19 results on '"Amanda R. Goldberg"'
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2. Widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife communities
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Kate E. Langwig, Katherine L. Brown, Jeffrey M. Marano, Pallavi Rai, Kelsie M. King, Amanda K. Sharp, Alessandro Ceci, Christopher D. Kailing, Macy J. Kailing, Russell Briggs, Matthew G. Urbano, Clinton Roby, Anne M. Brown, James Weger-Lucarelli, Carla V. Finkielstein, and Joseph R. Hoyt
- Subjects
Science - Abstract
Abstract Pervasive SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans have led to multiple transmission events to animals. While SARS-CoV-2 has a potential broad wildlife host range, most documented infections have been in captive animals and a single wildlife species, the white-tailed deer. The full extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among wildlife communities and the factors that influence wildlife transmission risk remain unknown. We sampled 23 species of wildlife for SARS-CoV-2 and examined the effects of urbanization and human use on seropositivity. Here, we document positive detections of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in six species, including the deer mouse, Virginia opossum, raccoon, groundhog, Eastern cottontail, and Eastern red bat between May 2022–September 2023 across Virginia and Washington, D.C., USA. In addition, we found that sites with high human activity had three times higher seroprevalence than low human-use areas. We obtained SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences from nine individuals of six species which were assigned to seven Pango lineages of the Omicron variant. The close match to variants circulating in humans at the time suggests at least seven recent human-to-animal transmission events. Our data support that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has been widespread in wildlife communities and suggests that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion
- Author
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David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Amanda R. Goldberg, Samantha L. Eads, and Tonie E. Rocke
- Subjects
Cynomys ,Deltamethrin ,Flea ,Plague ,Vaccine ,Yersinia pestis ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
We evaluated the invasion of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis into a population of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPDs) in South Dakota. We aimed to ascertain if Y. pestis invaded slowly or rapidly, and to determine if vector (flea) control or vaccination of BTPDs assisted in increasing survival rates. We sampled BTPDs in 2007 (before Y. pestis documentation), 2008 (year of confirmed invasion), and 2009 (after invasion). We estimated annual BTPD re-encounter rates on three 9-ha plots treated annually with deltamethrin dust for flea control and three 9-ha plots lacking dust. In 2007 and 2008, approximately half the adult BTPDs live-trapped were injected subcutaneously with either an experimental plague vaccine (F1–V fusion protein) or placebo formulation; the remaining individuals were not inoculated. From 2007 to 2009, we sampled 1559 BTPDs on 2542 occasions. During 2007–2008, the prevalence and intensity of fleas on BTPDs were 69–97% lower on the dusted vs. no dust plots. From 2007 to 2008, the annual re-encounter rate of non-inoculated BTPDs was 150% higher on the dusted vs. no dust plots. During the same interval on the dusted plots, the re-encounter rate was 55% higher for vaccinated adult female BTPDs vs. nonvaccinated adult females, but the annual re-encounter rate was 19% lower for vaccinated adult males. By late August 2008, BTPDs were nearly extirpated from the no dust plots. During 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 on the dusted plots, which persisted, the BTPD re-encounter rate was 41% higher for vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated adult females but 35% lower for vaccinated adult males. Yersinia pestis erupted with vigor as it invaded. Flea control enhanced BTPD survival but did not offer full protection. Flea control and F1–V vaccination seemed to have additive, positive effects on adult females. Annual re-encounter rates were reduced for vaccinated adult males; additional experimentation is needed to further evaluate this trend.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Plague circulation in small mammals elevates extinction risk for the endangered Peñasco least chipmunk
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, David A. Eads, and Dean E. Biggins
- Subjects
Conservation ,Disease ,Microtus ,Peromyscus ,Survival ,Yersinia pestis ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
Wildlife diseases are a major concern for species survival around the world. Vector-borne diseases, in particular, are problematic for both humans and wildlife. Plague is an introduced disease to North America where many species have low natural resistance to infection by the causative bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Plague in the United States is often associated with large-scale epizootic events that impact rodent populations. However, we need more information regarding the effects of plague at enzootic levels and in species that rarely if ever experience epizootic events. New Mexico is a state that experiences regular epizootic plague events in several species of rodents but comparatively less is known about enzootic plague impacts within rodent communities in New Mexico. The Peñasco least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus atristriatus) is state-listed as endangered in New Mexico and is a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. It likely has been extirpated from the southern portion of its range and is now observed only at high elevations in isolated areas in the White Mountains. We evaluated plague presence in the more abundant small mammal species associated with these chipmunks. We used an F1 antigen plague-specific vaccine and a placebo injection to test whether plague was present and reducing survival in western deer mouse (Peromyscus sonoriensis) and vole (Microtus spp.) populations in the Lincoln National Forest. The effect of plague on survival differed among years and sites. Monthly apparent survival was up to 60 % higher for rodents given the vaccine compared to those given a placebo. Our results suggest that plague is likely impacting the small mammal community in the Lincoln National Forest and is even present at higher elevation sites where the Peñasco least chipmunk was most recently extirpated. Because least chipmunks are highly susceptible to plague, our results suggest that this disease may be an important factor in the population decline of the Peñasco least chipmunk.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Diet of a rare herbivore based on DNA metabarcoding of feces: Selection, seasonality, and survival
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, David C. Tank, Kimberly R. Andrews, Digpal S. Gour, and Lisette P. Waits
- Subjects
diet composition ,fitness consequences ,ground squirrel ,noninvasive diet analysis ,phenology ,Urocitellus brunneus ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
Abstract In herbivores, survival and reproduction are influenced by quality and quantity of forage, and hence, diet and foraging behavior are the foundation of an herbivore's life history strategy. Given the importance of diet to most herbivores, it is imperative that we know the species of plants they prefer, especially for herbivorous species that are at risk for extinction. However, it is often difficult to identify the diet of small herbivores because: (a) They are difficult to observe, (b) collecting stomach contents requires sacrificing animals, and (c) microhistology requires accurately identifying taxa from partially digested plant fragments and likely overemphasizes less‐digestible taxa. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is federally threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. We used DNA metabarcoding techniques to identify the diet of 188 squirrels at 11 study sites from fecal samples. We identified 42 families, 126 genera, and 120 species of plants in the squirrel's diet. Our use of three gene regions was beneficial because reliance on only one gene region (e.g., only trnL) would have caused us to miss >30% of the taxa in their diet. Northern Idaho ground squirrel diet differed between spring and summer, frequency of many plants in the diet differed from their frequency within their foraging areas (evidence of selective foraging), and several plant genera in their diet were associated with survival. Our results suggest that while these squirrels are generalists (they consume a wide variety of plant species), they are also selective and do not eat plants relative to availability. Consumption of particular genera such as Perideridia may be associated with higher overwinter survival.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, and Dean E. Biggins
- Subjects
Urocitellus brunneus ,Yersinia pestis ,Enzootic ,Conservation ,Threatened ,Disease ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
Plague is a non-native disease in North America that reduces survival of many mammals. Previous studies have focused on epizootic plague which causes acute mortality events and dramatic declines in local abundance. We know much less about enzootic plague which causes less punctuated reductions in survival and abundance of infected populations. As a result, enzootic plague is much more difficult to detect because changes in population attributes are more subtle and Yersinia pestis prevalence is likely lower relative to epizootic plague outbreaks. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is a threatened species which coexists with Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) and yellow-pine chipmunks (Neotamias amoenus) throughout their restricted distribution in central Idaho. Columbian ground squirrels and yellow-pine chipmunks are more abundant and widespread than northern Idaho ground squirrels and both are known hosts for plague. Hence, enzootic plague may be one cause of rarity for northern Idaho ground squirrels but its effect on this threatened species has not been evaluated. We conducted three controlled and randomized field experiments to examine the effects of plague in northern Idaho ground squirrels and the two coexisting species: 1) a plague vaccine experiment, 2) a paired flea-reduction experiment, and 3) a non-paired flea-reduction experiment. For Experiment 1, we hypothesized that if enzootic plague is present, vaccinated animals would have higher survival. Furthermore, Experiments 2 and 3 tested the prediction that untreated, control animals should have lower survival than those in areas where fleas are experimentally removed or reduced because fleas are the main vector for plague. In the plague vaccine experiment, vaccinated chipmunks had 4.65% higher apparent survival compared to chipmunks that received a placebo for intervals when the vaccine is believed to be effective. Apparent annual survival increased for all three species on experimental flea-reduction plots compared to non-treated plots for the paired experiment but results were mixed for the non-paired experiment. Taken together, our results suggest that enzootic plague is present and negatively impacting survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting species.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Courtney J. Conway, and Dean E. Biggins
- Subjects
abundance ,flea community ,generalized linear mixed model ,northern Idaho ground squirrel ,Urocitellus brunneus ,vector‐borne disease ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
Abstract For vector‐borne diseases, the abundance and competency of different vector species and their host preferences will impact the transfer of pathogens among hosts. Sylvatic plague is a lethal disease caused by the primarily flea‐borne bacterium Yersinia pestis. Sylvatic plague was introduced into the western United States in the early 1900s and impacts many species of rodents. Plague may be suppressing populations of the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) if a competent flea community is allowing plague to be maintained within the few extant sites that support this rare ground squirrel. We collected fleas from four species of sympatric rodents in central Idaho: northern Idaho ground squirrels, Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), yellow‐pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). We evaluated which flea species were present and whether fleas were shared among the rodent community. We documented seven species of fleas among 3356 fleas collected from the four host species of rodents, and all seven species of fleas are known vectors of plague. Three of the seven flea species were detected on all four rodent species, demonstrating potential for spillover of plague (bridge vectors) in the rodent community. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate which abiotic and biotic factors influence flea abundance (total number of fleas, regardless of flea species, on each individual host of the four rodent host species). Factors that impacted flea abundance varied among the four host species, but flea abundance: (1) changed over summer depending on host species, (2) was greater on males, and (3) was impacted by summer and winter precipitation depending on host species. Our results suggest this diverse flea community has the capacity to transfer Y. pestis among populations of the four rodents if Y. pestis is present. Furthermore, the disease may be more likely to persist in some locations than others, those that have higher flea abundances, more sympatric hosts, or optimal conditions for fleas, and such high‐risk sites can be identified based on their abiotic and biotic factors.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Exploring and Mitigating Plague for One Health Purposes
- Author
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David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Jeffrey Wimsatt, Rebecca J. Eisen, B. Joseph Hinnebusch, Marc R. Matchett, Amanda R. Goldberg, Travis M. Livieri, Gregory M. Hacker, Mark G. Novak, Danielle E. Buttke, Shaun M. Grassel, John P. Hughes, and Linda A. Atiku
- Subjects
Infectious Diseases ,Immunology and Allergy - Published
- 2022
9. Deltamethrin reduces survival of non-target small mammals
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Jonathan W. Bowser, Courtney J. Conway, David A. Eads, and Jeffrey Wimsatt
- Subjects
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Context Vector-borne diseases have caused global pandemics and were responsible for more human deaths than all other causes combined in prior centuries. In the past 60 years, prevention and control programs have helped reduce human mortality from vector-borne diseases, but impacts of those control programs on wildlife populations are not well documented. Insecticides are used to reduce vector-borne diseases in several critically endangered animal populations. Although insecticides are often effective at controlling targeted vectors, their effects on non-target species have rarely been examined. Aims To evaluate the impact of deltamethrin (an insecticide) on sympatric non-target species in areas affected by sylvatic plague, a lethal flea-borne zoonosis. Methods We compared flea control and the effect of deltamethrin application on survival of non-target small mammals (Peromyscus maniculatus, Chaetodipus hispidus, Microtus spp., and Reithrodontomys megalotis) at three study locations in South Dakota, Colorado, and Idaho, USA. Key results Deltamethrin treatments were more effective in reducing fleas on P. maniculatus and Microtus spp. than C. hispidus. Following burrow, nest, and bait-station applications of deltamethrin dust, apparent small mammal survival was greater for non-treatment animals than for flea-reduction animals. However, the magnitude of the difference between treated and non-treated animals differed among host species, study location, time interval, and treatment application method. Conclusions Our results suggest that considering the impact of deltamethrin on co-occurring non-target species before widespread application in future insecticide applications is warranted. Implications Insecticide application methods warrant consideration when designing plague management actions.
- Published
- 2022
10. Wildlife exposure to SARS-CoV-2 across a human use gradient
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg, Kate E. Langwig, Jeffrey Marano, Pallavi Rai, Amanda K. Sharp, Katherine L. Brown, Alessandro Ceci, Macy J. Kailing, Russell Briggs, Clinton Roby, Anne M. Brown, James Weger-Lucarelli, Carla V. Finkielstein, and Joseph R. Hoyt
- Abstract
The spillover of SARS-CoV-2 into humans has caused one of the most devastating pandemics in recorded history. Human-animal interactions have led to transmission events of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to wild and captive animals. However, many questions remain about how extensive SARS-CoV-2 exposure is in wildlife, the factors that influence wildlife transmission risk, and whether sylvatic cycles can generate novel variants with increased infectivity and virulence. We sampled 22 different wildlife species in Virginia, U.S.A. We detected widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 across six wildlife species. Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, we detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Virginia opossum and had equivocal detections in six additional species. Furthermore, we used whole genome sequencing to confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and compare mutations present to known circulating strains. Species that exhibit peridomestic tendencies had high seroprevalence, ranging between 62%-71%, and sites with high human presence had three times higher seroprevalence than low human-use areas across all species combined. SARS-CoV-2 genomic data from an opossum and molecular modeling exposed one previously uncharacterized change to an amino acid residue in the Spike receptor binding domain (RBD), which predicts improved binding between the Spike protein and human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) compared to the dominant variant circulating at the time of collection. Overall, our results highlight widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife and suggest that areas with high human activity may serve as important points of contact for cross-species transmission. Furthermore, this work highlights the potential role of wildlife as reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2.Significance StatementThe emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in unprecedented consequences for humans across the globe. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among species has the potential to generate new and more virulent variants, posing a threat to both public health and animal populations. However, the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect wildlife other than white tailed deer and mustelids in nature remains unknown. We examined exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in 22 wildlife species, which are commonly found across the Eastern U.S. We found widespread SARS-CoV-2 exposure in six common wildlife species, which was elevated in areas with high human activity. Our results highlight the capacity of SARS-CoV-2 to spread through wildlife communities.
- Published
- 2022
11. Hibernation behavior of a federally threatened ground squirrel: climate change and habitat selection implications
- Author
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Amanda R. Goldberg and Courtney J. Conway
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Hibernation ,Phenotypic plasticity ,Ecology ,biology ,Climate change ,Torpor ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Hibernaculum ,010601 ecology ,Habitat ,Genetics ,Aestivation ,Animal Science and Zoology ,sense organs ,skin and connective tissue diseases ,Ground squirrel ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Hibernation is an adaptation to survive periods of stress, from food limitation or harsh thermal conditions. A key question in contemporary ecology is whether rare, range-restricted species can change their behavior in response to climate change (i.e., through behavioral plasticity). The northern Idaho ground squirrel, Urocitellus brunneus (A. H. Howell, 1928), is a federally threatened species that hibernates for approximately 8 months per year within the bounds of its small range in central Idaho, USA. Changes in temperature, snow accumulation, and summer precipitation, all brought about as a result of climate change, may reduce survival or fecundity of northern Idaho ground squirrels if they cannot adapt to these climate changes. Hibernating species can respond to climate-change-induced thermal challenges in two ways: change their hibernation physiology and behavior (i.e., emergence date or number of torpor bouts) or alter their environment (i.e., change hibernacula depth or location). We explored a suite of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to document the extent to which they influenced hibernation behavior of northern Idaho ground squirrels. Emergence date was positively associated with snowpack and negatively associated with mean winter temperature. Mean minimum skin temperature was negatively associated with canopy closure and slope of a squirrel’s hibernaculum. Duration of the heterothermal period, number of euthermic bouts, and total time spent euthermic were positively associated with body mass. Immergence date and duration of the longest torpor bout were negatively associated with body mass. Warmer temperatures and less snow accumulation in the winter—caused by climate change—likely will cause altered emergence dates. Our results suggest that any future climate-induced changes in snowfall, ambient temperature, food availability, or habitat likely will impact survival of this rare ground squirrel, because such changes will cause changes in hibernation behavior, percent mass loss during hibernation, and duration of the active season when small mammals are more susceptible to predation.
- Published
- 2021
12. Balancing transferability and complexity of species distribution models for rare species conservation
- Author
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Nolan A. Helmstetter, Bryan S. Stevens, Courtney J. Conway, and Amanda R. Goldberg
- Subjects
Computer science ,Ecology ,Species distribution ,Transferability ,Rare species ,Spatial prediction ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Cross-validation - Published
- 2020
13. Winter Versus Summer Habitat Selection in a Threatened Ground Squirrel
- Author
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Greg Burak, Diane Evans Mack, Amanda R. Goldberg, and Courtney J. Conway
- Subjects
Hibernation ,Ecology ,biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Urocitellus brunneus ,Habitat ,Threatened species ,General Earth and Planetary Sciences ,Environmental science ,Ground squirrel ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Selection (genetic algorithm) ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,General Environmental Science - Published
- 2020
14. The role of neutral and adaptive genomic variation in population diversification and speciation in two ground squirrel species of conservation concern
- Author
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Paul A. Hohenlohe, Digpal Singh Gour, Courtney J. Conway, Kimberly R. Andrews, Lisette P. Waits, Soraia Barbosa, and Amanda R. Goldberg
- Subjects
Conservation genetics ,Genotype ,Population ,Context (language use) ,Metapopulation ,Biology ,Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ,Intraspecific competition ,Article ,Genetics ,Animals ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,education.field_of_study ,Sciuridae ,Interspecific competition ,Genomics ,biology.organism_classification ,Urocitellus ,Genetics, Population ,Evolutionary biology ,Genetic structure ,Threatened species ,Conservation biology ,Adaptation ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
Understanding the neutral (demographic) and adaptive processes leading to the differentiation of species and populations is a critical component of evolutionary and conservation biology. In this context, recently diverged taxa represent a unique opportunity to study the process of genetic differentiation. Northern and southern Idaho ground squirrels (Urocitellus brunneus – NIDGS, and U. endemicus - SIDGS, respectively) are a recently diverged pair of sister species that have undergone dramatic declines in the last 50 years and are currently found in metapopulations across restricted spatial areas with distinct environmental pressures. Here we genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from buccal swabs with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). With these data we evaluated neutral genetic structure at both theinter- and intraspecific level, and identified putatively adaptive SNPs using population structure outlier detection and genotype-environment association (GEA) analyses. At the interspecific level, we detected a clear separation between NIDGS and SIDGS, and evidence for adaptive differentiation putatively linked to torpor patterns. At the intraspecific level, we found evidence of both neutral and adaptive differentiation. For NIDGS, elevation appears to be the main driver of adaptive differentiation, while neutral variation patterns match and expand information on the low connectivity between some populations identified in previous studies using microsatellite markers. For SIDGS, neutral substructure generally reflected natural geographic barriers, while adaptive variation reflected differences in land cover and temperature, as well as elevation. These results clearly highlight the roles of neutral and adaptive processes for understanding the complexity of the processes leading to species and population differentiation, which can have important conservation implications in susceptible and threatened species.
- Published
- 2021
15. Effects of experimental flea removal and plague vaccine treatments on survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting sciurids
- Author
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Dean E. Biggins, Courtney J. Conway, and Amanda R. Goldberg
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Flea ,Yersinia pestis ,animal diseases ,Population ,Zoology ,Enzootic ,Conservation ,Plague (disease) ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Urocitellus brunneus ,medicine ,Disease ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Epizootic ,Threatened ,QH540-549.5 ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Threatened species ,Plague vaccine - Abstract
Plague is a non-native disease in North America that reduces survival of many mammals. Previous studies have focused on epizootic plague which causes acute mortality events and dramatic declines in local abundance. We know much less about enzootic plague which causes less punctuated reductions in survival and abundance of infected populations. As a result, enzootic plague is much more difficult to detect because changes in population attributes are more subtle and Yersinia pestis prevalence is likely lower relative to epizootic plague outbreaks. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is a threatened species which coexists with Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) and yellow-pine chipmunks (Neotamias amoenus) throughout their restricted distribution in central Idaho. Columbian ground squirrels and yellow-pine chipmunks are more abundant and widespread than northern Idaho ground squirrels and both are known hosts for plague. Hence, enzootic plague may be one cause of rarity for northern Idaho ground squirrels but its effect on this threatened species has not been evaluated. We conducted three controlled and randomized field experiments to examine the effects of plague in northern Idaho ground squirrels and the two coexisting species: 1) a plague vaccine experiment, 2) a paired flea-reduction experiment, and 3) a non-paired flea-reduction experiment. For Experiment 1, we hypothesized that if enzootic plague is present, vaccinated animals would have higher survival. Furthermore, Experiments 2 and 3 tested the prediction that untreated, control animals should have lower survival than those in areas where fleas are experimentally removed or reduced because fleas are the main vector for plague. In the plague vaccine experiment, vaccinated chipmunks had 4.65% higher apparent survival compared to chipmunks that received a placebo for intervals when the vaccine is believed to be effective. Apparent annual survival increased for all three species on experimental flea-reduction plots compared to non-treated plots for the paired experiment but results were mixed for the non-paired experiment. Taken together, our results suggest that enzootic plague is present and negatively impacting survival of northern Idaho ground squirrels and two coexisting species.
- Published
- 2021
16. Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid
- Author
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Courtney J. Conway, Amanda R. Goldberg, and Dean E. Biggins
- Subjects
Flea ,abundance ,Ecology ,biology ,Rodent ,northern Idaho ground squirrel ,vector‐borne disease ,animal diseases ,Zoology ,biology.organism_classification ,Plague (disease) ,bacterial infections and mycoses ,Yersinia pestis ,Abundance (ecology) ,Sympatric speciation ,generalized linear mixed model ,biology.animal ,Northern Idaho ground squirrel ,lcsh:QH540-549.5 ,Threatened species ,Urocitellus brunneus ,lcsh:Ecology ,flea community ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
For vector‐borne diseases, the abundance and competency of different vector species and their host preferences will impact the transfer of pathogens among hosts. Sylvatic plague is a lethal disease caused by the primarily flea‐borne bacterium Yersinia pestis. Sylvatic plague was introduced into the western United States in the early 1900s and impacts many species of rodents. Plague may be suppressing populations of the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) if a competent flea community is allowing plague to be maintained within the few extant sites that support this rare ground squirrel. We collected fleas from four species of sympatric rodents in central Idaho: northern Idaho ground squirrels, Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), yellow‐pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). We evaluated which flea species were present and whether fleas were shared among the rodent community. We documented seven species of fleas among 3356 fleas collected from the four host species of rodents, and all seven species of fleas are known vectors of plague. Three of the seven flea species were detected on all four rodent species, demonstrating potential for spillover of plague (bridge vectors) in the rodent community. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate which abiotic and biotic factors influence flea abundance (total number of fleas, regardless of flea species, on each individual host of the four rodent host species). Factors that impacted flea abundance varied among the four host species, but flea abundance: (1) changed over summer depending on host species, (2) was greater on males, and (3) was impacted by summer and winter precipitation depending on host species. Our results suggest this diverse flea community has the capacity to transfer Y. pestis among populations of the four rodents if Y. pestis is present. Furthermore, the disease may be more likely to persist in some locations than others, those that have higher flea abundances, more sympatric hosts, or optimal conditions for fleas, and such high‐risk sites can be identified based on their abiotic and biotic factors.
- Published
- 2020
17. Diet of a rare herbivore based on DNA metabarcoding of feces: Selection, seasonality, and survival
- Author
-
Kimberly R. Andrews, Lisette P. Waits, Digpal Singh Gour, David C. Tank, Courtney J. Conway, and Amanda R. Goldberg
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Forage (honey bee) ,ground squirrel ,Foraging ,Endangered species ,Zoology ,Generalist and specialist species ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,phenology ,Life history theory ,03 medical and health sciences ,lcsh:QH540-549.5 ,Urocitellus brunneus ,Ground squirrel ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,030304 developmental biology ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Original Research ,noninvasive diet analysis ,0303 health sciences ,Herbivore ,Ecology ,biology ,diet composition ,fitness consequences ,biology.organism_classification ,Threatened species ,lcsh:Ecology - Abstract
In herbivores, survival and reproduction are influenced by quality and quantity of forage, and hence, diet and foraging behavior are the foundation of an herbivore's life history strategy. Given the importance of diet to most herbivores, it is imperative that we know the species of plants they prefer, especially for herbivorous species that are at risk for extinction. However, it is often difficult to identify the diet of small herbivores because: (a) They are difficult to observe, (b) collecting stomach contents requires sacrificing animals, and (c) microhistology requires accurately identifying taxa from partially digested plant fragments and likely overemphasizes less‐digestible taxa. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is federally threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. We used DNA metabarcoding techniques to identify the diet of 188 squirrels at 11 study sites from fecal samples. We identified 42 families, 126 genera, and 120 species of plants in the squirrel's diet. Our use of three gene regions was beneficial because reliance on only one gene region (e.g., only trnL) would have caused us to miss >30% of the taxa in their diet. Northern Idaho ground squirrel diet differed between spring and summer, frequency of many plants in the diet differed from their frequency within their foraging areas (evidence of selective foraging), and several plant genera in their diet were associated with survival. Our results suggest that while these squirrels are generalists (they consume a wide variety of plant species), they are also selective and do not eat plants relative to availability. Consumption of particular genera such as Perideridia may be associated with higher overwinter survival., Diet and foraging behavior are the foundation of an herbivore's life history strategy and it is imperative that we know the species of plants they prefer. We used DNA metabarcoding techniques to noninvasively sample the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) diet. We used three gene regions and found that diets differed on the genus level between season, availability, and survival was associated with particular plants.
- Published
- 2019
18. Black-Footed Ferrets and Recreational Shooting Influence the Attributes of Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Burrows
- Author
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Shantini Ramakrishnan, David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, and Amanda R. Goldberg
- Subjects
Mustela nigripes ,Cynomys ludovicianus ,Black-tailed prairie dog ,Ecology ,biology ,biology.animal ,Prairie dog ,Burrow ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Air blower - Abstract
Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) plug burrows occupied by black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), and they also plug burrows to entomb dead prairie dogs. We further evaluated these phenomena by sampling connectivity and plugging of burrow openings on prairie dog colonies occupied by ferrets, colonies where recreational shooting was allowed, and colonies with neither shooting nor ferrets. We counted burrow openings on line surveys and within plots, classified surface plugging, and used an air blower to examine subsurface connectivity. Colonies with ferrets had lower densities of openings, fewer connected openings (suggesting increased subsurface plugging), and more surface plugs compared to colonies with no known ferrets. Colonies with recreational shooting had the lowest densities of burrow openings, and line-survey data suggested colonies with shooting had intermediate rates of surface plugging. The extent of surface and subsurface plugging could have consequences for the prair...
- Published
- 2012
19. More queer: resources on queer theory
- Author
-
John P. Elia, Catherine Swanson, and Amanda R Goldberg
- Subjects
Gender Studies ,Social Psychology ,Queer ,Gender studies ,Queer theory ,General Medicine ,Sociology ,Homosexuality ,Psychological Theory ,General Psychology ,Education - Published
- 2003
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