Martes Americana) in Michigan Maria Catherine Spriggs University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected]
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 12-2015 Health assessment of two reintroduced populations of American martens (Martes americana) in Michigan Maria Catherine Spriggs University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected] Recommended Citation Spriggs, Maria Catherine, "Health assessment of two reintroduced populations of American martens (Martes americana) in Michigan. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2015. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/3611 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Maria Catherine Spriggs entitled "Health assessment of two reintroduced populations of American martens (Martes americana) in Michigan." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Natural Resources. Debra L. Miller, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Rebecca Wilkes, Richard Gerhold, Paul Keenlance Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) Health assessment of two reintroduced populations of American martens (Martes americana) in Michigan A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Maria Catherine Spriggs December 2015 DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my husband, Nathan Roberts. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am thankful for the following people who have helped me tremendously: my parents Ann & Ray Spriggs, Jill Witt, Dan Mulcahy, Bob Sanders, Tamara Hillman, Melissa Nichols, Chris Schumacher, Eric Clark, Brad Silet, Rusty Aikens, Lisa Muller, Paula & Kelli Gumpington, Dave Unger, Max Cox, Kristine VanHoosier, Amos Morris, Jeff Andrews, Rachel Thompson, Erik Klaphake, Ann Duncan, Kendal Harr, Pam Nankervis, Ari Cornman, and my committee members Rick Gerhold, Becky Wilkes, Paul Keenlance, and especially Deb Miller. I gratefully acknowledge the following for financial support: Evansville Zoological Society, Pittsburgh Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, and Detroit Zoo. iii ABSTRACT The American marten (Martes americana) was extirpated from Michigan during the early-20th century due to loss of vast areas of mature conifer forest and unregulated trapping. The species was reintroduced into the Upper Peninsula (UP) and Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) during the mid-20th century. While the American marten population in the UP has grown and is doing well, the population in the NLP has been less successful. The reasons for the limited success of the NLP population are unknown, but may include lack of suitable habitat, limited reproductive success, poor genetic diversity, disease, or negative environmental impacts. American marten were live-trapped from 2011- 2015 in the Manistee National Forest (NLP) and the Hiawatha National Forest (UP) of Michigan concurrent with a large-scale habitat and genetic study to evaluate the health of these two reintroduced populations. Parameters assessed included blood chemistry and complete blood counts, fecal parasite exams, hair stable isotope ratios, and serological evidence of disease. In addition, carcasses from trapper-harvested American marten in the UP were collected during 2012- 2014 for hair stable isotope ratios and Toxoplasma serology. This is the first report of an assessment of general health and exposure to pathogens in American marten in Michigan and will be used to inform future management decisions including additional reintroductions of the species to the NLP. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER I Effects of live-trapping and isoflurane anesthesia on free-ranging American martens (Martes americana) ................................................................. 2 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 4 Methods ............................................................................................................ 4 Results .............................................................................................................. 6 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 8 References ...................................................................................................... 14 Appendix ......................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER II Serosurvey, hematology, and causes of mortality of free-ranging American martens in Michigan ............................................................................ 25 Abstract ........................................................................................................... 26 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 26 Methods .......................................................................................................... 28 Results ............................................................................................................ 30 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 33 References ...................................................................................................... 38 Appendix ......................................................................................................... 42 CHAPTER III Insights into American marten feeding ecology in Michigan based on stable isotope analysis ................................................................................... 53 Abstract ........................................................................................................... 54 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 54 Methods .......................................................................................................... 56 Results ............................................................................................................ 56 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 57 References ...................................................................................................... 60 Appendix ......................................................................................................... 62 CHAPTER IV Endoparasites of American martens: review of the literature and parasite survey of reintroduced American martens in Michigan .......................... 66 Abstract ........................................................................................................... 67 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 67 Methods .......................................................................................................... 68 Results ............................................................................................................ 69 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 70 References ...................................................................................................... 83 Appendix ......................................................................................................... 87 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................... 93 VITA .................................................................................................................... 94 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation (mean±SD) of 72 American martens during 121 anesthetic events using isoflurane. .................................................................................................... 17 Table 2. Venous blood gas, lactate and select serum biochemistry values for 53 American martens under isoflurane anesthesia. .......................................... 18 Table 3. Blood values affecting lactate in blood collected during 64 anesthetic events of free-ranging American martens anesthetized using isoflurane under field conditions from 2011-2015 in Michigan.. .................................... 19 Table 4. American marten-specific and environmental values affecting lactate in blood collected during 67 anesthetic events of free-ranging American martens anesthetized using isoflurane under field conditions from 2011-2015 in Michigan................................................................................................... 20 Table 5. Results of testing for select pathogens in American martens in Michigan. ....................................................................................................................