DOCSLIB.ORG

The Use of Microsatellites in the Study of Social Structure in Large Mammals: Italian Wolf and Fallow Deer As Case Studies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Use of Microsatellites in the Study of Social Structure in Large Mammals: Italian Wolf and Fallow Deer As Case Studies The use of microsatellites in the study of social structure in large mammals: Italian wolf and fallow deer as case studies Massimo Scandura PhD Thesis University of Bielefeld, Faculty of Biology Juli 2004 Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Fritz Trillmich - Lehrstuhl für Verhaltensforschung - Universität Bielefeld Prof. Marco Apollonio – Dip. di Zoologia e Antropologia Biologica - Università di Sassari, Italy to Elisa - Table of Contents - Page 1 Summary 2 Acknowledgements 3 Thesis layout 4 Chapter 1 5 - 1.1 Molecular markers: an overview 9 - 1.2 Microsatellites: molecular structure, putative function, and the origin of polymorphism 11 - 1.3 Mutation models and the theory of microsatellite evolution 14 - 1.4 From theory to facts: possible applications 16 - 1.5 Microsatellites to investigate the structure of natural populations 21 Chapter 2 Case 1: Wolf population structure and social organization 22 - 2.1 Aim of the study 23 - 2.2 The biology of the species: an overview 33 - 2.3 Study area 38 - 2.4 Methods 53 - 2.5 Results 69 - 2.6 Discussion 76 Chapter 3 Case 2: Relatedness and heterozygosity in a lekking fallow deer population 77 3.1 Aim of the study 78 3.2 The biology of the species: an overview 90 3.3 Study population 93 3.4 Methods 98 3.5 Results 106 3.6 Discussion 113 Chapter 4 Conclusions 115 References 1 - Summary - The present thesis deals with the application of microsatellite analysis to the study of two species of large mammals, referring to some aspects of their social and mating systems. The Italian wolf (Canis lupus) and the fallow deer (Dama dama) were chosen as case studies, since genetic investigations on their populations result, for different reasons, problematic. The wolf in Italy is a particularly protected species, recovering throughout the peninsula from the effects of a recent bottleneck. Sampling wolves may not rely on capturing or killing them, therefore an alternative, non-invasive, approach was adopted in my study. Scats, shed hairs and blood drops collected on the snow represented the main source of DNA for the analysis. Methodological cares were necessary to obtain reliable wolf genotypes. A set of ten canine microsatellites was employed to achieve unique multilocus genotypes in the population. Fifty two individuals were typed in the period 1998-2003. In some cases, pack composition was determined, confirming that familiar bonds are at the basis of wolf social units. An unpredictable high local differentiation was found among geographic areas. Early dispersal seem to be common in the population, but its effects on the gene flow are not relevant, at least at the study scale. I proposed that most of this dispersal may be unsuccessful or over long distances. The study population, indeed, seem to have reached a high level of local saturation, with clumped pack territories and high reproductive rates, and thus possibly represents a source, from which wolves disperse toward sink areas. The second study involves an enclosed population of fallow deer. Lekking is seldom observed in mammals, and among them, it is more common in ungulate species. Fallow deer is one of the most studied lekking ungulate and the study population has been object of long-term researches on male mating strategies. Mature bucks in the population join into leks during the breeding season: a costly strategy, which apparently does not guarantee high direct benefits (fitness). In this study, for the first time, I used a molecular approach to verify the existence of a genetic basis to lek formation. The recourse to microsatellites enabled to overcome the strong limitation due to the extremely monomorphism of the species, documented in several studies. Though the low variability even at microsatellite loci, the hypotheses of kin selection (territorial bucks in a lek are relatives) and of heterozygosity advantage (territorial bucks in a lek have a high overall heterozygosity) were tested and resulted not supported by data. Hence, future studies should be addressed towards phenotypic variation and consider in detail physiological and ecological factors, in order to clarify the reasons why lekking takes place in fallow deer. 2 - Acknowledgements - This study would not have been possible without the will and the kindness of my supervisors Prof. Fritz Trillmich and Prof. Marco Apollonio, and without the work and the contribution of a number of people. Both studies (on wolf and fallow deer) were based on the combination of genetic and field data. The formers represent my exclusive contribution, whereas behavioural and census data, as well as sample collection, were the result of an extensive work carried out in the last five years by people participating to the two ongoing projects. Specifically, for the collection of samples and field data in the wolf study, I am enormously grateful to Luca Mattioli, Claudia Capitani, Lorenza Mauri, Andrea Gazzola, Elisa Avanzinelli, Paolo Lamberti, Alessia Viviani, Daniela Giustini, Francesca Benvenuti, Andrea Vanni, Sabrina Marsili, Mirko Geri, the provincial guards and all people participating to summer (wolf-howling) and winter (snow-tracking) activities or providing information on the location of wolf packs. Thanks also to Serena Cappelli and Daniela Del Chiaro for their help in laboratory routine. I would like to acknowledge the Provincial Administration of Arezzo, and particularly Gabriele Chianucci, for the financial and logistic support. I am also grateful to the Administration ex-ASFD of Pratovecchio for providing facilities during the study. In the fallow deer study, genetic data were compared to observational data collected at the two leks, during several breeding seasons. With regard to this effort, I express my profound gratitude to Simone Ciuti, Siriano Luccarini, Irene Di Vittorio, Sara Luchetti, Sara Davini, Giuseppe Caleo, Paolo Bongi and many students and volunteers contributing to observation sessions at leks. Concerning sample collection, to the mentioned people I should add my acknowledgements to the warders of the San Rossore estate for their contribution in catching and manipulating animals. I also thank Dave Coltman, Morris Gosling and Kate Byrne for having provided help in testing microsatellite loci, giving access to facilities and unpublished information. For the laboratory activities, I am debtor to Francesca Di Benedetto for her great help during all phases of the study, and to Elena Rossi, a precious help in the management of all administrative jobs. Last but not least, I thank my wife, Tiziana, for the continuous motivation and support provided during last years. The study was financed by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, by the Provincial Administration of Arezzo, and by the Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research. 3 - Thesis layout - This thesis is aimed to verify the application of microsatellite analysis to the knowledge of social and mating systems. The manuscript consists of a first chapter describing the nature of microsatellites as molecular markers, their structure and evolution. Advantages and drawbacks in the employment of these DNA regions are also described, with a particular stress to the statistical viewpoint. A further subject concerns possible applications in the study of the biology of wild mammals. The second chapter takes into account the first study case. A set of polymorphic microsatellite loci was used to investigate the structure and the social behaviour of a wolf population. After a review of the known aspects of wolf biology, attention is paid to the local features of the study population, making collecting samples from free ranging individuals difficult. Thus, the adopted non-invasive sampling design is described and results are discussed. Relationships among packs are considered, pointing out the local genetic differentiation over a small geographic scale, due to constraints to gene flow. A second study case is described in chapter 3. The studied species is in this case fallow deer. Dama dama is one of the most variable ungulate species, respect to mating behaviour. The evolution of lekking behaviour in fallow deer is of special interest, because of the possibility the males have to choose, as alternative, every other known mating strategy. The use of highly polymorphic molecular markers, in a genetically impoverished species, enables to collect information to confirm or reject the hypotheses of kin selection and heterozygote preference, verified in other species. Evidences from microsatellites are presented and results discussed. In chapter 4, some conclusions are reported, focusing on the main results of the two studies and highlighting the boost genetic investigations may give to the knowledge of inter-individual relationships within wild populations of large mammals. 4 - Chapter 1 - Introduction 5 1.1 Molecular markers: an overview From the beginning of the ‘DNA era’, the attention of many scientists was addressed to the discovery of molecular tools to employ in several fields going from human health to farming improvement, from genome mapping to the conservation of biological diversity. Since then, different generations of molecular markers were discovered and used for a high number of aims. The intrinsic requirement making each of them useful for several purposes is a sufficient level of variation. In other words, for a given molecular marker is necessary to show among taxa, populations or individuals, at least some detectable difference. The origin of diversity is mostly due to mutation, occurring at different rate in
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Khalladi-Bpp Anexes-Arabic.Pdf
    Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 107 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 108 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 109 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 110 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 111 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 112 Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 113 The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria are intended to be an easily and widely understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. The IUCN Red List is categorized in the following Categories: • Extinct (EX): A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. A taxon is presumed Extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form. Khalladi Windfarm and Power Line Projects 114 Biodiversity Protection Plan, July 2015 • Extinct in the Wild (EW): A taxon is Extinct in the Wild when it is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed Extinct in the Wild when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual.
    [Show full text]
  • Lesotho Fourth National Report on Implementation of Convention on Biological Diversity
    Lesotho Fourth National Report On Implementation of Convention on Biological Diversity December 2009 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ADB African Development Bank CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CCF Community Conservation Forum CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CMBSL Conserving Mountain Biodiversity in Southern Lesotho COP Conference of Parties CPA Cattle Post Areas DANCED Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development DDT Di-nitro Di-phenyl Trichloroethane EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan ERMA Environmental Resources Management Area EMPR Environmental Management for Poverty Reduction EPAP Environmental Policy and Action Plan EU Environmental Unit (s) GA Grazing Associations GCM Global Circulation Model GEF Global Environment Facility GMO Genetically Modified Organism (s) HIV/AIDS Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome HNRRIEP Highlands Natural Resources and Rural Income Enhancement Project IGP Income Generation Project (s) IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources LHDA Lesotho Highlands Development Authority LMO Living Modified Organism (s) Masl Meters above sea level MDTP Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Project MEAs Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements MOU Memorandum Of Understanding MRA Managed Resource Area NAP National Action Plan NBF National Biosafety Framework NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NEAP National Environmental Action
    [Show full text]
  • Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Ramsar Convention
    Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Ramsar Convention Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Ramsar Convention: the role of the Convention on Wetlands in the Conservation and Wise Use of Biodiversity edited by A. J. Hails Ramsar Convention Bureau Ministry of Environment and Forest, India 1996 [1997] Published by the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Gland, Switzerland, with the support of: • the General Directorate of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of the Walloon Region, Belgium • the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark • the National Forest and Nature Agency, Ministry of the Environment and Energy, Denmark • the Ministry of Environment and Forests, India • the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Sweden Copyright © Ramsar Convention Bureau, 1997. Reproduction of this publication for educational and other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior perinission from the copyright holder, providing that full acknowledgement is given. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. The views of the authors expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect those of the Ramsar Convention Bureau or of the Ministry of the Environment of India. Note: the designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Ranasar Convention Bureau concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Citation: Halls, A.J. (ed.), 1997. Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Ramsar Convention: The Role of the Convention on Wetlands in the Conservation and Wise Use of Biodiversity.
    [Show full text]
  • The Italian Landrace Conservation Strategy
    The Italian landrace conservation strategy PGR Secure _ D.4.2. The Italian landrace conservation strategy Valeria Negri and Renzo Torricelli Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari e Ambientali (Department of Agricultural, Nutritional and Environmental Sciences), University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy PGR Secure _ Deliverable 4.2. Pag. 2 PGR Secure _ D.4.2. Index 1. Premise .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Landrace Definition and Importance .............................................................................................................. 6 2.2. Landrace Conservation In Situ and Ex Situ ..................................................................................................... 7 2.2.3. On-farm conservation definition ............................................................................................................. 7 2.2.3 In situ (on-farm) conservation focus ........................................................................................................ 8 2.2.4. Ex situ conservation definition and focus ................................................................................................ 9 2.2.5. In situ vs ex situ conservation and complementarity ...........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Characterization of Evolutionary Trend in Squamate Estrogen Receptor Sensitivity
    Characterization of evolutionary trend in squamate estrogen receptor sensitivity Ryohei Yatsua, Yoshinao Katsub, Satomi Kohnoc, Takeshi Mizutanid, Yukiko Oginoa,d, Yasuhiko Ohtae, Jan Myburghf, Johannes H. van Wykg, Louis J. Guillette Jr.c, Shinichi Miyagawaa,d,*, Taisen Iguchia,d,* a Department of Basic Biology, Faculty of Life Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan b Graduate School of Life Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, and Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Science Center, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29412, USA d Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan f Department of Paraclinical Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag 04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa g Department of Botany & Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa *Corresponding authors at: Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes for Basic Biology, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (R. Yatsu), [email protected] (Y. Katsu), [email protected] (S. Kohno), [email protected] (T. Mizutani), [email protected] (Y. Ogino), [email protected] (Y. Ohta), [email protected]. za (J. Myburgh), [email protected] (J.H. van Wyk), [email protected] (S. Miyagawa), [email protected] (T. Iguchi). Highlights • Estrogen receptors from three squamates were functionally characterized. • Comparisons of ligand sensitivities suggest an evolutionary trend in vertebrate ERα.
    [Show full text]
  • TNP SOK 2011 Internet
    GARDEN ROUTE NATIONAL PARK : THE TSITSIKAMMA SANP ARKS SECTION STATE OF KNOWLEDGE Contributors: N. Hanekom 1, R.M. Randall 1, D. Bower, A. Riley 2 and N. Kruger 1 1 SANParks Scientific Services, Garden Route (Rondevlei Office), PO Box 176, Sedgefield, 6573 2 Knysna National Lakes Area, P.O. Box 314, Knysna, 6570 Most recent update: 10 May 2012 Disclaimer This report has been produced by SANParks to summarise information available on a specific conservation area. Production of the report, in either hard copy or electronic format, does not signify that: the referenced information necessarily reflect the views and policies of SANParks; the referenced information is either correct or accurate; SANParks retains copies of the referenced documents; SANParks will provide second parties with copies of the referenced documents. This standpoint has the premise that (i) reproduction of copywrited material is illegal, (ii) copying of unpublished reports and data produced by an external scientist without the author’s permission is unethical, and (iii) dissemination of unreviewed data or draft documentation is potentially misleading and hence illogical. This report should be cited as: Hanekom N., Randall R.M., Bower, D., Riley, A. & Kruger, N. 2012. Garden Route National Park: The Tsitsikamma Section – State of Knowledge. South African National Parks. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................2 2. ACCOUNT OF AREA........................................................................................................2
    [Show full text]
  • The Relationships of the Starlings (Sturnidae: Sturnini) and the Mockingbirds (Sturnidae: Mimini)
    THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE STARLINGS (STURNIDAE: STURNINI) AND THE MOCKINGBIRDS (STURNIDAE: MIMINI) CHARLESG. SIBLEYAND JON E. AHLQUIST Departmentof Biologyand PeabodyMuseum of Natural History,Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511 USA ABSTRACT.--OldWorld starlingshave been thought to be related to crowsand their allies, to weaverbirds, or to New World troupials. New World mockingbirdsand thrashershave usually been placed near the thrushesand/or wrens. DNA-DNA hybridization data indi- cated that starlingsand mockingbirdsare more closelyrelated to each other than either is to any other living taxon. Some avian systematistsdoubted this conclusion.Therefore, a more extensiveDNA hybridizationstudy was conducted,and a successfulsearch was made for other evidence of the relationshipbetween starlingsand mockingbirds.The resultssup- port our original conclusionthat the two groupsdiverged from a commonancestor in the late Oligoceneor early Miocene, about 23-28 million yearsago, and that their relationship may be expressedin our passerineclassification, based on DNA comparisons,by placing them as sistertribes in the Family Sturnidae,Superfamily Turdoidea, Parvorder Muscicapae, Suborder Passeres.Their next nearest relatives are the members of the Turdidae, including the typical thrushes,erithacine chats,and muscicapineflycatchers. Received 15 March 1983, acceptedI November1983. STARLINGS are confined to the Old World, dine thrushesinclude Turdus,Catharus, Hylocich- mockingbirdsand thrashersto the New World. la, Zootheraand Myadestes.d) Cinclusis
    [Show full text]
  • The Starling in Europe: Multiple Approaches to a Problem Species
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Proceedings of the Fifteenth Vertebrate Pest Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings Conference 1992 collection March 1992 THE STARLING IN EUROPE: MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO A PROBLEM SPECIES Chris J. Feare Central Science Laboratory (MAFF) Pierre Douville de Franssu ACTA Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/vpc15 Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons Feare, Chris J. and Douville de Franssu, Pierre, "THE STARLING IN EUROPE: MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO A PROBLEM SPECIES " (1992). Proceedings of the Fifteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1992. 28. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/vpc15/28 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings collection at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the Fifteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1992 by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. THE STARLING IN EUROPE: MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO A PROBLEM SPECIES CHRIS J. FEARE, Central Science Laboratory (MAFF), Tangley Place, Worplesdon, Surrey GU3 3LQ, UK PIERRE DOUVILLE DE FRANSSU, ACTA, Maison de l' Agriculture, 85013 La Roche-sur-Yon, France SALVADOR J. PERIS, Universidad de Salamanca, Biologia Animal, E-37071 Salamanca, Spain ABSTRACT: In Europe, Starlings are widely distributed and comprise both resident and migrant populations. These cause various kinds of damage which varies with the crops grown in different European Economic Community (EEC) countries. Although EEC member states are governed by the same legislation on bird protection, each state interprets the Community legislation in its own national legislation. This leads to different national approaches to the prevention of Starling damage, with little information exchange between member states.
    [Show full text]
  • Biolcons Damen 2011.Pdf
    Biological Conservation 144 (2011) 989–997 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Conservation journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon Will climate change reduce the efficacy of protected areas for amphibian conservation in Italy? ⇑ Manuela D’Amen a, , Pierluigi Bombi b, Peter B. Pearman c, Dirk R. Schmatz c, Niklaus E. Zimmermann c, Marco A. Bologna a a Department of Environmental Biology, University of ‘‘Roma Tre’’, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy b SPACE Environment, via Maria Giudice 23, 00135 Rome, Italy c Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland article info abstract Article history: Amphibians are an important and imperiled component of biodiversity. In this study we analyze the effi- Received 14 April 2010 cacy of Italian reserve network for protecting multiple amphibian species in a climate change scenario, Received in revised form 21 August 2010 considering both nationally designated areas and Natura 2000 sites. Our approach is based on ensemble Accepted 1 November 2010 niche modeling estimate of potential range shift under two carbon emission scenarios (A1FI and B1) and Available online 22 January 2011 two dispersal assumptions. The predicted distributions were used to perform gap and irreplaceability analyses. Our findings show that the current Italian reserve network incompletely represents current Keywords: amphibian diversity and its geographic pattern. The combination of the nationally designated protected Global warming areas and the Natura 2000 sites improves current representation of amphibians, but conservation targets Gap analysis Irreplaceability based on geographic range extent are achieved for only 40% of species. Under the future scenarios, Natura Conservation priorities 2000 sites become a crucial component of the protected areas system.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT RABON, DAVID REID, JR. Factors Affecting Reproduction
    ABSTRACT RABON, DAVID REID, JR. Factors Affecting Reproduction in the Red Wolf ( Canis rufus ). (Under the direction of Dr. Harold F. Heatwole). The endangered red wolf ( Canis rufus ) was preserved in captivity with just 14 founders following its planned extirpation in the wild. Longitudinal reproductive events were investigated to determine whether inbreeding, parental age, and breeding experience were factors in reproductive performance and fitness. A behavioral preference study using olfactory presentations of conspecific and congeneric social odors also was conducted to determine those factors that are important in the selection of mates. Over 30 years of managed breeding, the level of inbreeding in the captive population has increased, and litter size has declined. Inbreeding levels were lower in sires and dams that reproduced than in those that did not reproduce, but there was no difference in the level of inbreeding of actual and predicted litters. Litter size was negatively affected by offspring and paternal levels of inbreeding, but the effect of inbreeding on offspring survival was restricted to a positive influence. Younger wolves were more likely to reproduce, and were more likely to produce larger litters, than were older individuals. The age of the dam, but not the sire, had a significant negative effect on pup survival. Sires and dams that had prior experience in the production of offspring were more likely to reproduce again than were individuals without prior reproductive success, but prior sexual experience alone was not a factor in the production of offspring. Parental breeding experience had a significant negative effect on pup survival, but no apparent relationships with size or sex ratio of the litter.
    [Show full text]
  • Yellowstone Wolf Project: Annual Report, 1997
    Suggested citation: Smith, D.W. 1998. Yellowstone Wolf Project: Annual Report, 1997. National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, YCR-NR- 98-2. Yellowstone Wolf Project Annual Report 1997 Douglas W. Smith National Park Service Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming YCR-NR-98-2 BACKGROUND Although wolf packs once roamed from the Arctic tundra to Mexico, they were regarded as danger- ous predators, and gradual loss of habitat and deliberate extermination programs led to their demise throughout most of the United States. By 1926 when the National Park Service (NPS) ended its predator control efforts, Yellowstone had no wolf packs left. In the decades that followed, the importance of the wolf as part of a naturally functioning ecosystem came to be better understood, and the gray wolf (Canis lupus) was eventually listed as an endangered species in all of its traditional range except Alaska. NPS policy calls for restoring native species that have been eliminated as a result of human activity if adequate habitat exists to support them and the species can be managed so as not to pose a serious threat to people or property outside the park. Because of its size and the abundant prey that existed here, Yellowstone was an obvious choice as a place where wolf restoration would have a good chance of succeeding. The designated recovery area includes the entire Greater Yellowstone Area. The goal of the wolf restoration program is to maintain at least 10 breeding wolf pairs in Greater Yellowstone as it is for the other two recovery areas in central Idaho and northwestern Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • Sturnus Unicolor -- Temminck, 1820
    Sturnus unicolor -- Temminck, 1820 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- PASSERIFORMES -- STURNIDAE Common names: Spotless Starling; European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) At both European and EU27 scales this species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both Europe and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: France; Italy; Portugal; Spain; Gibraltar (to UK) Vagrant: Denmark; Greece; Malta Population The European population is estimated at 23,900,000-30,600,000 pairs, which equates to 47,800,000-61,300,000 mature individuals. The entire population is found in the EU27. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species is found in open woodland with expanses of short grass, often in association with grazing mammals as well as in farmland, parks, gardens and cities.
    [Show full text]