Burrows with resources have greater visitation and may enhance mange transmission among wombats

Martin, Alynn M.; Ricardo, Hayley; Tompros, Adrianna; Fraser, Tamieka A.; Carver, Scott

doi:10.1071/am18013

Cited by 12 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Capture‐monitor and capture‐recapture studies are possible but are spatially restricted, labor‐intensive, and inherently short‐term (<0.1–1.5 yr; Brown and Taylor 1984, Skerratt et al 2004, Evans 2008, Matthews et al 2013, Martin et al 2019 c ). Other population studies of wombats have used spotlight and camera techniques (direct observation), abundance of burrows, and distribution of their distinctive cube‐shaped scats (indirect observation; Cooke 1998, Story et al 2014, Martin et al 2019 b , Stannard et al 2020). The longest published population studies of bare‐nosed wombats, based on burrow monitoring, span fewer than 3 years (McIlroy 1973, Triggs 2009, Story et al 2014, Martin et al 2019 b ).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other population studies of wombats have used spotlight and camera techniques (direct observation), abundance of burrows, and distribution of their distinctive cube‐shaped scats (indirect observation; Cooke 1998, Story et al 2014, Martin et al 2019 b , Stannard et al 2020). The longest published population studies of bare‐nosed wombats, based on burrow monitoring, span fewer than 3 years (McIlroy 1973, Triggs 2009, Story et al 2014, Martin et al 2019 b ). Collectively, there is a significant paucity of information on the status of the bare‐nosed wombat or any of its sub‐species across their geographic range.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Factors Associated with Trends in Bare‐Nosed Wombats

et al. 2021

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Geographically widespread species present challenges for conservation assessment. We used long‐term spotlight surveys to assess spatiotemporal dynamics of bare‐nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus), encompassing 34 years of surveys for the Tasmanian mainland sub‐species (V. u. tasmaniensis, 1985–2018) and 25 years for the Flinders Island sub‐species (V. u. ursinus, 1994–2018). Wombat populations increased on the Tasmanian mainland by 2.59 times and on Flinders Island by 3.51 times ( truex ¯ = 1.05 and 1.1 times increase/yr, respectively). At smaller spatial scales on mainland Tasmania, increases in wombat counts generally occurred within meteorological regions and regional zones, except for the Central North (West Tamar) region where a decrease in wombats is linked to a sarcoptic mange disease epizootic. We used generalized additive models to assess relationships between variables and wombat counts. The most supported variables at the mainland Tasmania scale were (in order of importance) year, positive associations with time‐lagged minimum temperature, Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) counts, and moonlight, and a negative association with time‐lagged rainfall. Among meteorological regions, variables associated with wombat counts exhibited some heterogeneity, with temperature and rainfall the most frequently associated variables. Our long‐term, large‐scale, and ecologically diverse analysis of bare‐nosed wombats supports spotlight monitoring as a valuable, relatively simple, and affordable survey method in Tasmania and beyond. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Factors Associated with Trends in Bare‐Nosed Wombats

et al. 2021

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“…Simulation models showed that San Juan Kit foxes ( Vulpes macrotis mutica ) likely transmit mites indirectly between family groups using dens rather than direct contact (Montecino-Latorre et al, 2019). Additionally, indirect transmission through shared dens is likely the most dominant mechanism of mite transmission among wombats as well as possibly within and between carnivore species in Europe (Kolodziej-Sobocinska et al, 2014; Martin et al, 2019). Evidence of indirect transmission and data showing mite survival off of the live host suggest that scenarios when animals share space, including artificial feeding sites, may contribute to mite transmission (Süld et al, 2014; Niedringhaus et al, 2019a).…”

Section: Sarcoptes Scabieimentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of sarcoptic mange in North American wildlife

Niedringhaus

Brown

Sweeley

et al. 2019

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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The “itch mite” or “mange mite”, Sarcoptes scabiei, causes scabies in humans and sarcoptic mange in domestic and free-ranging animals. This mite has a wide host range due to its ability to adapt to new hosts and has been spread across the globe presumably through human expansion. While disease caused by S. scabiei has been very well-studied in humans and domestic animals, there are still numerous gaps in our understanding of this pathogen in free-ranging wildlife. The literature on sarcoptic mange in North American wildlife is particularly limited, which may be due to the relatively limited number of clinically-affected species and lack of severe population impacts seen in other continents. This review article provides a summary of the current knowledge of mange in wildlife, with a focus on the most common clinically-affected species in North America including red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ), gray wolves ( Canis lupus ), coyotes ( Canis latrans ), and American black bears ( Ursus americanus ).

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“…Such ecological factors are amenable to inclusion in a comparative landscape genetics framework, emphasizing the value of comparative landscape genetics studies in host-pathogen systems where the dynamics of host dispersal and pathogen transmission may differ. Examples include sarcoptic mange, which infects various mammal species and can be transmitted environmentally (Martin, Ricardo, et al, 2019;Niedringhaus, Brown, Sweeley, & Yabsley, 2019), or pathogens requiring arthropod vectors, such as Plasmodium spp. (malaria; Lo et al, 2017), whereby disease spread relies on multiple species and is strongly mediated by the environment (Hemming-Schroeder et al, 2018;Schwabl et al, 2017).…”

Section: Con Clus Ionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative landscape genetics reveals differential effects of environment on host and pathogen genetic structure in Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) and their transmissible tumour

et al. 2020

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Genetic structure in host species is often used to predict disease spread. However, host and pathogen genetic variation may be incongruent. Understanding landscape factors that have either concordant or divergent influence on host and pathogen genetic structure is crucial for wildlife disease management. Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) was first observed in 1996 and has spread throughout almost the entire Tasmanian devil geographic range, causing dramatic population declines. Whereas DFTD is predominantly spread via biting among adults, devils typically disperse as juveniles, which experience low DFTD prevalence. Thus, we predicted little association between devil and tumour population structure and that environmental factors influencing gene flow differ between devils and tumours. We employed a comparative landscape genetics framework to test the influence of environmental factors on patterns of isolation by resistance (IBR) and isolation by environment (IBE) in devils and DFTD. Although we found evidence for broad‐scale costructuring between devils and tumours, we found no relationship between host and tumour individual genetic distances. Further, the factors driving the spatial distribution of genetic variation differed for each. Devils exhibited a strong IBR pattern driven by major roads, with no evidence of IBE. By contrast, tumours showed little evidence for IBR and a weak IBE pattern with respect to elevation in one of two tumour clusters we identify herein. Our results warrant caution when inferring pathogen spread using host population genetic structure and suggest that reliance on environmental barriers to host connectivity may be ineffective for managing the spread of wildlife diseases. Our findings demonstrate the utility of comparative landscape genetics for identifying differential factors driving host dispersal and pathogen transmission.

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Burrows with resources have greater visitation and may enhance mange transmission among wombats

Cited by 12 publications

References 9 publications

Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Factors Associated with Trends in Bare‐Nosed Wombats

Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Factors Associated with Trends in Bare‐Nosed Wombats

A review of sarcoptic mange in North American wildlife

Comparative landscape genetics reveals differential effects of environment on host and pathogen genetic structure in Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) and their transmissible tumour

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