Landscape Effects on Genetic Structure in Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Tigrinum Melanostictum) Populations Across the Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park PDF Download
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Author: Stephen Spear
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Tiger salamander
Languages : en
Pages : 192
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Author: Stephen Spear
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Tiger salamander
Languages : en
Pages : 192
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Author: Sarah Kelly McMenamin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Amphibians
Languages : en
Pages : 214
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Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309083451
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 199
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Book Description
Ecological Dynamics on Yellowstone's Northern Range discusses the complex management challenges in Yellowstone National Park. Controversy over the National Park Service's approach of "natural regulation" has heightened in recent years because of changes in vegetation and other ecosystem components in Yellowstone's northern range. Natural regulation minimizes human impacts, including management intervention by the National Park Service, on the park ecosystem. Many have attributed these changes to increased size of elk and other ungulate herds. This report examines the evidence that increased ungulate populations are responsible for the changes in vegetation and that the changes represent a major and serious change in the Yellowstone ecosystem. According to the authors, any human intervention to protect species such as the aspen and those that depend on them should be prudently localized rather than ecosystem-wide. An ecosystem-wide approach, such as reducing ungulate populations, could be more disruptive. The report concludes that although dramatic ecological change does not appear to be imminent, approaches to dealing with potential human-caused changes in the ecosystem, including those related to climate change, should be considered now. The need for research and public education is also compelling.
Author: Robert A. Garrott
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0080921051
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 712
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Book Description
This book is an authoritative work on the ecology of some of America's most iconic large mammals in a natural environment - and of the interplay between climate, landscape, and animals in the interior of the world's first and most famous national park.Central Yellowstone includes the range of one of the largest migratory populations of bison in North America as well as a unique elk herd that remains in the park year round. These populations live in a varied landscape with seasonal and often extreme patterns of climate and food abundance. The reintroduction of wolves into the park a decade ago resulted in scientific and public controversy about the effect of large predators on their prey, a debate closely examined in the book. Introductory chapters describe the geography, geology and vegetation of the ecosystem. The elk and bison are then introduced and their population ecology described both pre- and post– wolf introduction, enabling valuable insights into the demographic and behavioral consequences for their ungulate prey. Subsequent chapters describe the wildlife-human interactions and show how scientific research can inform the debate and policy issues surrounding winter recreation in Yellowstone. The book closes with a discussion of how this ecological knowledge can be used to educate the public, both about Yellowstone itself and about science, ecology and the environment in general. Yellowstone National Park exemplifies some of the currently most hotly debated and high-profile ecological, wildlife management, and environmental policy issues and this book will have broad appeal not only to academic ecologists, but also to natural resource students, managers, biologists, policy makers, administrators and the general public. - Unrivalled descriptions of ecological processes in a world famous ecosystem, based on information from 16 years of painstaking field work and collaborations among 66 scientists and technical experts and 15 graduate studies - Detailed studies of two charismatic North American herbivore species – elk and bison - Description of the restoration of wolves into central Yellowstone and their ecological interactions with their elk and bison prey - Illustrated with numerous evocative colour photographs and stunning maps
Author: Francis J. Singer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Grazing
Languages : en
Pages : 396
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Author: P. J. White
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674076419
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 362
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Book Description
The world's first national park is constantly changing. How we understand and respond to recent events putting species under stress will determine the future of ecosystems millions of years in the making. Marshaling expertise from over 30 contributors, Yellowstone's Wildlife in Transition examines three primary challenges to the park's ecology.
Author: Evelyn H. Merrill
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Grassland plants
Languages : en
Pages : 70
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Author: Ty Jordan Werdel
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
The Great Plains region has undergone extensive conversion of native prairies to agriculture production and energy development since European colonization. Temperate prairies, including remaining prairies within the Great Plains, are considered among Earth's most imperiled ecosystems. Prairie patches now exist as components of a landscape mosaic proportionately dominated by cultivated agriculture. These contemporary human-modified landscapes may structure species' distributions, influence community dynamics, and supplant established abiotic range-limiting processes. Understanding the direction and scale of these processes, and how they are affected by landscape composition and configuration, is necessary to enhance conservation efforts. Carnivore communities may be most affected by landscape changes due to negative interactions with humans and their inherent biological traits; however, information regarding landscape-scale effects on the existing suite of carnivores in the Great Plains is lacking. I examined how landscape composition and characteristics influenced site occupancy probabilities and turnover rates by swift foxes (Vulpes velox), the spatial and temporal interactions between swift foxes and coyotes (Canis latrans), and carnivore richness in agro-prairie ecosystems. Additionally, I strategically identified native prairie areas to focus conservation and management of remaining swift fox habitat. During 2018-2020, I used detection/non-detection data from camera traps at 381 randomly selected sites distributed throughout a landscape mosaic comprising the westernmost 31 counties (7.16 million ha) of Kansas, USA. I subsequently used presence/absence data from these sites across three years to infer species-specific responses to landscape change and carnivore community dynamics. To evaluate effects of landscape composition and configuration on site occupancy probabilities and turnover rates by swift fox, I used a distance-weighted scale of effect of landscape metrics within multi-season occupancy models. Swift foxes were more likely to occur at sites with moderate landcover diversity within 254.47 ha, greater proportion of shortgrass prairie (7.07 ha) and loamy soil types (0.79 ha), and lower proportions of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) landcover (78.54 ha). Swift foxes were more likely to colonize sites with less diverse landcover, a greater proportion of loamy soil types, and lower proportions of CRP landcover. Swift foxes were insensitive to the proportion of row-crop agriculture surrounding sites (3.14 ha). To evaluate landscape composition effects on swift foxes and coyote (the apex predator in the region) spatiotemporal interactions, I used a Bayesian hierarchical multi-season occupancy model to evaluate spatial interactions, and a coefficient of overlap of temporal activity to assess factors affecting temporal interactions. Mean persistence of swift foxes differed across sites where coyotes were not detected (0.66; SE = 0.001) and where coyotes were detected (0.39; SE=0.001). The coefficient of overlap at sites surrounded by lower proportions of CRP (≥0.10) differed (95% CIs did not overlap) from coefficient of overlap of all other landscape effects. The spatial distribution of swift foxes was positively influenced (Species Interaction Factor [SIF] > 1) by coyote presence through space and time at low proportions of CRP (≤0.04). SIF decreased as proportion of CRP increased; however, Bayesian confidence intervals overlapped SIF = 1, suggesting that swift foxes were spatially distributed independent of coyotes through space and time at greater proportions of CRP (>0.04). I used a structural equation model to test hypotheses of multiple direct and indirect relationships between landscape composition and configuration and prey availability on carnivore richness. My hypothesized model (X2 = 23.92, df = 24, P = 0.47) explained 27% of the variance of carnivore richness. Agriculture, native prairie, landcover diversity, CRP, water availability, prey occurrence, and sampling effort all had direct positive effects on my measure of carnivore richness, while loamy tableland soil had only an indirect effect. To strategically identify native prairie areas for conservation of swift fox habitat, I created a predicted swift fox occupancy map based on my most-supported, stacked single-season occupancy model. I identified predicted occupancy rate (range = 0.01-0.46) where sensitivity equaled specificity (0.09) within a receiver operating characteristic curve, and reclassified the predicted occupancy map to include only predicted occupancy rates >0.09, and again for a more targeted approach with predicted occupancy rates >0.18. These two maps were intersected with a map of grassland proportions >0.60 to identify areas that were expected to have relatively high occupancy and survival rates by swift fox. Swift foxes were more likely to occur at sites with low levels of landscape diversity ([Beta] = -0.411 ± 0.140), greater proportions of native grassland ([Beta] = 0.375 ± 0.154) and loamy tableland soils ([Beta] = 0.944 ± 0.188), and lower proportions of CRP landcover ([Beta] = -1.081 ± 0.360). Identified native grassland conservation areas totaled 84,420.24 ha (mean patch size = 162.66 ha [SE = 29.67]). Conservation areas located on privately owned working lands included 82,703.86 ha, while conservation areas located within the boundaries of federal, state, and non-governmental organizations (NGO) parcels included 1,716.38 ha. My results provide a unique understanding of how landscape composition and configuration, intraguild competition, and prey availability drive carnivore community dynamics in agro-prairie ecosystems. Additionally, my research elucidated constraints to range expansions for an iconic prairie-obligate carnivore (swift fox) at the edge of their range, while also identifying areas for strategic conservation for their populations.
Author: Tyler Duncan Hether
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Hyla
Languages : en
Pages : 76
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Book Description
Understanding the nature of genetic variation in natural populations is an underlying theme of population genetics. In recent years population genetics has benefited from the incorporation of landscape and environmental data into pre-existing models of isolation by distance (IBD) to elucidate features influencing spatial genetic variation. Many of these landscape genetics studies have focused on populations separated by discrete barriers (e.g., mountain ridges) or species with specific habitat requirements (i.e., habitat specialists). One difficulty in using a landscape genetics approach for taxa with less stringent habitat requirements (i.e., generalists) is the lack of obvious barriers to gene flow and preference for specific habitats. My study attempts to fill this information gap to understand mechanisms underlying population subdivision in generalists, using the squirrel treefrog (Hyla squirella) and a system for classifying 'terrestrial ecological systems' (i.e. habitat types). I evaluate this dataset with microsatellite markers and a recently introduced method based on ensemble learning (Random Forest) to identify whether spatial distance, habitat types, or both have influenced genetic connectivity among 20 H. squirella populations. Next, I hierarchically subset the populations included in the analysis based on (1) genetic assignment tests and (2) Mantel correlograms to determine the relative role of spatial distance in shaping landscape genetic patterns. Assignment tests show evidence of two genetic clusters that separate populations in Florida's panhandle (Western cluster) from those in peninsular Florida and southern Georgia (Eastern cluster). Mantel correlograms suggest a patch size of approximately 150 km. Landscape genetic analyses at all three spatial scales yielded improved model fit relative to isolation by distance when including habitat types. A hierarchical effect was identified whereby the importance of spatial distance (km) was the strongest predictor of patterns of genetic differentiation above the scale of the genetic patch. Below the genetic patch, spatial distance was still an explanatory variable but was only approximately 30% as relevant as mesic flatwoods or upland oak hammocks. Thus, it appears that habitat types largely influence patterns of population genetic connectivity at local scales but the signal of IBD becomes the dominant driver of regional connectivity. My results highlight some habitats as highly relevant to increased genetic connectivity at all spatial scales (e.g., upland oak hammocks) while others show no association (e.g., silviculture) or scale specific associations (e.g., pastures only at global scales). Given these results it appears that treating habitat as a binary metric (suitable/non-suitable) may be overly simplistic for generalist species in which gene flow probably occurs in a spectrum of habitat suitability. The overall pattern of spatial genetic and landscape genetic structure identified here provides insight into the evolutionary history and patterns of population connectivity for H. squirella and improves our understanding of the role of matrix composition for habitat generalists.
Author: Robert A. Boria
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 258
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Book Description
Forecasting how biodiversity will change in the future due to natural and anthropogenic impacts is a primary focus of both ecology and evolutionary biology. By understanding the historical processes influencing the current geographic distribution of biodiversity, we can determine the relative importance of different factors shaping biodiversity, now and in the future. The main question that drove this dissertation: What historical processes led to the current distribution of diversity across the landscape? One omnipresent influence on the geographic distribution of diversity at multiple levels- e.g., genes and species- is climate. Understanding the spatial distributions of intraspecific genetic diversity and the role of climate and climate refugia in evolutionary and ecological processes is important because it shapes species potential for persistence in the face of future climate change. My dissertation focuses on how populations have responded to past climate change, and how the historical distributions and past areas of climate refugia will influence future climate change responses, using mammals as the study system. Studying population histories through time, we can uncover how different populations with similar genetic reservoirs respond differently to the same environmental stressor (climate). Determining how the distribution of intraspecific diversity of North American taxa was directly influenced by climate and landscape changes may illuminate broad-scale patterns of species' responses to other climatic events, or more generally, to barriers impeding or constraining gene flow. My dissertation research utilized an interdisciplinary approach- next generation sequencing; GIS data; ecological modeling; bioinformatics- to understand how historical events have shaped the current distribution of genetic diversity within mammals. My aim was to study how mammal populations respond to climate change through time by determining the range dynamics and potential areas of refugia (Chapter 2 and 3). Understanding the spatial distributions of intraspecific genetic diversity and the role of climate refugia in the evolutionary and ecological processes of populations is important because it may determine their potential for persistence in the face of future climate change. My dissertation examined how two small mammals responded to the glacial cycles of the Pleistocene in North America. First, I determined Neotoma fuscipes has three historical populations in California--two northern and one southern population (Chapter 2). The major split between the northern and southern populations is older than 1.7 million years and occurred in the San Francisco Bay-Delta region, a historically significant region with high lineage diversification in mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. I detected multiple refugia within the species, including several origins of expansions and contractions (particularly with the northern populations). Second, I examined two western lineages within Peromyscus maniculatus and identified three main populations: 1) southern California; 2) a small population nested within the broader Pacific Northwest; 3) the Pacific Northwest through central California and across the Rocky Mountains (Chapter 3). These populations diverged within the last 160,000 years with very little migration, and evidence of recent population expansion. I found evidence for multiple areas of refugia including southeastern Alaska, a known refugia for several mammal species. In order to connect patterns and processes observed in the past with projections of change for the future, I pair my focus on generating empirical genetic & genomic data with different modeling types. Specifically, ecological niche models (ENM) are powerful tools for approximating the abiotically suitable area of a species by comparing environmental conditions at localities where the species occurs with the overall conditions available in the study region. Many ENM studies struggle with small sample sizes, but modeling widely distributed and well-sampled cosmopolitan species raises computational issues as well (Chapter 1). I thus determined the number of localities needed to model the distribution of a cosmopolitan species (Peromyscus maniculatus) with many occurrence records. I discovered when modeling species with a large number of occurrence records, it may not be necessary to use all localities for ENMs and could potentially affect model performance negatively.
