Risk Factors for Exposure to Feline Pathogens in California Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor)

Foley, Janet E.; Swift, Pamela K.; Fleer, Katryna A.; Torres, Steve G.; Girard, Yvette A.; Johnson, Christine K.

doi:10.7589/2012-08-206

Cited by 39 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…significant pairwise F ST ), and SA pumas still face threats from disease, human development, and stochastic demographic, genetic and environmental events [24,33,34,77]. As observed in other systems where a single or a few migrants genetically restored a population [14,23,53,78,79], genetic diversity will decrease and inbreeding will increase, without continuous gene flow [22,26,62,80–82].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A single migrant enhances the genetic diversity of an inbred puma population

et al. 2017

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Migration is essential for maintaining genetic diversity among populations, and pumas (Puma concolor) provide an excellent model for studying the genetic impacts of migrants on populations isolated by increasing human development. In densely populated southern California, USA, puma populations on the east and west side of interstate highway 15 (I-15) have become fragmented into a small inbred population on the west side (Santa Ana Mountains) and a relatively larger, more diverse population on the east side (Eastern Peninsular Range). From 146 sampled pumas, genetic analyses indicate seven pumas crossed I-15 over the last 15 years, including four males from west to east, and three males from east to west. However, only a single migrant (named M86) was detected to have produced offspring and contribute to gene flow across the I-15 barrier. Prior to the M86 migration, the Santa Ana population exhibited inbreeding and had significantly lower genetic diversity than the Eastern Peninsular Range population. After M86 emigrated, he sired 11 offspring with Santa Ana females, decreasing inbreeding measures and raising heterozygosity to levels similar to pumas in the Eastern Peninsular Range. The emigration of M86 also introduced new alleles into the Santa Ana population, although allelic richness still remained significantly lower than the Eastern Peninsular population. Our results clearly show the benefit of a single migrant to the genetics of a small, isolated population. However, ongoing development and habitat loss on both sides of I-15 will increasingly strengthen the barrier to successful migration. Further monitoring, and potential human intervention, including minimizing development effects on connectivity, adding or improving freeway crossing structures, or animal translocation, may be needed to ensure adequate gene flow and long-term persistence of the Santa Ana puma population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A single migrant enhances the genetic diversity of an inbred puma population

et al. 2017

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“…Interactions with domestic and synanthropic prey, including closely related species (i.e. wild mesocarnivores and domestic cats and dogs), can also alter disease dynamics due to shared pathogens2425. Finally, shifts in resource use by apex carnivores, even if the change is driven by a very few individuals, have the potential to alter the dynamics of prey populations, restructure community assemblages and transform ecosystem functioning2627.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human expansion precipitates niche expansion for an opportunistic apex predator (Puma concolor)

Moss

Alldredge

Logan

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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There is growing recognition that developed landscapes are important systems in which to promote ecological complexity and conservation. Yet, little is known about processes regulating these novel ecosystems, or behaviours employed by species adapting to them. We evaluated the isotopic niche of an apex carnivore, the cougar (Puma concolor), over broad spatiotemporal scales and in a region characterized by rapid landscape change. We detected a shift in resource use, from near complete specialization on native herbivores in wildlands to greater use of exotic and invasive species by cougars in contemporary urban interfaces. We show that 25 years ago, cougars inhabiting these same urban interfaces possessed diets that were intermediate. Thus, niche expansion followed human expansion over both time and space, indicating that an important top predator is interacting with prey in novel ways. Thus, though human-dominated landscapes can provide sufficient resources for apex carnivores, they do not necessarily preserve their ecological relationships.

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“…There is serological evidence of CDV infections in Namibian free ranging and captive cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) [102], Namibian caracals ( Caracal caracal ) [102], Argentinian Geoffroy's cats ( Leopardus geoffroyi ) [111], Brazilian pumas ( Puma concolor ) [112], and Californian mountain lions ( Puma concolor ) [113].…”

Section: Distemper In Carnivore Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus—an update

Beineke¹,

Baumgärtner²,

Wohlsein³

2015

One Health

201

153

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Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a pantropic morbillivirus with a worldwide distribution, which causes fatal disease in dogs. Affected animals develop dyspnea, diarrhea, neurological signs and profound immunosuppression. Systemic CDV infection, resembling distemper in domestic dogs, can be found also in wild canids (e.g. wolves, foxes), procyonids (e.g. raccoons, kinkajous), ailurids (e.g. red pandas), ursids (e.g. black bears, giant pandas), mustelids (e.g. ferrets, minks), viverrids (e.g. civets, genets), hyaenids (e.g. spotted hyenas), and large felids (e.g. lions, tigers). Furthermore, besides infection with the closely related phocine distemper virus, seals can become infected by CDV. In some CDV outbreaks including the mass mortalities among Baikal and Caspian seals and large felids in the Serengeti Park, terrestrial carnivores including dogs and wolves have been suspected as vectors for the infectious agent. In addition, lethal infections have been described in non-carnivore species such as peccaries and non-human primates demonstrating the remarkable ability of the pathogen to cross species barriers. Mutations affecting the CDV H protein required for virus attachment to host-cell receptors are associated with virulence and disease emergence in novel host species. The broad and expanding host range of CDV and its maintenance within wildlife reservoir hosts considerably hampers disease eradication.

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Risk Factors for Exposure to Feline Pathogens in California Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor)

Cited by 39 publications

References 25 publications

A single migrant enhances the genetic diversity of an inbred puma population

A single migrant enhances the genetic diversity of an inbred puma population

Human expansion precipitates niche expansion for an opportunistic apex predator (Puma concolor)

Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus—an update

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