Therya最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of pocket gopher diet in a perennial productive area","authors":"Juan Rolando Rueda-Torres, A. Gatica-Colima, C. Vital-García","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2244","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2244","url":null,"abstract":"The desert pocket gopher (Geomys arenarius) is a fossorial herbivorous rodent of the family Geomyidae.  Its distribution range is restricted to New Mexico and Texas, in the United States of America, and northern Chihuahua, in México.  The Médanos de Samalayuca Flora and Fauna Protection Area (MSFFPA) is located in northern Chihuahua.  Different economic activities are carried out in this region, mainly irrigated crops of pecans (Carya illinoinensis).  Populations of G. arenarius have been recorded within these areas.  Therefore, the objective of this work was to define the extent of the trophic niche and the changes in the physical condition of G. arenarius in a ranch within the MSFFPA over three contrasting seasons (dry, wet, and post-wet).  Forty G. arenarius specimens were collected from Arantxa Ranch.  Morphometric measurements and the weight of collected individuals were recorded, and the digestive tract was removed to prepare histological slides.  Seven 25 m²-quadrants were established, and the species of the vegetation cover were recorded and collected for reference.  The Seasonal Fitness Index (IK) and Levin’s Niche Breadth Index were calculated.  Males had higher average measurements and weight than females.  The IK was 2.82 ± 0.47 in males and 2.64 ± 0.61 in females. Significant differences in the IK between seasons were only found in females.  The correlation between IK and plant cover was strong for males and females.  The diet mainly comprised Physalis hederifolia, Dimorphocarpa wislizeni, and Cenchrus incertus.  Levin’s index showed that G. arenarius is a specialist rodent.  Sexual dimorphism was evident, with males larger than females.  The physical condition index of gophers is influenced by resource availability. In other studies, this parameter has been related to changes in food availability.  It has been reported that gophers tend to feed mainly on crops; however, pecan cultivation was not a major element in the diet of the desert pocket gopher, as it feeds on the vegetation associated with crops.  Gophers are considered generalists; nonetheless, the present study showed that G. arenarius is a specialist, although this may be a consequence of anthropogenic activities.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48572467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Land use change and its implications for biodiversity and jaguar conservation","authors":"Elizabeth Jean Painter, O. Rosas-Rosas, L. Bender, L. Tarango-Arámbula, J. F. Martínez-Montoya, J. D. Guerrero-Rodríguez, A. Silva-Caballero","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2114","url":null,"abstract":"Protected areas are frequently established to prevent declines in biodiversity, but their effectiveness in preserving biodiversity can depend on how land outside their borders is managed.  We evaluated how land use changes from 1989 to 2016 in the Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Abra Tanchipa (RBSAT) landscape might affect the role of the RBSAT for conservation of biodiversity, with an emphasis on conservation of jaguars, a keystone species.  We estimated the rate of land use change within and surrounding the RBSAT, a 215 km2 natural reserve in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, from 1989 to 2016 using supervised classifications of satellite imagery.  We also analyzed the distribution of two GPS collared male jaguars.  The RBSAT and surrounding landscape became increasingly fragmented and impacted by human use over the previous ca. 30 years.  The largest increases were seen in infrastructure and intensive agriculture, while the largest decreases were seen in pasture, tropical deciduous forest, and secondary vegetation.  Jaguars were located more frequently than expected in secondary vegetation, the most common cover class, which decreased from 34.8 % of the landscape to 32.1 % by 2016.  Only 23 % of jaguar locations fell within the boundaries of the RBSAT, due to increases in preferred habitat attributes of jaguars and prey outside the Reserve.    Increasing fragmentation compromises the RBSAT’s role as a biodiversity reserve, especially for interior-dependent species. Fragmentation and edge habitats in combination with increasing agriculture enhance suitability of the landscape surrounding the RBSAT for prey of jaguar, and only 23 % of jaguar locations were within the RBSAT itself.  This increases the likelihood of jaguar-related conflicts in surrounding communities.  Regional landscape planning should include policies that incentivize practices that maintain remaining larger habitat patches and minimize the likelihood of human-wildlife conflicts.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46439566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bison wallows effect on soil properties, vegetation composition and structure in a recently reintroduced area","authors":"Ana Nolasco, C. Siebe, G. Ceballos, R. List","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2124","url":null,"abstract":"Bison are considered an ecologically keystone species of the North American grasslands because their activities influence ecosystem dynamics and interactions, particularly their wallowing behavior.  In 2009, 23 bison were reintroduced within a 1,500 ha private native semi-arid grassland in Janos, Chihuahua.  Our objective was to evaluate the effect of bison wallows on the composition and structure of the vegetation, on species composition of annual grasses, and soil properties.  Soil and vegetation samples were taken from inside the wallows and were compared against the samples obtained outside the wallows from late August to early September.  The percentage of plant cover and the height of the foliage were measured inside and outside the wallow.  Soil cores were taken, and the presence of soluble salts, moisture retention capacity, percentage of clay, and concentration of nutrients was determined.  The three associations preferred by bison for wallowing were toboso grassland, vine mesquite and annual grassland.  Of the 27 species of grasses and forbs recorded in the three plant associations mostly used for wallowing, we found that 17 species were present inside and outside wallows.  Five different species were found only inside wallows and another five, only outside of wallows.  The annual grassland plants had a greater height outside the wallows.  The toboso grassland association presented higher soil moisture, likely related to the higher percentage of clay, and the annual grassland presented the highest bulk density (BD) inside the wallows, which limited plant growth in this association.  Soils in other associations did not show significant differences in BD among them, mainly due to their finer texture.  No significant effect of the wallows on nutrient concentrations was recorded.  The lack of significant differences related to bison activities could be related to the brief period since the herd was reintroduced to the site.  These differences might become apparent over time with a larger herd.  For this reason, we conclude that the current differences in the soil properties are mainly due to geomorphological processes.  That is, at this stage after the reintroduction, the grasslands are responding to soil characteristics, and not to the activity of the bison.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47447303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of nanoparticle biosensors to evaluate carnivore health: A new approach","authors":"Luis Daniel Moreno-Figueroa, L. Hernández‐Adame, Alina Gabriela Monroy-Gamboa","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2246","url":null,"abstract":"The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a common fatal disease in carnivores that has led to the local extinction of some species.  Timely and effective monitoring and diagnosis of the spread of CDV are essential because these can contribute to containing and planning control strategies in early outbreak stages.  The use of nanoparticle-based biosensors (NPs) is a novel alternative. A systematic analysis of NP design, use, and scope provides a clue on the potential application of this technology in CDV diagnosis and control.  In this sense, the present paper outlines the most recent findings on the use of biosensors to diagnose canine distemper.  We conducted a literature review of the use of biosensors to diagnose different viruses of human and zoonotic importance. Biosensors designed for the diagnosis and control of CDV were then searched and analyzed. Searches were conducted in scientific databases with the keywords \"Canine Distemper Virus”, “nanoparticles”, and “biosensors”.  No studies on wildlife were found. We found 50 studies addressing the development and application of virus biosensors in domestic animals and under laboratory conditions.  The use of metallic NPs with optical properties — for example, gold NPs and quantum dots — have been the main systems for the design of biosensors used in CDV diagnosis and control.  Future steps include the application of this technology in widely distributed wildlife species, e. g., coyote, by developing a device with a CDV-specific biosensor for in-situ detection, avoiding the need to capture individuals. Detecting CDV-infected populations in real-time will improve the management and containment of the disease to preserve the health of ecosystems. ","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42369199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review of Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi) in the South East Pacific","authors":"Jhoann Canto Hernández, G. D’Elía, Richard Cadenillas, Frederick Toro, Cintya Borroni, Gerardo Cerda, Sonia Español‐Jiménez","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2075","url":null,"abstract":"Information collected from a complete female juvenile individual of Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi)  stranded on the Guanaqueros coast, Coquimbo Region in Chile (30°S) is provided.  Difficulties to differentiate specimens of Gray's beaked whale and Hector’s beaked whale (M. hectori) are discussed based on the use of diagnostic phenotypic characters, such as differences in color patterns and position of teeth on the lower jaw. The identification of the studied specimen as Gray's beaked whale was supported by a detailed review of cranial characters and molecular analyses.  Finally, we provide an updated list containing all known Chilean records for this species.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41839941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relative abundance, habitat selection, and diet of the coyote in northern México","authors":"Fernando Álvarez-Córdova, Jesús A. Fernández, Angela A. Camargo-Sanabria, Juan C. Ontiveros, M. Titulaer","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-2184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-2184","url":null,"abstract":"The coyote (Canis latrans) is a widespread predator with a high degree of adaptation to different ecosystems. The objective of this study was to estimate the relative abundance index, habitat selection, and diet of C. latrans through scent stations, in two types of vegetation located in northwestern Chihuahua. From April 2018 to March 2019, ten fixed scent stations (SS) were placed in pine-oak forest and other ten in semi-open grassland, with a linear separation of 500 meters between each station to achieve a five km transect in each vegetation during 12 samplings (two sampling night per month) for totaling 420 SS after discarding inactive SS. The relative abundance index of coyote showed that both types of vegetation, pine-oak forest (0.30) and semi-open grassland (0.23) were used in a similar way. The habitat selection test (Chi2) showed that coyote abundance and type of vegetation were independent (χ2 = 2.96, P > 0.05), not showing statistically significant differences in annual relative abundance index of coyotes between the two vegetation types. The food items detected in thirty-four scats collected belonged to mammals (55.9 %), fruits (35.3 %) and arthropods (8.8 %). Rodents and lagomorphs were the main source of food. Throughout the sampling period, the pine-oak forest showed the greatest relative abundance index of C. latrans. This may be because the forest provides them with shelter from climatic situations and a greater variety of seeds, fruits and insects. In this study the two seasons with the highest relative abundance were spring and autumn in both ecosystems, coinciding with an increase in rainfall, resulting in an abundance of potential prey (rodents and lagomorphs), and other food items like fruits. Regarding annual diet the most consumed prey were mammals. We found differences in diet between seasons, that can be explained by the variation in food availability among seasons.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45285350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relative abundance and activity patterns of mesomammals in central Andes","authors":"M. Viscarra, G. Ayala, H. Ticona, R. B. Wallace","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-1175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-1175","url":null,"abstract":"The natural history and ecology of mammals in the High Andes and Andean cloud forests are poorly known.  This work aims to analyze the relative abundance and activity patterns of medium and large-sized mammals in the Andean portions of the Greater Madidi-Tambopata landscape using the camera trap methodology.  Between 2012 to 2017, twelve sites were sampled covering an altitudinal gradient from 1,057 to 4,902 masl.  A total of 311 digital camera trap stations were installed, and we applied a total effort of 5,144 trap nights (TN).  We recorded a total of 21,346 photographs and 1,152 independent events from which we identified 28 species of mammals.  The species with the highest relative abundance were Lycalopex culpaeus from 1 to 19.89/100TN, Didelphis pernigra from 0.1 to 10.71/100TN, and Eira barbara from 0.2 to 10.48/100TN.  An analysis of activity patterns of the species that presented more than 10 independent events was carried out.  The species with clearly nocturnal habits were Conepatus chinga, Cuniculus paca, Cuniculus taczanowskii, Didelphis pernigra, Mazama chunyi, Mazama americana, Dasypus novemcinctus, Didelphis marsupialis, Lagidium viscacia, Lycalopex culpaeus and Leopardus tigrinus, while Dasyprocta variegata, Nasua sp., Eira barbara, Hippocamelus antisensis and Tremarctos ornatus were diurnal; Puma concolor and Neogale mustela were cathemeral.  The information obtained in our study responds to information gaps of a poorly studied mammal community and highlights the importance of Andean habitats for the conservation and management of montane species.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43604891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Native and no-native herbivorous relationships have mutual benefit: Lepus flavigularis case","authors":"Tamara M. Rioja-Paradela, Luis Hernández, Arturo Carrillo-Reyes, Gamaliel Castañeda, C. Lorenzo, Maricela Gómez-Sánchez, C. Orantes-García","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-1107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-1107","url":null,"abstract":"Lepus flavigularis is an endemic leporid from southeastern Oaxaca, México, listed as “endangered” under Mexican law and the IUCN Red List.  The main threat to the species is severe habitat fragmentation due to human activities.  The jackrabbit shares the grasslands with cattle (Bos taurus), but the trophic interaction between these herbivores is unknown.  This study aimed to determine the seasonal diet of Lepus flavigularis and cattle, to identify the possible dietary overlap between these mammals.  The study zone covers an area around the locality of Santa María del Mar in Oaxaca, southern México.  Plant species were identified using linear transects, and vegetation cover was also estimated using circular plots.  Throughout the study fresh L. flavigularis and B. taurus fecal samples were collected, which were processed using the microhistological technique to determine the seasonal botanical composition of diets from the two species.  Twenty-three plant species were recorded in the diet of L. flavigularis and 29 species in the diet of B. taurus.  Both herbivores fed primarily on Poaceae species throughout the year (L. flavigularis: dry season (ds) = 79.79 %, wet season (ws) = 91.54 %; B. taurus: ds = 78.02 %, ws = 84.63 %) despite the significant difference in the availability of plant species between seasons.  No significant differences were found in the seasonal composition of the diet between the two species.  Twelve plant species were consumed by both herbivores during the two seasons.  The dietary overlap between the two species was high for both seasons (ds Ojk = 0.7311, ws Ojk = 0.8459).  Trophic niche breadth was low for both species, with a high dietary overlap.  We recorded low seasonal use values for L. flavigularis and B. taurus when compared to forage availability.  Low trophic niche breadth and high dietary overlap between the two herbivores suggest forage resources competition. However, we expect that jackrabbits benefit from cattle presence, as long as the stocking rate does not increase.  Furthermore, B. taurus grazing reduces height, cover, and density of vegetation, which could help L. flavigularis to avoid predators.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43877641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of knowledge of the plant diet of nectar-feeding bats of México","authors":"S. Ortega-García, R. A. Saldaña-Vázquez","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-1165","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-1165","url":null,"abstract":"The interaction between bats and plants is key to the stability of ecosystems and economically important industries, such as tequila and mezcal in México.  For these reasons, it is important to determine the current state of knowledge about the plant diet of nectar-feeding bats.  In this study, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on plants that have been reported as sources of food for nectar-feeding bats (subfamily Glossophaginae) in México.  Based on this information, we identified bat species with the best-documented knowledge of their diet, the most consumed plant genera, and the territories with information gaps in the country.  The literature search on the diet of nectar-feeding bats was carried out in the Web of Science database, Google Scholar, and digital collections of universities.  We constructed rarefaction curves for bat diet richness, a heat map of the plant genera consumed by each, and a map of food localities in the different biogeographical provinces of México.  This information served to explore whether knowledge of the diet of bats was related to variables such as the presence of chiropterophilous plants or the richness of nectar-feeding bats.  In México, nectar-feeding bats feed mainly on plants of the genera Agave spp., Pseudobombax spp., and Ceiba spp., which, according to the literature, provide food to more than 75 % of nectar-feeding bats in Mexican territory.  Leptonycteris yerbabuenae is the species with the most information on its diet in México, while Lichonycteris obscura is the species with the least information.  None of the bat species reached a value greater than 65 % of the expected richness.  Localities where the plant diet of nectar-feeding bats has been studied correspond to provinces in the Neotropical region of México.  Knowledge about the diet of nectar-feeding bats in México is far from complete.  The distribution of diet localities is biased over a large part of its geographic range and is positively correlated with areas with higher nectar-feeding bat species richness.","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45423028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The oldest available name for the pampas cat of the Uruguayan Savannah ecoregion is Leopardus fasciatus (Larrañaga 1923)","authors":"J. A. Martínez-Lanfranco, E. González","doi":"10.12933/therya-22-1187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-22-1187","url":null,"abstract":"Based on a revision of historical and taxonomic accounts, we showed that Felis fasciatus Larrañaga, 1923, represents the oldest available Linnean name referable to the pampas cat endemic to the Uruguayan Savannah ecoregion, currently regarded as Leopardus munoai (Ximénez 1961).  To anchor the name Felis fasciatus to Uruguayan specimens, we designated a neotype for this taxon with terra typica in Estancia San Cristóbal, Arroyo Limetas, Conchillas, Department of Colonia, Uruguay.  Since Larrañaga's fasciatus represents a senior synonym of L. munoai, it takes precedence and, in compliance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, it must therefore be used to refer to the \"Uruguayan\" pampas cat, L. fasciatus (Larrañaga 1923), for which we suggested the vernacular name \"Larrañaga’s pampas cat\".","PeriodicalId":37851,"journal":{"name":"Therya","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43702418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}