All forests are not equal: population demographics and denning behaviour of a recovering small carnivore in human modified landscapes

Twining, Joshua P.; Montgomery, W. Ian; Reid, Neil; Marks, Nikki J.; Tosh, David G.; Scantlebury, David

doi:10.2981/wlb.00760

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…We divided Northern Ireland into 14 402 1 km 2 grid squares and each covariate was summarized at the 1 km 2 scale. A 1 km 2 resolution was selected for two reasons: (i) it approximates the home range size of a female pine marten, being the largest of the three species [ 13 ]; and (ii) it is a typical intuitive map scale frequently used at regional and national scales. It is true that squirrels have smaller home ranges (e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heterogeneity in the structure and configuration of habitat can mediate predator–prey interactions through its influence on the density and type of functional response exhibited by predators [ 12 , 13 ]. Habitat is a determining factor in the hunting capacity of predators, and the ability of prey to detect, avoid, or escape predators [ 14 , 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Habitat mediates coevolved but not novel species interactions

et al. 2022

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Ongoing recovery of native predators has the potential to alter species interactions, with community and ecosystem wide implications. We estimated the co-occurrence of three species of conservation and management interest from a multi-species citizen science camera trap survey. We demonstrate fundamental differences in novel and coevolved predator–prey interactions that are mediated by habitat. Specifically, we demonstrate that anthropogenic habitat modification had no influence on the expansion of the recovering native pine marten in Ireland, nor does it affect the predator's suppressive influence on an invasive prey species, the grey squirrel. By contrast, the direction of the interaction between the pine marten and a native prey species, the red squirrel, is dependent on habitat. Pine martens had a positive influence on red squirrel occurrence at a landscape scale, especially in native broadleaf woodlands. However, in areas dominated by non-native conifer plantations, the pine marten reduced red squirrel occurrence. These findings suggest that following the recovery of a native predator, the benefits of competitive release are spatially structured and habitat-specific. The potential for past and future landscape modification to alter established interactions between predators and prey has global implications in the context of the ongoing recovery of predator populations in human-modified landscapes.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat mediates coevolved but not novel species interactions

et al. 2022

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“…Among European carnivores, members of the family Mustelidae frequently live in urban or peri-urban areas or utilize agricultural landscapes [ 6 ]. Their populations are also increasing in several European countries [ 7 , 8 ]. Importantly, mustelids are frequently kept in captivity as household pets [ 9 ] and may become tick-infested when they are walked, increasing the significance of knowledge on their tick-borne pathogens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular epidemiological study on ticks and tick-borne protozoan parasites (Apicomplexa: Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon spp.) from wild cats (Felis silvestris), Mustelidae and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in central Europe, Hungary

et al. 2022

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Background Among live wild mammals adapted to urban and peri-urban habitats in Europe, members of the families Felidae, Mustelidae and Sciuridae deserve special attention as pathogen reservoirs because all of these families include members that are kept as pets. We report here the results of our study on two important groups of tick-borne protozoan parasites in ticks and tissues of wild cats, mustelids and red squirrels. Methods DNA was extracted from the tissues of carnivores (wild cats, mustelids; n = 16) and red squirrels (n = 4), as well as from ixodid ticks (n = 89) collected from these hosts. These DNA extracts were screened for piroplasms and Hepatozoon spp. using conventional PCR analysis and sequencing. In addition, 53 pooled samples of 259 questing Haemaphysalis concinna ticks were evaluated for the presence of Hepatozoon DNA, followed by phylogenetic analyses. Results One wild cat was found to be coinfected with Cytauxzoon europaeus and a new genotype of Hepatozoon felis, and two additional wild cats were infected with H. felis from a different phylogenetic group. In mustelids, Hepatozoon martis and two further Hepatozoon genotypes were detected. The latter clustered separately, close to others reported from eastern Asia. In addition, Hepatozoon sciuri was detected in red squirrels. Morphologic and molecular analyses verified eight tick species. One wild cat was infected with a H. felis genotype that was significantly different from that in Ixodes ricinus females infesting this cat. Only three pools of questing H. concinna nymphs tested positive for Hepatozoon, one of which contained H. martis. Conclusions This study provides the first evidence of the occurrence of any Cytauxzoon species and of three Hepatozoon species in Hungary. In addition to H. martis, two further mustelid-associated Hepatozoon genotypes were detected, one of which was new in terms of phylogenetic and broader geographical contexts. This may be the first indication that H. felis genotypes from both of its phylogenetic groups occur in Europe. This also appears to be the first evidence of H. felis and C. europaeus coinfection in felids in Europe, and of autochthonous H. felis infection in wild cats north of the Mediterranean Basin. New tick–host associations were also observed in this study. Based on the results, H. felis and H. martis might survive transstadially in I. ricinus and H. concinna, respectively. Graphical Abstract

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“…T A B L E 3 Coefficient of variation of the mean (CV mean ) results for each of the density estimates using five different methods; unmarked spatial capture-recapture (SCR) with moderately informative prior (uSCRm) and with a strongly informative prior (uSCRs) applied to camera-trap data, random encounter models (REM) applied to camera-trap data, distance sampling applied to camera-trap data (CT-DS), normal SCR applied to genetic noninvasive sampling (gNIS), and normal SCR applied to live trapping. individuals/km 2 ; Zalewski & Jedrzejewski, 2006) and Ireland where densities are highest for the species (0.12-4.42 individuals/km 2 ; Mullins et al, 2010;Sheehy et al, 2013;O'Mahony et al, 2017;Twining, Montgomery, Reid, et al, 2020). Despite similar point estimates from all five methods sitting within each other's CIs, differences in the precision, cost, and effort of each method were apparent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…This study sheds light on the precision, efficacy, and cost of increasingly used noninvasive methods for monitoring animal populations and conventional live trapping. Using methods applied to both marked and unmarked animal populations, we produce density estimates within reported ranges for the target species in Europe (0.01–1.75 individuals/km 2 ; Zalewski & Jedrzejewski, 2006) and Ireland where densities are highest for the species (0.12–4.42 individuals/km 2 ; Mullins et al, 2010; Sheehy et al, 2013; O'Mahony et al, 2017; Twining, Montgomery, Reid, et al, 2020). Despite similar point estimates from all five methods sitting within each other's CIs, differences in the precision, cost, and effort of each method were apparent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparison of density estimation methods for monitoring marked and unmarked animal populations

Twining

McFarlane

O'Meara³

et al. 2022

Ecosphere

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Effective monitoring of wildlife populations forms the foundation of modern-day conservation biology. Without reliable estimates of population size, it is not possible to determine population trends, a key requirement in determining species status under international legislation. Carnivores are one of the more difficult taxonomic groups to monitor due to low population densities and elusive behavior. Here, we compare conventional live trapping and two more modern, noninvasive field methods of population estimation: genetic fingerprinting from hair tube sampling and camera trapping for the pine marten (Martes martes). We apply marked spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models to the genetic and live-trapping data where individuals were identifiable, and unmarked SCR (uSCR), camera-trap distance sampling (CT-DS), and random encounter models (REMs) to the camera-trap data where individual ID was not possible. All five approaches produced plausible and relatively consistent point estimates (0.49-1.20 individuals/km 2 ) despite differences in precision, cost, and effort being apparent. Genetic fingerprinting produced the most precise estimate out of the two approaches for marked animal populations and had the key benefit of being noninvasive but was the most expensive of all the methods. Live trapping produced the highest point estimate while being cheapest, but the most labor intensive and least precise. The camera-trapping methods for unmarked animal populations were the most time efficient and precise except uSCR with a moderately informative prior (uSCRm), which produced the second least precise density estimate of all the methods compared.The CT-DS produced the most precise estimate of all the methods, followed by REM and then uSCR with a strongly informative prior (uSCRs). While choice of method of density estimation depends on objectives and funding constraints, as well as the species of interest, we demonstrate the importance of using a priori knowledge of target species and consideration of planned statistical analysis to produce appropriate experimental designs with critical

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All forests are not equal: population demographics and denning behaviour of a recovering small carnivore in human modified landscapes

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 7 publications

References 55 publications

Habitat mediates coevolved but not novel species interactions

Habitat mediates coevolved but not novel species interactions

Molecular epidemiological study on ticks and tick-borne protozoan parasites (Apicomplexa: Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon spp.) from wild cats (Felis silvestris), Mustelidae and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in central Europe, Hungary

A comparison of density estimation methods for monitoring marked and unmarked animal populations

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