Jenny
Guha
Jim
Sara
Tim S.
Zach
Tim E.
Cecilia
Jessie
BillWildlife Ecology
Raccoon with radio collar.
Photo: Jim Beasley.
Changes in land use practices leading to forest fragmentation can have profound impacts on the movement behavior of many vertebrate species. For this reason, our understanding of how wildlife species respond to fragmented landscapes is crucial if we are to implement plans to protect and manage them. Raccoons ( Procyon lotor ), a generalist predator, have thrived throughout much of the Midwestern U.S., which has been plagued by habitat fragmentation, and are currently at or near record population levels in Indiana. Elevated populations of raccoons can represent a serious concern to wildlife managers, as well as to the general public. While raccoons are highly valued as a furbearer, they also cause substantive damage to agricultural crops, are important nest predators of many bird species, and can carry several diseases that are transmissible to livestock, as well as to humans and their pets (e.g. rabies, raccoon roundworm, leptospirosis). Although many studies have been conducted on raccoon habitat use and movement behavior, few data exist regarding the influence of landscape composition and configuration on raccoon movements and densities in agricultural landscapes, information critical to the understanding of disease transmission dynamics in the Midwestern U.S. In the spring of 2003 we initiated a study to elucidate the impact of forest fragmentation in agricultural landscapes on the spatial dynamics and temporal stability of raccoon populations. Through the use of radio telemetry, live trapping, and genetics we are currently monitoring the habitat use, movement behavior, recolonization ability, and the spatial and temporal stability of local raccoon populations in northeastern Indiana. The goals of this research are to: 1.) Identify the impact of agricultural crops on the seasonal movement behavior and habitat selection of raccoons, 2.) Determine the influence of landscape features on the movement behavior and temporal genetic and demographic stability of raccoon populations, 3.) Determine the genetic structure of raccoon populations relative to landscape composition and configuration, 4.) Elucidate the influence of landscape structure on the source-sink dynamics of raccoon populations in agricultural landscapes, and 5.) Determine the recolonization ability of raccoons relative to varying degrees of forest patch isolation.
Funding Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, National Program Office of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Purdue University
Personnel: James Beasley, Lee Humberg, Monica Retamosa, Zach Olson, Tim Eagan, Jenny Fike, Guha Dharmarajan
Publications:
Beasley, J. C. 2005. Home range attributes and multi-scale habitat selection of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in northern Indiana. Thesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
Beasley, J. C., and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Effect of tooth removal on recaptures of raccoons. Journal of Wildlife Management. 71:266-270.
Beasley, J. C., T. L. DeVault, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Home range attributes of raccoons in a fragmented agricultural region of northern Indiana. Journal of Wildlife Management. 71:844-850.
Beasley, J. C., T. L. DeVault, M. I. Retamosa, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. A hierarchical analysis of habitat selection by raccoons in northern Indiana. Journal of Wildlife Management. 71:1125-1133.
Fike, J. A., A. M. Drauch, J. C. Beasley, G. Dharmarajan, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Development of fourteen multiplexed microsatellite loci for raccoons (Procyon lotor). Molecular Ecology Notes. 7: 525-527.
Beasley, J.C. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2008. Predictive relationships between raccoon abundance and crop damage. Human Wildlife Conflicts (In Press).
Collaborators: Stan Gehrt, R. K. Swihart, and Travis DeVault
Allegheny Woodrat
Photo: Tim Smyser
Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) once were common throughout the forests of the Appalachian Mountains, ranging from southeastern New York to Alabama and as far west as Indiana. As habitat specialists, the local distribution of Allegheny woodrats is restricted by the presence of rocky structures such as caves, rock fissures, and talus slopes. Rocky structures provide protection from predators and a thermally moderated environment for rearing young and caching food items. Because of their strict habitat affinities, woodrat populations generally demonstrate metapopulation characteristics with a series of small population organized around disjunct rock structures, connected with limited gene flow. Over the last 30 years, Allegheny woodrat populations have declined dramatically throughout their range. A number of hypotheses have been proposed as causes for these range-wide declines including: 1) habitat fragmentation, 2) reduction in food resources, 3) fatal exposure to the parasitic raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, and 4) inbreeding depression. Despite protection as an endangered species since 1984, the pattern of population decline and range contraction has been repeated for Allegheny woodrats in Indiana. Populations have recently plummeted, declining by > 50% over the last 15 years. While the reasons for woodrat declines in Indiana remain unclear, some combination of factors contributing to the range-wide decline is likely driving local population dynamics. We are working to address the contribution of these competing hypotheses to the population dynamics of Indiana's woodrat population by means of experimental reintroductions.
Funding Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Section, The Nature Conservancy, Purdue University
Personnel: Tim Smyser
Publications:
Smyser, T.J. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2008. Genetic conservation and Management. Pages 153-168 in The Allegheny woodrat: Ecology, conservation and management of a declining species. J.D. Peles and J. Wright eds. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Collaborators: S. Johnson, J. Peles, K. Smith, A. Pursell
Parentage and Breeding Ecology of Eastern Phoebes
Eastern Phoebe
The eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), a medium sized flycatcher, is a common summer resident throughout much of the eastern United States. Although breeding adults of this species exhibit strong evidence of nest site fidelity after their initial establishment of a breeding locality, levels of natal philopatry in this species are thought to be low. However, few data exist concerning natal dispersal in this species and the distribution of first year breeders is unclear for this species. This research is designed to use genetic markers and banding data to investigate natal dispersal, multiple paternity in phoebes from Indiana and, to assess genetic structure of phoebes within and among locations from the midwestern, northcentral, and eastern United States.
Funding Source: Purdue University, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Personnel: Amanda Beheler, Jenny Fike
Publications:
Watson, C., A.S. Beheler, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2002. Development of hypervariable microsatellite loci for use in eastern phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) and related Tyrannids. Molecular Ecology Notes 2:117-118.
Beheler, A.S., O.E. Rhodes, Jr., and H.P. Weeks, Jr. 2003. Breeding site and mate fidelity in the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis Phoebe). Auk. 120:990-999.
Beheler, A.S. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2003. Within-season prevalence of extrapair young in broods of double brooded and mate-faithful eastern phoebes (Sayornis phoebe). Auk. 120:1054-1061.
Beheler, A.S., J.A. Fike and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Eight new polymorphic microsatellite loci from the eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Conservation Genetics. 8:1259-1261.
Collaborators: H.P. Weeks, C. Watson
Grey fox picture by remote camera.
We are interested in the ecology of scavengers and the impacts of scavenging activities on communities and ecosystems. We used remote photography to investigate the fate of small mammal carcasses in forested landscapes at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina. This research demonstrated that many small carcasses produced in temperate forested ecosystems are scavenged by vertebrates (mostly mammals) instead of undergoing decomposition by microbes and arthropods, thus discounting the common belief that bacteria, fungi, and other decomposers are the primary consumers of dead animals. This work is showing that carrion use by terrestrial vertebrates is much more important than conventional theory implies, and that carrion resources may be exploited by a large variety of terrestrial vertebrates. Additionally, it appears that ambient air temperature is the most important factor mediating the intense competition for carrion between scavengers and decomposers. Current work is focusing on the implications of scavenging for larger issues in food web ecology and responses of scavenging community structure to experimental perturbations.
Funding Source: Purdue University
Personnel: Zach Olson, Tim Eagan, James Beasley, Travis DeVault
Publications:
DeVault, T.L., and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2002. Identification of vertebrate scavengers of small mammal carcasses in a forested landscape. Acta Theriologica 47:185-192.
DeVault, T.L., and A. R. Krochmal. 2002. Scavenging by snakes: an examination of the literature. Herpetologica 58:429-436.
Collaborators: John Shivik, Aaron Krochmal, Lehr Brisbin
Spatial Ecology of Black and Turkey Vulture
Travis in the field
This research is concerned with the spatial ecology of Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) in the southeastern United States. Although these scavengers are familiar birds in many parts of North America, little is known about their home range sizes, habitat preferences, daily movements, and flight behaviors, especially in forested landscapes and in areas where the two species occur sympatrically. We used radio telemetry from fixed-wing aircrafts and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to study the movement patterns of these species, with the aim of filling in fundamental gaps in our knowledge of the natural history of these birds, and to aid in efforts to reduce collisions of these birds with military aircraft. Aircraft of the United States Air Force incur over 3,000 bird strikes per year, of which over 20% are vulture related. Since 1987 five USAF aircraft have been totally destroyed with four crewmen killed. Many of the tactics used by modern combat aircraft place the machine and crew in the same airspace at the same time as vultures, and avoidance is the only long-term solution to this problem. This study extends previous work by Purdue University researchers on Turkey Vultures to include an examination of common behavioral traits of sympatric Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures during daily activities. These data will be incorporated into the USAF Bird Avoidance Model (BAM). The goal is to predict when, where, and at what altitudes vultures are likely to be encountered. Field work for this research took place on the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, a site where non-migratory vultures reside in great numbers.
Funding Source: Legacy
Personnel: Travis DeVault
Publications:
Webb, S.L., A.M. Fedynich, S.K. Yeltatzie, T.L. DeVault, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2004. Survey of blood parasites in black and turkey vultures from South Carolina. Southeastern Naturalist: In Press.
DeVault, T.L., B.D. Reinhart, I.L. Brisbin, Jr., and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2004. Home ranges of sympatric Black and Turkey Vultures in South Carolina. Condor 106:706-711.
Senthil Kumar, K., W.W. Bowerman, T.L. DeVault, T. Takasuga, O.E. Rhodes, Jr., I.L. Brisbin, Jr., and S. Masunaga. 2003. Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in blood of black and turkey vultures from the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA. Chemosphere 53:173-182.
DeVault, T.L., W.L. Stephens, B.D. Reinhart, O.E. Rhodes, Jr., and I.L. Brisbin, Jr. 2003. Aerial telemetry accuracy in a forested landscape. Journal of Raptor Research 37:147-151.
DeVault, T. L., B. D. Reinhart, I. L. Brisbin, Jr., and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2005. Flight behavior of black and turkey vultures: implications for reducing bird-aircraft collisions. Journal of Wildlife Management. 69:601-608.
DeVault, T.L., W.L. Stevens, B.D. Reinhart, O.E. Rhodes, Jr., and I.L. Brisbin. 2003. Identifying sources of error for ground-based and aerial telemetry of wide-ranging birds using a geographic information system. Journal of Raptor Research. 37:174-181.
Kurunthachalam, S.K., W.W. Bowerman, T.L. DeVault, T. Takasuga, I.L. Brisbin, Jr., O.E. Rhodes, Jr., and S. Masunaga. 2003. Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in blood of black and turkey vultures from the Savannah River Site. Chemosphere. 53:173-182.
Webb, S.L., A.M. Fedynich, S.K. Yeltatzie, T.L. DeVault, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2005. Survey of blood parasites in black and turkey vultures from South Carolina. Southeastern Naturalist. 4:355-360.
Kelly, N.E., D.W. Sparks, T.L. DeVault and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Diet of black and turkey vultures in a forested landscape. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 119:267-270.
Collaborators: Lehr Brisbin, Karen Gaines, Brad Reinhart, A.M. Fedynich
GIS-based Analysis of Wildlife Depredation
GIS map: click for full size (190 kb)
We conducted a research focused on crop depredation in selected portions of the Upper Wabash River Basin. The project was a joint effort between the IDNR, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Purdue University. The overall goal of the project was to quantitatively assess crop depredation in corn and soybean fields in selected areas of the Upper Wabash River Basin while simultaneously evaluating the movement behavior of deer, turkey, and raccoons in the same landscape. The results of this study have allowed us to clarify the relationship between perceived and actual depredation by the target species, to develop a manual for assigning crop depredation damage to the correct species, and to evaluate the relationship between landscape variables and the probability of crop depredation by various wildlife species. Ultimately, this information can be used to help the IDNR find ways to help minimize crop depredation by various species. Specific goals of the project included: 1) Quantify the type and amount of crop depredation caused by Wild Turkey, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, and other wildlife species, 2) Determine economic impact of wildlife crop depredation in corn and soybean fields, and 3) Develop educational tools to help landowners and wildlife professionals properly identify wildlife damage, factors that influence crop depredation, and strategies to abate wildlife damage to crops.
Funding Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, National Program Office of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Purdue University
Personnel: Monica Retamosa, Lee Humberg, James Beasley
Publications:
Beasley, J.C. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2008. Predictive relationships between raccoon abundance and crop damage. Human Wildlife Conflicts (In Press).
Humberg, L.A., T.L. DeVault, B.J. MacGowan, J.C. Beasley, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Wildlife crop depredation in northcentral Indiana. Pages 199-205 in the Proceedings of the Ninth National Wild Turkey Symposium, A. Stewart, ed., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Retamosa, M.I., L.A. Humberg, J.C. Beasley and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Modeling wildlife damage to crops in northern Indiana: Relative influence of landscape composition and configuration. Human Wildlife Conflicts. (In Press)
DeVault, T.L., B.J. MacGowan, J.C. Beasley, L.A. Humberg, M.I. Retamosa, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Evaluation of corn and soybean damage by wildlife in northern Indiana. Proceedings of the 12th Wildlife Damage Management Conference, D. Nolte, ed. Corpus Christi, TX. (In Press)
DeVault, T.L., J.C. Beasley, L.A. Humberg, B.J. MacGowan, M.I. Retamosa and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2007. Intrafield patterns of wildlife damage to corn and soybean in northern Indiana. Human Wildlife Conflicts. 1:179-187.
MacGowan, B.J., L.A. Humberg, J.C. Beasley and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2006. Identification of Wildlife Crop Depredation. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Publication FNA 267, 29pp.
MacGowan, B.J., L.A. Humberg and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2006. Truths and Myths About Wild Turkeys. Department of Forestry and Naturla Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Publication FNR 264-W, 8pp.
MacGowan, B. J., L. A. Humberg, J. C. Beasley, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2006. Wildlife CSI: Unraveling the Mysteries of Wildlife Crop Depredation. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, DVD-FNR-266.
Retamosa, M.I. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. Habitat selection by white-tailed deer during the crop growing season in a highly fragmented agricultural landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology. (submitted)
Retamosa, M.I., J.C. Beasley, L.A. Humberg and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. Spatio-temporal organization of white-tailed deer during the crop growing season in northern Indiana. Acta Theologica. (submitted)
Collaborators: R.K. Swihart, B.J. MacGowan, S.E. Backs, J. Mitchell
Interior Least Tern Conservation
Least tern chick. Click for full size (100K)
The Interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) was listed as an endangered species in 1985 due to low population size and threats to the population. The breeding colony at Cinergy Corporation's Gibson Generating Station in southwestern Indiana is the easternmost known to exist for Interior Least Terns. Least Terns regularly nest on the center dike of Gibson Lake, a shallow reservoir (1200 ha) that provides cooling water to the power plant. The Cinergy Corp. entered into a cooperative agreement with the Indiana DNR immediately after the tern colony was discovered in 1986 and voluntarily began taking steps to protect nesting terns at Gibson Lake. After a period of high nesting productivity and population increases of Least Terns at the Gibson Station from 1986-1999, nesting success dropped to less than 25% from 1999-2003. The sharp drop in nesting success in recent years can be attributed directly to increased levels of predation on eggs and chicks.
We initiated a study in 2003 aimed at identifying egg and chick predators influencing Least Tern productivity at the Gibson Generating Station. We used a combination of remote still cameras aimed at model nests and remote video cameras aimed at actual Least Tern nests to document predator activity. Our results indicate that Ring-billed Gulls are the primary predators of Least Tern eggs and chicks. We are currently testing a variety of management strategies designed to lessen the impact of gulls on Least Tern productivity at the Gibson Generating Station.
Funding Source: Cinergy PSI
Personnel: Travis DeVault
Publications:
DeVault, T.L., M.B. Douglas, J.S. Castrale, C.E. Mills, T. Hayes and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2005. Identification of nest predators and a Least Tern breeding colony in southwestern Indiana, USA. Waterbirds. 28:445-449.
DeVault, T.L., M.B. Douglas, J.S. Castrale, C.E. Mills, T. Hayes and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2006. Nesting success and status of the least tern breeding colony at Gibson Lake in southwestern Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. 115:53-59.
Collaborators: Tim Hayes, Chuck Mills, John Castrale, and Mike Douglas