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56 results for “prairie dogs”
Data from: Key players and hierarchical organization of prairie dog social networks
The use of social network theory in evaluating animal social groups has gained traction in recent years. Despite the utility of social network analysis in describing attributes of social groups, it remains unclear how comparable this approach is to traditional behavioral observational studies. Using data on Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) social interactions we describe social networks from three populations. We then compare those social networks to groups identified by traditional behavioral approaches and explore whether individuals group together based on similarities. The social network social groups identified by social network analysis were consistent with those identified by more traditional behavioral approaches. However, fine-grained social sub-structuring was revealed only with social network analysis. We found variation in the patterns of interactions among prairie dog social groups that was largely independent of the behavioral attributes or genetics of the individuals within those groups. We detected that some social groups include disproportionately well-connected individuals acting as hubs or bridges. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that social networks analysis is a robust and efficient tool for examining social dynamics.
Data from: Do pathogens reduce genetic diversity of their hosts? Variable effects of sylvatic plague in black-tailed prairie dogs
Introduced diseases can cause dramatic declines in—and even the loss of—natural populations. Extirpations may be followed by low recolonization rates, leading to inbreeding and a loss of genetic variation, with consequences on population viability. Conversely, extirpations may create vacant habitat patches that individuals from multiple source populations can colonize, potentially leading to an influx of variation. We tested these alternative hypotheses by sampling 15 colonies in a prairie dog metapopulation during 7 years that encompassed an outbreak of sylvatic plague, providing the opportunity to monitor genetic diversity before, during and after the outbreak. Analysis of nine microsatellite loci revealed that within the metapopulation, there was no change in diversity. However, within extirpated colonies, patterns varied: In half of the colonies, allelic richness after recovery was less than the preplague conditions, and in the other half, richness was greater than the preplague conditions. Finally, analysis of variation within individuals revealed that prairie dogs present in recolonized colonies had higher heterozygosity than those present before plague. We confirmed plague survivorship in six founders; these individuals had significantly higher heterozygosity than expected by chance. Collectively, our results suggest that high immigration rates can maintain genetic variation at a regional scale despite simultaneous extirpations in spatially proximate populations. Thus, virulent diseases may increase genetic diversity of host populations by creating vacant habitats that allow an influx of genetic diversity. Furthermore, even highly virulent diseases may not eliminate individuals randomly; rather, they may selectively remove the most inbred individuals.
Data from: Vocal characteristics of prairie dog alarm calls across an urban noise gradient
<p>Increasing anthropogenic noise is having a global impact on wildlife, particularly due to the masking of crucial acoustical communication. However, there have been few studies examining the impacts of noise exposure on communication in free-ranging terrestrial mammals. We studied alarm calls of black-tailed prairie dogs (<i>Cynomys ludovicianus</i>) across an urban gradient to explore vocal adjustment relative to different levels of noise exposure. There was no change in the frequency 5%, peak frequency or duration of the alarm calls across the noise gradient. However, the minimum frequency – a commonly used, yet potentially compromised metric – did indeed show a positive relationship with noise exposure. We suspect this is a result of masking of observable call properties by noise, rather than behavioural adjustment. In addition, the proximity of conspecifics and the distance to<span> </span><span><span>the perceived threat (observer)</span></span><span> did </span>affect the frequency 5% of alarm calls. These results reveal that prairie dogs do not appear to be adjusting their alarm calls in noisy environments but likely do in relation to their social context and the proximity of a predatory threat. Anthropogenic noise can elicit a range of behavioural and physiological responses across taxa, but elucidating the specific mechanisms driving these responses can be challenging, particularly as these are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Our research sheds light on how prairie dogs appear to respond to noise as a source of increased risk, rather than as a distraction or through acoustical masking as shown in other commonly studied species (e.g. fish, songbirds, marine mammals).</p>
Data from: Catch the wave: prairie dogs assess neighbours' awareness using contagious displays
The jump–yip display of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) is contagious, spreading through a prairie dog town as 'the wave' through a stadium. Because contagious communication in primates serves to assess conspecific social awareness, we investigated whether instigators of jump–yip bouts adjusted their behaviour relative to the response of conspecifics recruited to display bouts. Increased responsiveness of neighbouring town members resulted in bout initiators devoting a significantly greater proportion of time to active foraging. Contagious jump–yips thus function to assess neighbours' alertness, soliciting social information to assess effective conspecific group size in real time and reveal active probing of conspecific awareness consistent with theory of mind in these group-living rodents.
Data from: Prairie dogs, cattle subsidies, and alternative prey: Seasonal and spatial variation in coyote diet in a temperate grassland
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>As the dominant predator on North America's grasslands, coyotes (<em>Canis latrans</em>) have a large influence on biodiversity, both on working ranches and in protected parks. Ground squirrel (sciurid) species and livestock carrion are often abundant on grasslands worldwide and have the potential to influence a predator's consumption of alternative prey. We collected 1321 scats in four seasons over two years in and adjacent to Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, to test the hypothesis that seasonal and spatial variation in consumption of sciurid prey and cattle (<em>Bos taurus</em>) carrion influenced coyote consumption of alternative prey.<strong> </strong>Sciurid (black-tailed prairie dog <em>Cynomy</em>s<em> ludovicianus</em> and Richardson's ground squirrel </span><em>Urocitellus richardsonii</em><span>) remains were common from spring to fall and had a strong inverse relationship with deer (mule deer <em>Odocoileus hemionus</em> and white-tailed deer <em>O. virginianus</em>), which were most common in winter scats. Cattle remains were most common during spring, fall and winter, occurring in 10.6% of scats annually. Biomass estimates indicated that cattle was the highest ranked food on cattle grazing land year-round, and the 2<sup>nd</sup> ranked food, after deer, during winter on the portion of the park from which cattle were excluded. Closer proximity of scats to a prairie dog colony increased the likelihood of prairie dog remains throughout the year and reduced the likelihood of cattle remains in scats from spring to fall, but not during winter. Individual differences in foraging and ranging behavior may explain the spatial distribution of prairie dog versus cattle in scats. </span><span>Further work is needed to determine whether </span><span>sciurid prey, deer, or livestock carrion </span><span>support large predator populations on grassland habitats to a level that may negatively affect coexisting prey species, including species at risk.</span></p>
On following pages: 245. Gray Marmot (Marmota baibacina); 246. Long-tailed Marmot (Marmota caudata); 247. Marmot (Marmota camtschatica); 250. Tarbagan Marmot (Marmota sibirica); 251. Alaska Marmot (Marmota broweri (Marmota flaviventen: 255. Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis); 256. Olympic Marmot (Marmota leucurus): 259. Utah Prairie Dog (Cynomys parvidens); 260. Gunnison''s Prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni); 261. Mexican Menzbier's Marmot (Marmota menzbieri); 248. Himalayan Marmot (Marmota himalayana); 249. Black-capped); 252. Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata); 253. Woodchuck (Marmota monax); 254. Yellow-bellied Marmot olympus); 257. Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus); 258. White-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys Prairie Dog (Cynomys mexicanus). in Sciuridae
On following pages: 245. Gray Marmot (Marmota baibacina); 246. Long-tailed Marmot (Marmota caudata); 247. Marmot (Marmota camtschatica); 250. Tarbagan Marmot (Marmota sibirica); 251. Alaska Marmot (Marmota broweri (Marmota flaviventen: 255. Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis); 256. Olympic Marmot (Marmota leucurus): 259. Utah Prairie Dog (Cynomys parvidens); 260. Gunnison''s Prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni); 261. Mexican Menzbier's Marmot (Marmota menzbieri); 248. Himalayan Marmot (Marmota himalayana); 249. Black-capped); 252. Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata); 253. Woodchuck (Marmota monax); 254. Yellow-bellied Marmot olympus); 257. Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus); 258. White-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys Prairie Dog (Cynomys mexicanus).
Data from: Catch the wave: prairie dogs assess neighbours' awareness using contagious displays
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Data from: Do pathogens reduce genetic diversity of their hosts? Variable effects of sylvatic plague in black-tailed prairie dogs
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Data from: Key players and hierarchical organization of prairie dog social networks
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Data From: Characterizing patterns of genomic variation in the threatened Utah prairie dog: implications for conservation and management
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Data from: Vocal characteristics of prairie dog alarm calls across an urban noise gradient
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Data from: Prairie dogs, cattle subsidies, and alternative prey: Seasonal and spatial variation in coyote diet in a temperate grassland
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Data from: Mountain Plover habitat selection and nest survival in relation to weather variability and spatial attributes of Black-tailed Prairie Dog disturbance
<p>Habitat loss and altered disturbance regimes have led to declines in many species of grassland and sagebrush birds, including the imperiled Mountain Plover (<i>Charadrius montanus</i>). In certain parts of their range Mountain Plovers rely almost exclusively on Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (<i>Cynomys ludovicianus</i>) colonies as nesting habitat. Previous studies have examined Mountain Plover nest and brood survival on prairie dog colonies, but little is known about how colony size and shape influence these vital rates or patterns of habitat selection. We examined how 1) adult habitat utilization, 2) nest-site selection, and 3) nest success responded to a suite of local- and site-level variables on large prairie dog colony complexes in northeastern Wyoming. Abundance of adult Mountain Plovers was highest on points within older, "medium"-sized (100–500 ha) colonies with high cover of annual forbs and bare ground (5.8 birds/km<sup>2</sup>), but lower on extremely large (>2000 ha) colonies (2.1 birds/km<sup>2</sup>). Nest sites were characterized by high proportions of annual forbs and bare ground and low cactus cover and vegetation height. Nest survival was higher for older nests, and nests with lower cactus cover, and decreased with increasing temperatures. Uncertainty was high for models of daily nest survival, potentially because of two competing sources of nest failure: nest depredation and nest abandonment or inviability of eggs. Drivers of these two sources of nest failure differed, with inclement weather and higher temperatures associated with nest abandonment or egg inviability. We highlight how prairie dogs alter vegetation structure and bare ground heterogeneously across the landscape, and how this in turn influences bird abundance and nest distribution at different temporal and spatial scales. Furthermore, our work reveals how partitioning the causes of nest failure during nest survival analyses enhances understanding of survival rate covariates.</p>
Data from: Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors
Interspecific competition commonly selects for divergence in ecology, morphology, or physiology, but direct observation of interspecific competition under natural conditions is difficult. Herbivorous white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) employ an unusual strategy to reduce interspecific competition: they kill, but do not consume, herbivorous Wyoming ground squirrels (Urocitellus elegans) encountered in the prairie dog territories. Results from a 6-year study in Colorado USA revealed that interspecific killing (IK) of ground squirrels by prairie dogs was common, involving 47 different killers; 19 prairie dogs were serial killers in the same or consecutive years, and 30% of female prairie dogs killed at least one ground squirrel over their lifetimes. Females that killed ground squirrels had significantly higher annual and lifetime fitness than nonkillers, probably because of decreased interspecific competition for vegetation. Our results document the first case of IK among herbivorous mammals in the wild, and show that IK enhances fitness for animals living under natural conditions.
Data from: Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors
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Data from: Mountain Plover habitat selection and nest survival in relation to weather variability and spatial attributes of Black-tailed Prairie Dog disturbance
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Allen Brain Atlas
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DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
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OpenNeuro
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