A5065576094- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Data Quality and Management
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2016-2025
Linde (United States)
2022
University of Wisconsin System
2022
John Wiley & Sons (United States)
2016-2020
Ecological Society of America
2016-2020
Google (United States)
2016-2019
IFC Research (United Kingdom)
2019
Rocky Mountain Research (United States)
2018
Rocky Mountain Research Station
2018
Hudson Institute
2018
Significance Niche theory posits that species must limit overlap in the use of space, time, or resources to minimize competition. However, human disturbances are rapidly altering ecosystems with uncertain consequences for niche partitioning. Dietary partitioning is primary way many interspecific competition, and it particularly important carnivores because diet can trigger interference competition killing. We used stable isotope analyses examine carnivore diets across Great Lakes region...
Significance We report evidence that microbes are trophically equivalent to animals. When bacteria or fungi fed the same diets as animals, register trophic position This discovery reframes how can be viewed within food chains and facilitates inclusion of microbiome in functional diversity studies. To demonstrate broad applicability our approach, we investigated ancient symbioses represented by leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens, revealing four discrete levels this community providing fungi, not...
Abstract Detritivory is the dominant trophic paradigm in most terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems, yet accurate measurement of consumer position within detrital (=“brown”) food webs has remained unresolved. Measurement detritivore complicated by fact that detritus suffused with microbes, creating a complex living nonliving biomass. Given microbes metazoans are analogues each other, animals feeding on complexes ingesting other detritivores (microbes), which should elevate metazoan be...
Abstract The spatial relationship between predator and prey is often conceptualized as a behavioral response race, in which avoid predators while track prey. Limiting habitat types can create anchors for or predators, influencing the likelihood that will dominate. Joint emerge when occupy similar feeding domains risk reward become spatially conflated, confusing predictions of player win space race. These dynamics risk‐foraging trade‐offs are obscured by heterogeneity community complexity...
Summary Large carnivores, though globally threatened, are increasingly using developed landscapes. However, most of our knowledge their ecology is derived from studies in wildland systems; thus, for effective conservation and management, there a need to understand behavioural plasticity risk mortality more We examined cougar Puma concolor foraging survival an expanding urban–wildland system Colorado 2007 2013. For GPS ‐collared individuals, we related diet ( n = 41; isotopic analysis)...
Arboreal herbivory is rare among mammals. The few species with this lifestyle possess unique adaptions to overcome size-related constraints on nutritional energetics. Sloths are folivores that spend most of their time resting or eating in the forest canopy. A three-toed sloth will, however, descend its tree weekly defecate, which risky, energetically costly and, until now, inexplicable. We hypothesized behaviour sustains an ecosystem fur sloths, confers cryptic benefits sloths. found more...
The effects of climate change on biodiversity have emerged as a dominant theme in conservation biology, possibly eclipsing concern over habitat loss recent years. extent to which this shifting focus has tracked the most eminent threats is not well documented. We investigated mechanisms driving shifts southern range boundary forest and snow cover specialist, snowshoe hare, explore how its responded rates land time. found that although both contributed historical boundary, current duration...
Carnivores exhibit strong interspecific competition and partition niche axes to minimize agonistic interactions. Niche partitioning, though, is contingent upon resource heterogeneity, recent landscape homogenization may limit the abilities of carnivores space. The negative fitness consequences associated with overlap be particularly problematic for repatriating carnivores, could delay recovery rare or endangered species. American martens (Martes americana) fishers (Pekania pennanti) are most...
Symbiotic microbial communities are critical to the function and survival of animals. This relationship is obligatory for herbivores that engage gut microorganisms conversion dietary plant materials into nutrients such as short-chain organic acids (SCOAs). The constraint on body size imposed by their arboreal lifestyle thought make this symbiosis especially important sloths. Here, we use next-generation sequencing identify bacteria present in fore distal guts wild two- three-toed sloths,...
Abstract Restriction‐enzyme‐based sequencing methods enable the genotyping of thousands single nucleotide polymorphism ( SNP ) loci in nonmodel organisms. However, contrast to traditional genetic markers, error rates s derived from restriction‐enzyme‐based remain largely unknown. Here, we estimated genotyped with double digest RAD Mendelian incompatibilities known mother–offspring dyads Hoffman's two‐toed sloth Choloepus hoffmanni across a range coverage and sequence quality criteria, for...
Organizational structure for the proposed IsoBank. A central executive group would oversee four subcommittees (SC): Information technology, integrative disciplinary, education and training, analytical expertise. GNIP, Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation; IAEA, International Atomic Energy Association; QA/QC, quality assurance/quality control.
Human disturbance may fundamentally alter the way that species interact, a prospect remains poorly understood. We investigated whether anthropogenic landscape modification increases or decreases co-occurrence—a prerequisite for interactions—within wildlife communities. Using 4 y of data from >2,000 camera traps across human gradient in Wisconsin, USA, we considered 74 pairs (classifying as low, medium, high antagonism to account different interaction types) and used time between...
By exploiting unutilized resources, organisms expand into novel niches, which can lead to adaptive radiation. However, some groups fail diversify despite the apparent opportunity do so. Although arising multiple times, arboreal folivores are rare and have not radiated, presumably because of energetic constraints. To explore this hypothesis, we quantified field metabolic rate (FMR), movement, body temperature for syntopic two- three-toed sloths, extreme that differ in their degree...
Abstract There is growing recognition that developed landscapes are important systems in which to promote ecological complexity and conservation. Yet, little known about processes regulating these novel ecosystems, or behaviours employed by species adapting them. We evaluated the isotopic niche of an apex carnivore, cougar ( Puma concolor ), over broad spatiotemporal scales a region characterized rapid landscape change. detected shift resource use, from near complete specialization on native...
Abstract Conservation for species impacted by climate change often occurs at scales impractical local land managers. Snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus ) are one of the most well‐documented declining from change–specifically a reduction in snowcover–yet clear management strategies have yet to emerge. To test whether camouflage mismatch is reducing hare survival we translocated 96 site recently extirpated snowshoe hares, and monitored coat color change, with snow, habitat use, weekly...
Abstract Predator–prey games emerge when predators and prey dynamically respond to the behavior of one another, driving outcomes predator–prey interactions. Predation success is a function combined probabilities encountering capturing prey, which are influenced by both environmental features. While relative importance encounter capture have been evaluated in spatial framework, temporal variation intrinsic catchability likely also affect distribution predation events. Using...
Stable isotope data have made pivotal contributions to nearly every discipline of the physical and natural sciences. As generation application stable continues grow exponentially, so does need for a unifying repository improve accessibility promote collaborative engagement. This paper provides an overview design, development, implementation IsoBank (www.isobank.org), community-driven initiative create open-access implemented online in 2021. A central goal is provide web-accessible database...
The repatriation of species is common, especially in conservation efforts aimed at restoring trophic interactions. Whether the Eltonian niches restored are conserved reassembled ecological communities largely unknown. Within mammalian carnivores, we hypothesized that sympatric competitors would be structured by facilitation from subsidies provided large carnivores (i.e. carrion) and humans food subsidies). Using stable isotopes (δ 13 C, δ 15 N), quantified an apex predator, grey wolf Canis...
Biology has inspired robotics since its inception as an academic discipline. However, the use of ecological principles in is still relatively rare and this paper, we explore how such can not only be relevance to robotics, but reciprocally lead new insights into ecology. In particular, investigate mutualisms–jointly beneficial interactions between members different species–can inform collaborative architectures for multi-robot systems comprised types robots. To better understand mutualisms...