Doctor of Philosophy / Division of Biology / John M. Briggs / Anthony Joern / Foraging decisions by native grazers in fire-dependent landscapes reflect fire-grazing interactions. I assessed behavioral responses associated with the attraction of grazers to recently burned areas at multiple spatial scales. (a) I focused on feeding in the area between steps in a foraging bout – the feeding station – where forage quality and vegetation architecture underlie these fine-scale decisions. The ‘forage maturation hypothesis’ (FMH) predicts the distribution of large herbivores based on the temporal dynamics of forage quality and quantity, but does not address herbivore responses to inter-patch variation caused by fire-induced increases of forage quality. The ‘transient maxima hypothesis’ (TMH) also predicts variable forage quality and quantity, but in response to intermittent disturbance from fire. I described the effects of variable spring burn history to bison foraging and their spatio-temporal distribution at Konza Prairie. Forage attributes met predictions of the TMH to explain how forage maturation affects foraging behavior across watersheds with varying burn frequency. At sites burned in the spring after several years without burning, intake rate increased with increasing vegetation biomass at a greater rate during the early growing season than during the transitional mid-summer period. This foraging behavior occurred in response to a non-equilibrial pulse of high quality resource that set the stage in the burned area, and was then retained by repeated grazing over the growing season. Thus, bison responded increased forage resource availability resulting from transient maxima in infrequently-burned watersheds burned that spring and they intensely used these areas until forage availability and forage regrowth was not possible. (b) At the patch scale, bison selected areas of low-to-moderate grass cover in which to feed and avoided areas of high forb cover in the growing season. During the dormant season, however, bison selected feeding-sites with uniformly high canopy cover in watersheds that were not burned. (c) At the landscape-scale, infrequently burned watersheds (compared to watersheds that were not burned) provided the strongest significant predictor of bison space use in all early growing- and transitional-season months. (d) The probability of habitat selection was driven by availability of high foliar, protein and low-to-intermediate herbaceous biomass throughout the growing season. These results explain the hierarchy of foraging by a dominant consumer in an experimental landscape by linking two prominent hypotheses, TMH-FMH, proposed to explain spatial variation in forage quality and quantity at local and landscape scales.

Shed antler hunting has increased in popularity during the past decade, but little is known about how this recreational activity affects ungulate movements and space use. We placed geographic positioning system (gps)-collars on 133 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), bison (Bison bison), and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) to quantify their movements, space use, and resource selection during shed antler hunts on Antelope Island Utah, USA, from 2012 to 2015. In Chapter 1, we calculated means and 95% confidence intervals for distance moved during 90-minute segments (16 points/day); pre-event (control, seven consecutive days prior to event), event (one to two days), and post-event (seven consecutive days after event) for shed hunts and helicopter surveys. We also compared each species use of space during these events. Female bighorn sheep did not increase distance moved or substantially change space use during shed hunts and helicopter surveys. Male bighorn sheep increased distance moved 41% on average during shed hunts and by 2.02 times during helicopter surveys but did not change space use during those events. Female bison increased distance moved 15% on average during shed hunts and 30% during helicopter surveys. Mule deer increased distance moved and altered space use the most during shed hunts; females increased distance moved 97%, and 54% of females moved a mean distance of 742 ± 642 (SD) m outside of their home ranges during those hunts for a mean of 9.2 ± 9.4 hours (range = 1.5 to 41 hr). Male mule deer increased distance moved by 2.10 times on average during shed hunts, and 82% of males moved a mean distance of 1,264 ± 732 m outside of their home ranges during those hunts for a mean of 12.6 ± 7.6 hours. In Chapter 2, we analysed 177,138 gps locations to quantify space use and movements of 12 mule deer and 25 bighorn sheep in response to shed hunting. Twenty-five percent of mule deer and 44% of bighorn sheep responded differently to shed antler hunting across two years. We tracked four mule deer for three and four consecutive years, and all those deer responded to shed hunting differently across subsequent years. Mule deer increased movement (paired t-test = -3.9, p < 0.001) during shed hunts compared to pre-event movement. Bighorn sheep increased movement (paired t-test = -6.9, p < 0.001) during shed hunts compared to pre-event movement. In Chapter 3, we placed gps-collars on 27 mule deer and 29 bighorn sheep to quantify habitat selection during shed hunts compared with resources selection seven days prior and seven days following these hunts. Mule deer (n = 6) remained in the same area (response 1), moved to another area within their home range (n = 7; response 2), or moved beyond their home range boundaries (n = 14; response 3). Bighorn sheep (n = 17) remained in the same area (response 1), moved to another area within their home range (n = 11; response 2), or moved beyond their home range boundaries (n = 1; response 3). Shifts in resource selection by mule deer and bighorn sheep were detected during shed hunts regardless of the initial response of the individual animal during those hunts.

No description available.

Understanding species’ distribution, density, and sources of bias in population estimates is critical for reliable conservation strategies. I assessed American black bear distribution, density, and abundance in southern Missouri. Using anecdotal occurrence data, I demonstrated support for a northward trend in extent of occurrences over time and a positive correlation between bear distribution and human–bear incidents. I also used GPS telemetry and camera traps to investigate detection biases in DNA hair snare methods and tested efficacy of two sampling designs for estimating density using spatial capture-recapture models. Results demonstrated that detection probability decreased following a negative asymptotic relationship with decreasing bear proximity to snares and that hair deposition rates decreased over time. Precision of estimates for low density populations with non-uniform distribution increased when using multiple arrays with intensive snare spacing. Optimizing the tradeoff among snare spacing, coverage, and sample size is important for estimating parameters with high precision.

The eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallapovo silvestris) was nearly extirpated from the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) from overharvesting and habitat loss in the early 1900s. Habitat restoration with hardwood regeneration has likely improved habitat suitability for turkeys in the MAV. I studied establishment and movement of translocated turkeys to assess feasibility of turkey restoration in the MAV. Turkeys were translocated to 2 study sites in the MAV during winters of 2009 and 2010. I monitored movement, survival, and resource selection of translocated turkeys using radio telemetry (February 2009–April 2011). Movement increased with increasing resource dispersion. Mortalities did not differ among 4 causes. Biweekly survival of translocated turkeys was related inversely to spring precipitation, but related positively to precipitation during other seasons. Mature and regenerating hardwood forests served as nesting and brooding habitat; therefore, increasing hardwood forests will likely improve success of future turkey restoration in the MAV.

The movement and distribution of elephants can be influenced by environmental factors over time (Foley, 2002). Examining how features in the landscape such as vegetation productivity, water sources and anthropogenic activities drive the movement of elephants can help in understanding patterns of movement. It can also help to inform the establishment and alignment of protected areas, wildlife corridors and identification of tourism hotspots as well as policy interventions to manage Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC). The Okavango Panhandle in Botswana is a HEC hotspot and the focus of My study. A number of strategies to address HEC are underway in the area, however one longer term strategy that has been proposed in this area involves provision of artificial water sources to influence elephant movements and keep animals away from fields during the cropping season. However, an improved understanding of how elephants utilize their habitats in relation to natural ephemeral surface water and other factors that influence their movements from dryland habitats to the Okavango Delta resources is needed to inform such management decisions. My study seeks to establish the role of ephemeral surface water on elephant distribution in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, Botswana as well as assess the movement distribution of elephants in relation to the seasonality, proximity and spatial extent of water presence represented by ephemeral surface water. Time series analysis of water extent on ephemeral surface water of the eastern Okavango panhandle will be developed and overlaid with elephant movement datasets. Elephant collar data from 15 elephants (5 males and 10 females) in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, Botswana have been analysed and Home Range (HR) sizes estimated using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE). The relative importance/probability of environmental variables in determining elephants' movement based on the Utilization Distribution (UD) were computed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs). I utilized a remote sensing spectral index, namely the Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI) to delineate ephemeral surface water in dryland (excluding permanent waters) of the study area. The results reveal that during the wet season, elephants were evenly spread out all over the study area until the early dry season (April-June) when the ephemeral waterholes dried up. Elephants moved southwards towards the permanent waters of the Okavango River, where there are many human settlements and farms. Male HR sizes were found to be bigger than those of female elephants. Wet season (early and late) home range sizes were also bigger when compared to dry season (early and late) HR size. Mean daily distances were computed to investigate the effect of season on elephant daily distances and the distances ranged between 5km and 6.8km in the late wet and in the early wet and late dry season respectively. The Resource Selection Function (RSF) analysis shows that water adjacent sites are preferred over distant ones and both sexes prefer areas with high NDVI, with this preference being more pronounced in males. The seasonal variation of water use is notable in that it affirms the importance of proximity to water for elephants and has implications for their management and HEC. For example, I found that ephemeral surface water has a significant role in influencing elephant spatial use in the area, particularly during the early and late wet season. As ephemeral pans dried and NDVI (vegetation greenness) decreased, elephants started to move closer to the Okavango Delta and consequently human settlements and fields. However, further investigations into the timing of movements away from ephemeral waterholes and the influence of other environmental factors on elephant movements in the area would be needed before any recommendations can be made regarding artificial water provision in this area.

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the world's most destructive mammalian invasive species, and mitigating farther range expansion will require a thorough understanding of movement behavior, diel activity patterns, space use, and resource selection. Currently, limited empirical evidence is available on the ecology of wild pigs in Southwest Florida. Therefore, I examined how wild pigs behaviorally modified their movements and diel activity patterns in response to individual and environmental covariates. I investigated space use dynamics (e.g., home range size and seasonal variation) and evaluated how individual and environmental variation influenced home range size. Next, I determined how fine-scale movement patterns and resource selection of wild pigs are affected by temperature and time of day, and how those resources changed at broad and fine-scales, given their availability. I found that as temperature increased, the probability of foraging increased while the probability of traveling decreased. Foraging behavior occurred predominately between 8:00 and 17:00, and traveling behavior occurred predominately between 18:00 and 7:00, thereby indicating wild pigs were cathemeral. Home range size ranged from 2.6 to 35.8 km2 and averaged 13.0 km2 (n=16). Finally, home range size increased as the proportion of pasture increased and decreased as the proportion of wetlands increased, indicating that resources in agricultural areas were more diffuse than in natural habitats. At the broad (i.e., home range selection) and fine-scale (i.e., within home range) wild pigs selected for wetlands, forests, and pastures. Wild pig movement tended to be tortuous in forested and cropland habitats, but more directed in pasture habitats. Slower movements (i.e., smaller steps) and more directed (i.e., fewer turning) steps were observed during warmer temperatures, particularly avoiding croplands when temperatures were warmer. Wild pigs avoided wetland habitats during dusk and night hours and cropland habitats during dawn hours. Wild pigs selected for forested habitats during night and dawn hours, possibly in response to human activity. In addition, I found that wild pigs were less likely to step into a location with a daily temperature of 35.7°C than 16.1 C°. Wild pigs were less likely to choose warmer locations and more likely to select intermediate temperatures, thus avoiding locations with extremely low or high daily temperatures. Also, I found that wild pigs were more likely to select home ranges nearer to wetlands, forests, and pastures, while avoiding areas near cropland habitats. However, within their home ranges they were more likely to select habitats farther from croplands, forests, and wetlands. My findings reinforce the importance of wetlands, forests and pastures to wild pig selection of home ranges, where they likely utilize these landcover types for thermoregulation (e.g. forests and wetlands) and for foraging resources (e.g. pastures). Within their home ranges wild pigs may avoid forests and wetlands due to perceived predation risk being higher in those habitats, thus causing wild pigs to forgo higher quality resources to reduce risk. These results contribute information useful to wildlife managers to better predict which landcover types provide refuge (e.g., wetlands and forests) or potential movement corridors (e.g., pasture and cropland habitats) for wild pigs. In Southwest Florida, wild pigs have broad inter-individual variation in home range size, are strongly regulated by temperature, and are largely dependent on wetlands and forests to meet their energetic demands. / Doctor of Philosophy / Wild pigs are one of the world's most destructive invasive species. Although, hunters often oppose efforts to reduce wild pig populations, agricultural and natural resource managers support reduction efforts because they cause major economic and ecological damage. In addition, wild pigs carry a plethora of diseases and pose direct health risks to livestock, wildlife, and humans. Therefore, a better understanding of how environmental and landscape factors influence wild pig movements and space use is of broad interest to multiple stakeholder groups. I found that wild pigs mostly foraged during daytime and traveled at night, indicative of irregular activity patterns. Home range size averaged 13.0 km2 across 16 individuals and tended to increase as the proportion of pasture habitat increased and decreased as herbaceous wetlands increased. This indicated that resources were more abundant in natural habitats. Wild pigs preferred wetlands, forests, and pastures, and avoided croplands. However, they were more likely to forage in forests and croplands, and travel in pastures. Wild pigs avoided wetlands during dusk and night hours and croplands at dawn, while selecting forests during night and dawn hours. Wild pigs tended to move slower with less turning during warmer temperatures, particularly avoiding croplands when temperatures were hot. In general, wild pigs avoided locations with extremely low or high daily temperatures. I found wild pigs were more likely to select home ranges nearer to wetlands, forests, and pastures, while avoiding areas near cropland habitats. Wild pigs likely utilized these landcover types for thermoregulation (e.g. forests and wetlands) and for foraging resources (e.g. pastures), while avoiding open areas (e.g. croplands) due to a lack of shade. However, within their home ranges they were more likely to select habitats farther from croplands, forests, and wetlands, possibly because they perceived these areas to have higher predation risk. I highlight differences in space use among individuals and identify habitat types that are most likely to meet energetic demands. By understanding how environmental factors (e.g., habitat type and temperature) influence home range movement behaviors of wild pigs, land managers can focus on scale-dependent population control efforts. My results will aid land managers in better predicting which landcover types are providing refuge (e.g., wetlands and forests) or serving as potential movement corridors (e.g., pasture and cropland habitats).

No description available.

Master of Science / Biology / David A. Haukos / The lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is an endemic North American prairie grouse once widely distributed in the southwestern Great Plains. Recent population declines and continued threats to lesser prairie-chicken populations prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species as “threatened” under the protection of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in May 2014. The northern extent of the species range in Kansas and Colorado supports 2/3 of the remaining range-wide population of lesser prairie-chickens, but has thus far been relatively understudied. Concern for species viability has created a need to fill current knowledge gaps in lesser prairie-chicken ecology, provide more recent demographic information, and develop appropriate conservation actions. I evaluated female survival, movement, space use, and effects of anthropogenic features during the breeding seasons of 2013 and 2014. I captured and radio-tagged 201 females with satellite GPS (N = 114) and VHF (N = 82) transmitters within the three ecoregions of Kansas and Colorado. Mean daily movement varied by region, year, and breeding season period but the amount of space used was consistent between ecoregions and years. On average, females moved 1352 m ± 12 [SE] per day. Females moved the greatest distances during the lekking period of the breeding season with females moving 2074 m ± 36 per day. Females were most sedentary during the brooding period moving only 780 m ± 14 per day. Mean breeding season home range size was estimated to be 340 ha ± 27. The lekking period had the greatest amount of movement as a result of females visiting leks to find mates, copulate, and search for nest locations. Female’s movements were reduced during the brooding period because of physical limitations of the brood mobility. Variation in movement between ecoregions was most likely a product of fragmentation as females moved 10-30% more in northwest Kansas compared to the study sites, which was characterized by northwest Kansas having the greatest degree of fragmentation. Survival varied by ecoregion with females in northwest Kansas having the lowest probability of surviving the 6-month breeding season compared to other ecoregions. Estimated 6-month breeding season survival during 2013 and 2014 was 0.455 (95% CI = 0.38 – 0.53). Survival was lowest during the nesting period, which claimed 59.5% of all observed mortalities. Survival increased from 2013 to 2014 in northwest Kansas as grassland habitats recovered from extreme drought conditions in 2013. Drought was less severe in south-central Kansas and survival rates remained fairly consistent across years. Avian and mammalian predators caused 45.7% and 34.3% of breeding season mortalities, respectively. Other mortalities were either cause by snakes or were unknown (5.7%, 14.3%). Overhead cover may have been limited from drought conditions causing nesting females to be more visible to avian predators during incubation. When pooled across years and ecoregions, rump-mounted GPS transmitters did not adversely affect female survival when compared to commonly used necklace style VHF transmitter (VHF: 0.48 95% CI = 0.39 – 0.58; GPS: 0.50 95% CI = 0.38 – 0.64). Distance to distribution power lines and lek were significant predictors of female space use within their home range with females behaviorally avoiding distribution power lines and using space closer to leks. Space use decreased with increasing oil well density. Females avoided areas that had well densities of 23 wells/250 ha. Observed female locations were further from anthropogenic features but closer to leks on average than at random. Avoidance behavior of anthropogenic features may result in functional habitat loss and reduce the amount of suitable habitat available; compounding previously fragmented landscapes. Anthropogenic features may limit movement by acting as barriers on the landscape and potentially disrupt population connectivity. Furthermore, habitats selected for nesting and brooding may result in potential ecological traps because of reduce breeding success when impacted by increased occurrence and densities of anthropogenic features. Reduced breeding success can have significant negative impacts on population persistence. Average home range size across all ecoregions indicated that female lesser prairie-chickens need at least 340 ha of habitat to fulfill her life-history requirements during the breeding season. Brooding habitats need to be in close proximity (≤ 750 m) to nesting cover to reduce distance traversed by newly hatched broods. Reducing grazing pressure will ensure that sufficient vertical habitat structure is available during the nesting period and increase female survival; especially in times of drought. Mangers should restrict construction of anthropogenic features near or within suitable lesser prairie-chicken habitat with emphasis on distribution power lines. Well densities should not exceed 1 well/60 acres (11 wells/section) for a >10% probability of use. However, because the affect that density of wells has on demographic rates of lesser prairie-chickens has yet to be determined, a conservative approach where well densities in or adjacent to grassland patches should be minimized as much as possible is best.

No estudo apresentado, buscou-se compreender alguns aspectos que ocorrem no processo de urbanização da cidade de São Paulo. Há análise do uso do espaço e a sua apropriação, especialmente na periferia, tendo como mediação a produção do Carnaval e as relações sociais decorrentes. Abordam-se aspectos da formação urbana de São Paulo a partir da forte industrialização que se deu dos anos 50 e da extensa periferia que se formou na metrópole, especialmente dos anos 70 (séc. XX) em diante. Esse processo é analisado por meio da bibliografia e depoimentos colhidos, mantendo o viés Carnaval como mediação do direito ao encontro, à festa, à cidade. Analisa-se, ainda, a cooptação da festa pelo espetáculo-midiático e pelo poder público por meio do processo de alienação dos criadores da festa e dos resultados colhidos com o espetáculo. / Throughout the presented study, aspects of the urbanization process of São Paulo City are looked into. It analyses the space use and appropriation, especially in the City\'s suburban outskirts having as mediation, Carnival production and the social relations deriving from it. It goes into aspects of São Paulo\'s urban shaping by the strong industrialization period which took place during the 50s and the extensive suburban area growth on its outskirts beginning in the 70s. This process is analyzed by bibliography mean\'s and harvested depositions, keeping the bias Carnival as mediation of the right to the meeting, the party, the city. It also analyzes the co-option of the party towards the media-show and government format, through the alienation process of the party creators as well as the results coming from the show.