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Interspecific Competition and Seasonality Correlate With Determinants of Hantavirus Transmission in Deer mice
No full textInfectious wildlife diseases are becoming more common, causing population declines and species extinctions. Ecological and environmental factors can influence disease spread in wildlife, through effects on parasite transmissibility (regulated by host immunity), and contact rates. These factors can induce chronic stress, which can depress host immunity, and thus influence disease spread. Glucocorticoids are hormones, which are called fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) when excreted in feces, and are typically used to measure chronic stress. Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is carried by deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and in western Montana grasslands, deermice compete with voles (Microtus spp.) and shrews (Sorex spp.). Because voles are dominant over deermice, they could increase SNV prevalence in deermice via stress-induced immunosuppression and/or alteration in contact rates, while shrews may have a lesser effect. Seasonal changes in these same measures may explain higher SNV transmission typically observed in spring/summer. We live-trapped small mammals over 2 years in western Montana grasslands and evaluated deermice for scar numbers (proxy for contact rates), demography, and body condition scores (BCSs; another measure of chronic stress). Deermouse blood was evaluated for white blood cell (WBC) counts/differentials, and SNV antibodies, and feces for FCMs to measure stress (baseline and stress-induced). Using mixed effect regression trees, we found that higher vole density was correlated with lower BCSs and scar numbers. Higher shrew density was correlated with lower stress-induced FCMs, lower BCSs, and higher scar numbers. Neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios (another measure of chronic stress) were highest in spring/summer and WBC counts (a measure of immunity) were lowest during the summer. Due to low SNV prevalence, we could not evaluate effects on infection. Interspecific competition may influence SNV spread via effects on chronic stress (i.e. lower stress-induced FCMs and BCSs), and scar numbers. Higher N/L ratios in spring/summer, suggestive of chronic stress, and lower WBC counts in summer, suggestive of immunosuppression, may provide an ideal time for SNV transmission. Our findings may extend to other directly-transmitted wildlife diseases
Montana Rangeland Resources Program
No full text1977 legislation created the Rangeland Resources Program (RRP) MCA 76-14-102. The purpose is to establish a program of whereby; the importance of Montana's rangeland with respect to livestock, forage, wildlife habitat, high-quality water production, pollution control, erosion control, recreation, and the natural beauty of the state is recognized; cooperation and coordination of range management activities between persons and organizations charged with or having the management of rangeland, whether private or public, can be promoted and developed; and those who are doing exceptional work in range management can receive appropriate recognition. The program is guided by 6 ranchers from across Montana whom serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Coordinator has specific roles outlined in 76-14-105, to serve as an advisor, counselor, and coordinator for and between persons and agencies involved in range management; strive to create understanding and compatibility between the many users of rangeland, including sportsmen, recreationists, ranchers, and others; promote and coordinate the adoption and implementation of sound range management plans to minimize conflicts between governmental agencies and private landowners; participate in zoning and planning studies to insure that native ranges are adequately represented at sessions for development of zoning and planning regulations; and coordinate range management research to help prevent duplication and overlap of effort in this area. Rangeland Resources Program serves as a credible source of information, unbiased, and non-political. RRP fosters understanding and creates collaborative partnerships to sustain healthy rangelands by building relationships with diverse groups and creating positive relationships proactively working together
Predator Avoidance by Partially Migratory Mule Deer
No full textWithin partially migratory ungulate populations, selection of forage and security may vary greatly between migrants versus residents, and with spatial scale. Predation risk and forage limitation may be limiting the growth of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations in northwest Montana, which appear to be in decline. We asked how avoidance of mountain lions (Puma concolor) and wolves (Canis lupus) varies between migrant versus resident deer in 3 partially migratory populations throughout western Montana. We used GPS collar locations of 113 mule deer collared from summers 2017-2019 and developed resource selection functions (RSFs) to assess the effect of predation risk (estimated using mountain lion and wolf RSFs) on home range (2nd order) and within-home range (3rd order) selection by mule deer. Across study areas and migratory strategies, mule deer avoided wolves more strongly at the 3rd order than at the 2nd order. Migrants were indifferent to wolves at the 2nd order, whereas 2nd order selection by residents was more variable. Mule deer in each study area and strategy avoided lion risk at at least one scale, though lion avoidance strategies were highly variable. We hypothesize that mule deer’s indifference to predation risk at a given scales was a result of prioritization of forage at that scale. Our findings highlight the ability of partially migratory ungulates to adjust scalespecific predator avoidance strategies based on local conditions. By incorporating forage quality estimates, we may be able to understand how scale-specific forage/risk tradeoffs vary between migrant and resident mule deer in different ecotypes
Effects of Wildfire and Logging on Forage Availability and Mule Deer Habitat Selection
No full textIn many western forests, anthropogenic disturbance has increasingly replaced wildfire as the predominant source of landscape alteration. Recent declines in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population estimates and hunter harvests have been linked to changes in the availability and distribution of nutritional resources in northwest Montana. However, the relationship between the spatial configuration of disturbances and resource selection is not fully understood, particularly for lesser-studied mule deer populations in Montana’s northern forests. We conducted a 3-year study to quantify selection of mule deer for forest disturbances from wildfire and logging in the southern Rocky Mountain Front, Cabinet-Salish Mountains, and Whitefish Mountains. We predicted that forage availability would vary with disturbance age and configuration at individual and population scales. We evaluated movements of 131 GPS radio-collared adult female mule deer and documented forage composition and quantity in disturbed and undisturbed forests in all three study areas. Abundance and configuration of wildfire and harvest varied between study areas, and deer resource selection was influenced by the age and type of disturbance and associated forage response. Determining the factors driving mule deer use of disturbances can help managers identify potential strategies for land management and to identify treatment sizes and configurations that are accessible and beneficial for mule dee
Learning From Your Mistakes - A New Approach To Conservation Partnerships
No full textWildlife habitat conservation projects are often complicated, and they become increasingly so when working with a variety of funding partners. In addition, these projects can be politically charged when government agencies are involved. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has a variety of funding sources that are dedicated to wildlife habitat conservation, including the funding for mitigating wildlife impacts caused by construction of Libby and Hungry Horse dams in northwest Montana. After years of struggling to complete conservation projects, we developed a new approach relying on partners to help us achieve our goals. This new focus on partnerships had unexpected and very positive results. This presentation will tell the story of how this partnership-based focus came to be and how 200 million dollars resulting in conservation of 260,000 acres of wildlife habitat in northwest Montana
Scavengers of Southwest Montana and Their Potential Impact on Brucellosis Transmission
No full textBrucellosis, a bacterial disease caused by Brucella abortus, is a major concern in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem due to potential transmission from elk (Cervus elaphus) to livestock. B. abortus can lead to abortion in infected animals and is primarily transmitted between elk and livestock when individuals contact infected abortion materials. Therefore, the risk of transmission is likely a function of how long abortion materials remain on the landscape. To investigate removal rates of abortion materials by scavengers in southwest Montana, we placed bovine fetuses and placentas at 266 sites within suitable elk habitat during the brucellosis transmission risk period from February - June, 2017 and 2018. We used remote cameras to quantify the removal rate and conducted parametric survival analysis to test for covariate effects. Abortion materials were removed by scavengers at an average rate of 84 hours (± 8.5 SE) across all study sites. The top model suggested time to removal decreased in grassland habitats in comparison to sagebrush steppe and forest. Additionally, preliminary analyses suggest that mammalian predator removal practices on private ranches are correlated with time to removal. Abortion materials were consumed by a variety of avian and terrestrial scavengers with golden and bald eagles, coyotes, foxes, and turkey vultures being responsible for scavenging most of the abortion materials. Our results suggest scavengers play a vital role in reducing the persistence of B. abortus on the landscape, and that the rate of fetus removal varies across habitat and management types
Sticking Their Noses in It - Ungulates Investigating Carrion in a CWD World (Poster)
No full text The recent arrival and spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Montana permeates the thoughts of the hunting public and wildlife managers. Both communities share a concern for how hunters might play a role in either facilitating or limiting disease spread; live ungulates may contact infected carrion, either in the field post harvest or after transport and disposal by a hunter. We operate two camera-trap projects involving dead ungulates to study scavenger ecology. From winter of 2015 to present we have placed cameras on over 400 roadkill deer on private lands in the Bitterroot Valley to document marked eagles and other scavengers. We’ve also worked with hunters for two years placing cameras on gut piles in the field in many parts of Montana as well as Colorado and Wyoming. In addition to scavengers, we incidentally noticed a surprising number of ungulates investigating the carrion involved in both projects. This poster will share camera footage and documentation of how often this behavior occurs. We’ll discuss our results in the context of potential CWD transmission and spread and managing hunter behavior in disposal of gut piles, carcasses, and butchering scraps
A Home on The Prairie? Restoration Potential of Bighorn Sheep in Montana’s Prairie Region
No full textEfforts to recover Montana’s bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) have focused primarily in the mountainous western region; however, rugged areas in the eastern prairie region were historically occupied by bighorn sheep. Currently, only 4 populations exist in this region and are some of the state’s most abundant and stable populations. We predicted that potential habitat and restoration opportunity likely exists in the prairie. We used GPS collar data collected during 2014 - 2018 from 2 bighorn sheep populations located along the Missouri River in Montana to estimate a resource selection model. We first extrapolated model predictions across Montana’s prairie region to understand the spatial distribution of predicted habitat and restoration potential of bighorn sheep. Second, within an estimate of bighorn sheep historic range, we estimated the abundance of bighorn sheep that the predicted habitat could potentially support. Resource selection was most strongly associated with terrain slope and ruggedness, canopy cover, and an NDVI metric. Within currently unoccupied areas of the historic range, the model predicted 7,211 km2 of habitat, with about half (55%) managed by public land agencies. We estimated that these unoccupied areas of habitat could support 1,327 - 3,457 bighorn sheep, an increase in the abundance of Montana’s prairie bighorn sheep of 1.9 - 3.2 times. Our results demonstrate substantial potential for restoration opportunities of bighorn sheep in eastern Montana. Broad restoration of bighorn sheep across the prairie region would likely require strong collaboration among and between public resource managers and private landowners given the heterogeneous landownership patterns
Evaluating Bighorn Sheep Restoration Using Genomics
No full textWildlife restoration often involves translocation efforts to reintroduce species and enhance genetic diversity of small, fragmented populations. We examined the genomic consequences of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) translocations and population isolation, to enhance understanding of evolutionary processes that affect population genetics and inform future restoration strategies. We conducted a population genomic analysis of 511 bighorn sheep from 17 areas, including native and reintroduced populations with contrasting translocation histories. Using the High Density Ovine array, we generated datasets of 6,155 to 33,289 single nucleotide polymorphisms and completed clustering, phylogenetic, and kinship analyses. Our study design maximized insight by employing standardized sampling of bighorn sheep herds, a standardized set of genomic markers, and a suite of contemporary analytical tools. Our analyses determined that most examined populations were isolated from recent, unassisted gene flow, including two pairs of native herds that had past connectivity but were recently fragmented. To identify which augmentation and reintroduction efforts made a genetic contribution, we synthesized genomic evidence across analyses to evaluate 24 different translocation events. We detected five successful augmentations and eight successful reintroductions based on genetic similarity with the source populations. A single native population founded most of the reintroduced herds, suggesting that genetic diversity of founders may have been more important to successful reintroduction than matching environmental conditions. Our results provide insight on genomic distinctiveness of native and reintroduced herds, the relative success of reintroduction/augmentation efforts and their associated attributes, and guidance for genetic rescue augmentations and reintroductions to aid in bighorn sheep restoration
Modeling the Effects of Habitat, Livestock Grazing, and Climate on Greater Sage Grouse Population Dynamics in Central Montana
No full textAccess to quality habitat is a key driver of population dynamics for many wildlife species. To direct habitat conservation efforts and to determine if these efforts are successful, habitat models should be linked with population models at local scales. This project addresses this need by providing information about relationships among greater sage-grouse habitat, livestock grazing, and demographic rates in central Montana. This work is based on a collaborative, decade-long effort among multiple resource agencies and private landowners in central Montana. It is led by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the University of Montana, and data collection is nearly complete. First, we will establish the habitat components that sagegrouse select at each life stage in a local population. We will include both livestock grazing and climate variables that affect greater sage-grouse habitat. Second, we will use a population model to relate habitat components to demographic rates that are known to influence greater sagegrouse population dynamics. We will examine these relationships during multiple life stages and across spatial scales. We will also examine the relationship between demographic rates and lekbased abundance estimates to evaluate lek counts as an indicator of population health. Our effort will identify components of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem in central Montana that are important to the persistence of sage-grouse in this region, and how livestock grazing affects these components. Our findings will be used to evaluate and update sage-grouse habitat conservation strategies and management plans in central Montana