifting pathogen, vector, or host species abundance, population dynamics, or community interactions. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are highly susceptible to plague, yet little is known about factors that influence the dynamics of plague epizootics in prairie dogs. We investigated temporal patterns of plague occurrence in black-tailed prairie dogs to assess the generality of links between climate and plague occurrence found in previous analyses of human plague cases. We examined long-term data on climate and plague occurrence in prairie dog colonies within two study areas. Multiple regression analyses revealed that plague occurrence in prairie dogs was not associated with climatic variables in our Colorado study area. In contrast, plague occurrence was strongly associated with climatic variables in our Montana study area. The models with most support included a positive association with precipitation in April-July of the previous year, in addition to a positive association with the number of ''warm'' days and a negative association with the number of ''hot'' days in the same year as reported plague events. We conclude that the timing and magnitude of precipitation and temperature may affect plague occurrence in some geographic areas. The best climatic predictors of plague occurrence in prairie dogs within our Montana study area are quite similar to the best climatic predictors of human plague cases in the southwestern United States. This correspondence across regions and species suggests support for a (temperature-modulated) trophic-cascade model for plague, including climatic effects on rodent abundance, flea abundance, and pathogen transmission, at least in regions that experience strong climatic signals.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Generality of a Trophic-cascade Model for Plague

et al. 2005

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“…Their distribution covers the Great Plains from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Although they currently occupy less than 2% of their original range (Miller et al 1990(Miller et al , 1994(Miller et al , 2000, they are frequently the subject of controversy. Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species in the mixed-grass ecosystem, having numerous positive interactions with other plant and animal species .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

DiazaCon reduces black-tailed prairie dog reproduction in Colorado

et al. 2016

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Context. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomus ludovicianus) often come into conflict with humans in urban natural areas adjacent to private property by destroying plants and denuding the landscape. There is a diversity of attitudes related to urban prairie dog management in Colorado and interest in non-lethal methods is increasing. Therefore, the development of non-lethal methods that allow the existence of prairie dogs and mitigate damage related to population density is needed.Aims. The efficacy of DiazaCon (20,25-diazacholesterol dihydrochloride, a cholesterol analogue) as an oral contraceptive bait for reducing reproduction in black-tailed prairie dogs was tested. Persistence of DiazaCon in black-tailed prairie dogs 11 months after initial application was also determined.Methods. Prairie dogs were baited with DiazaCon-coated rolled oats or control bait for 10 days over a 20-day period in November 2007 on one control and one treatment site. Sites were randomly assigned to a treatment group. Visual counts were used 8 months post-treatment (June/July 2008) to determine pup : adult ratios on both sites. Prairie dogs on both sites were trapped 11 months post-treatment (September/October 2008) to gather mass and age data to assess juvenile : adult ratios and to collect blood samples for determination of serum cholesterol and desmosterol concentrations.Key results. DiazaCon treatment reduced the number of pups per adult by 95.5% when compared with the control site in June/July 2008 (0.09 AE 0.02, n = 10, number of observation days) versus 2.0 AE 0.2 (n = 10). Free serum cholesterol levels in treated animals (370.7 mg mL -1 ) were lower than control animal levels (411.6 mg mL -1, P < 0.015), while treated desmosterol levels (14.5 mg mL -1 ) were higher than controls (0.35 mg mL -1 , P < 0.02) 11 months after ingestion of DiazaCon bait. However, these differences would likely not have been sufficient to prevent successful breeding in the upcoming breeding season.Conclusions. DiazaCon is an effective contraceptive in black-tailed prairie dogs. It is probably reversible and will likely affect breeding success for only one breeding season. DiazaCon may provide an additional tool to help manage urban populations of prairie dogs in locations where lethal control is unacceptable.Implications. The need for further research into secondary hazards to non-target animals, such as predators, is discussed. Recommendations for field application are also discussed.

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“…As suggested by Augustine et al (2008), plover persistence in many areas may be closely linked to the persistence of prairie dogs. Plague, along with recreational shooting and poisoning, has been identified as a key threat to prairie dog persistence (Miller et al 1990). We suspect the plover has the ability to disperse in response to changing environmental conditions (e.g., rainfall), although the introduction of plague may have altered selective pressures and altered their site fidelity and dispersal patterns.…”

Section: Implications For Plover Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mountain Plover Responses to Plague in Montana

Dinsmore

Smith

2010

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Plague is a bacterial (Yersinia pestis) disease that causes epizootic die-offs in black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) populations in the North American Great Plains. Through their grazing and burrowing, prairie dogs modify vegetation and landscape structure on their colonies in ways that affect other grassland species. Plague epizootics on prairie dog colonies can have indirect effects on species associated with colonies. The mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) preferentially nests on black-tailed prairie dog colonies and is thus negatively impacted by the loss of prairie dogs. We studied the effects of plague and colony spatial characteristics on the occupancy of 81 prairie dog colonies by nesting plovers in Phillips County, Montana, during a 13-year period (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007). We used a robust design patch occupancy model to investigate how colony occupancy and extinction and colonization rates were affected by plague history, colony size, and colony shape. Here extinction and colonization rates refer to the probability that a colony loses/gains plovers in a subsequent nesting season, given that it had/lacked plovers in that breeding season. Colony occupancy was best explained by a model with no annual variation or plague effects. Colony extinction rates were driven by a combination of a quadratic of colony area, a 3-year plague response, and a measure of colony shape. Conversely, colonization rates were best explained by a model with a 4-year plague response. The estimated annual proportion of colonies occupied by plovers was 0.75 (95% confidence interval = 0.57-0.87). Estimated extinction probability ranged from a low of 0. Plague is a bacterial (Yersinia pestis) disease that causes epizootic die-offs in black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) populations in the North American Great Plains. Through their grazing and burrowing, prairie dogs modify vegetation and landscape structure on their colonies in ways that affect other grassland species. Plague epizootics on prairie dog colonies can have indirect effects on species associated with colonies. The mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) preferentially nests on black-tailed prairie dog colonies and is thus negatively impacted by the loss of prairie dogs. We studied the effects of plague and colony spatial characteristics on the occupancy of 81 prairie dog colonies by nesting plovers in Phillips County, Montana, during a 13-year period (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007). We used a robust design patch occupancy model to investigate how colony occupancy and extinction and colonization rates were affected by plague history, colony size, and colony shape. Here extinction and colonization rates refer to the probability that a colony loses=gains plovers in a subsequent nesting season, given that it had=lacked plovers in that breeding season. Colony occupancy was best explained by a model with no annual variation or plague effects. Col...

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A proposal to conserve black-footed ferrets and the prairie dog ecosystem

Cited by 55 publications

References 27 publications

Testing the Generality of a Trophic-cascade Model for Plague

Testing the Generality of a Trophic-cascade Model for Plague

DiazaCon reduces black-tailed prairie dog reproduction in Colorado

Mountain Plover Responses to Plague in Montana

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