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Research involving animals that occurs outside the laboratory raises an array of unique challenges. With regard to UK legislation, however, it receives only limited attention in terms of official guidelines, support, and statistics, which are unsurprisingly orientated towards the laboratory environment in which the majority of animal research takes place. In September 2019, four social scientists from the Animal Research Nexus program gathered together a group of 13 experts to discuss nonlaboratory research under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (A(SP)A) of 1986 (mirroring European Union (EU) Directive 2010/63/EU), which is the primary mechanism for regulating animal research in the UK. Such nonlaboratory research under the A(SP)A often occurs at Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLEs). The primary objective of the workshop was to assemble a diverse group with experience across a variety of POLEs (e.g., wildlife field sites, farms, fisheries, veterinary clinics, zoos) to explore the practical, ethical, and regulatory challenges of conducting research at POLEs. While consensus was not sought, nor reached on every point of discussion, we collectively identified five key areas that we propose require further discussion and attention. These relate to: (1) support and training; (2) ethical review; (3) cultures of care, particularly in nonregulated research outside of the laboratory; (4) the setting of boundaries; and (5) statistics and transparency. The workshop generated robust discussion and thereby highlighted the value of focusing on the unique challenges posed by POLEs, and the need for further opportunities for exchanging experiences and sharing best practice relating to research projects outside of the laboratory in the UK and elsewhere.
Alexandra Palmer; Beth Greenhough; Pru Hobson-West; Reuben Message; James N. Aegerter; Zoe Belshaw; Ngaire Dennison; Roger Dickey; Julie Lane; Jamie Lorimer; Kate Millar; Chris Newman; Kirsten Pullen; S. James Reynolds; Dominic J. Wells; Matthew J. Witt; Sarah Wolfensohn. Animal Research beyond the Laboratory: Report from a Workshop on Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLEs) in the UK. Animals 2020, 10, 1868 .
AMA StyleAlexandra Palmer, Beth Greenhough, Pru Hobson-West, Reuben Message, James N. Aegerter, Zoe Belshaw, Ngaire Dennison, Roger Dickey, Julie Lane, Jamie Lorimer, Kate Millar, Chris Newman, Kirsten Pullen, S. James Reynolds, Dominic J. Wells, Matthew J. Witt, Sarah Wolfensohn. Animal Research beyond the Laboratory: Report from a Workshop on Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLEs) in the UK. Animals. 2020; 10 (10):1868.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexandra Palmer; Beth Greenhough; Pru Hobson-West; Reuben Message; James N. Aegerter; Zoe Belshaw; Ngaire Dennison; Roger Dickey; Julie Lane; Jamie Lorimer; Kate Millar; Chris Newman; Kirsten Pullen; S. James Reynolds; Dominic J. Wells; Matthew J. Witt; Sarah Wolfensohn. 2020. "Animal Research beyond the Laboratory: Report from a Workshop on Places Other than Licensed Establishments (POLEs) in the UK." Animals 10, no. 10: 1868.
Reactivation of latent Gammaherpesvirus in the genital tract can lead to reproductive failure in domestic animals. Nevertheless, this pathophysiology has not received formal study in wild mammals. High prevalence of Mustelid gammaherpesvirus 1 (MusGHV-1) DNA detected in the genital tracts of European badgers (Meles meles) implies that this common pathogen may be a sexual transmitted infection. Here we used PCR to test MusGHV-1 DNA prevalence in genital swabs collected from 144 wild badgers in Ireland (71 males, 73 females) to investigate impacts on male fertility indicators (sperm abundance and testes weight) and female fecundity (current reproductive output). MusGHV-1 reactivation had a negative effect on female reproduction, but not on male fertility; however males had a higher risk of MusGHV-1 reactivation than females, especially during the late-winter mating season, and genital MusGHV-1 reactivation differed between age classes, where 3–5 year old adults had significantly lower reactivation rates than younger or older ones. Negative results in foetal tissues from MusGHV-1 positive mothers indicated that cross-placental transmission was unlikely. This study has broader implications for how wide-spread gammaherpesvirus infections could affect reproductive performance in wild Carnivora species.
Ming-Shan Tsai; Ursula Fogarty; Andrew W. Byrne; James O’Keeffe; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Christina D. Buesching. Effects of Mustelid gammaherpesvirus 1 (MusGHV-1) Reactivation in European Badger (Meles meles) Genital Tracts on Reproductive Fitness. Pathogens 2020, 9, 769 .
AMA StyleMing-Shan Tsai, Ursula Fogarty, Andrew W. Byrne, James O’Keeffe, Chris Newman, David W. Macdonald, Christina D. Buesching. Effects of Mustelid gammaherpesvirus 1 (MusGHV-1) Reactivation in European Badger (Meles meles) Genital Tracts on Reproductive Fitness. Pathogens. 2020; 9 (9):769.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMing-Shan Tsai; Ursula Fogarty; Andrew W. Byrne; James O’Keeffe; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Christina D. Buesching. 2020. "Effects of Mustelid gammaherpesvirus 1 (MusGHV-1) Reactivation in European Badger (Meles meles) Genital Tracts on Reproductive Fitness." Pathogens 9, no. 9: 769.
The top trophic level in many terrestrial food webs is typically occupied by mammalian carnivores (Order Carnivora) that broadly affect and shape ecosystems through trophic cascades. Their inter-specific interactions can further complicate effects on community dynamics as a consequence of intra-guild competition. The capacity for competitive mammalian carnivores to segregate their hunting and activity regimes is in major part a function of their similarity, in terms of body-size and dietary niche; termed the ‘niche variation hypothesis’. In this study, we used camera-trapping to investigate intra-guild interactions and spatio-temporal partitioning among five mesocarnivores, the golden jackal (Canis aureus), European badger (Meles meles), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European wildcat (Felis sylvestris) and stone marten (Martes foina), in the Stara Planina Mountains, Bulgaria. We collected a total of 444 images of golden jackals, 236 images of European badgers, 200 images of red foxes, 171 images of stone martens, and 145 images of European wildcats, from 6612 camera-days across fifteen camera-trapping stations. With respect to body size, the three smaller species (fox, wildcat and marten) were active in different time periods than the two larger competitors (jackal and badger) through both the warm and cold season. The more similar the trophic niche between species pairs (particularly relating to rodent consumption), the greater the spatio-temporal partitioning we observed within the pair; however, this adapted to seasonal dietary shifts. In conclusion, spatial and temporal (fine-scale and seasonal) niche partitioning appeared to reduce encounter probabilities and competition and may act to facilitate sympatric coexistence among this regional mesocarnivore guild.
Hiroshi Tsunoda; Chris Newman; Stanislava Peeva; Evgeniy Raichev; Christina D. Buesching; Yayoi Kaneko. Spatio-temporal partitioning facilitates mesocarnivore sympatry in the Stara Planina Mountains, Bulgaria. Zoology 2020, 141, 125801 .
AMA StyleHiroshi Tsunoda, Chris Newman, Stanislava Peeva, Evgeniy Raichev, Christina D. Buesching, Yayoi Kaneko. Spatio-temporal partitioning facilitates mesocarnivore sympatry in the Stara Planina Mountains, Bulgaria. Zoology. 2020; 141 ():125801.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHiroshi Tsunoda; Chris Newman; Stanislava Peeva; Evgeniy Raichev; Christina D. Buesching; Yayoi Kaneko. 2020. "Spatio-temporal partitioning facilitates mesocarnivore sympatry in the Stara Planina Mountains, Bulgaria." Zoology 141, no. : 125801.
Puberty is a key stage in mammalian ontogeny, involving endocrinological, physiological and behavioural changes, moderated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Thus, not all individuals within one population achieve sexual maturity simultaneously. Here, using the European badger (Meles meles) as a model, we describe male testosterone and female oestrone profiles (using Enzyme-immunoassays) from first capture (3 months, post-weaning) until 28 months (attaining sexual maturity and final body size), along with metrics of somatic growth, scent gland development and maturation of external reproductive organs as well as intra-specific competition. In both sexes, endocrinological puberty commenced at ca. 11 months. Thereafter, cub hormone levels followed adult seasonal hormone patterns but at lower levels, with the majority of cubs reaching sexual maturity during their second mating season (22-28 months). Interestingly, there was evidence for two endocrinological phenotypes among male cubs (less evident in females), with early developers reaching sexual maturity at 11 months (first mating season) and late developers reaching sexual maturity at 22-26 months (second mating season). Early developers also attained a greater proportion of their ultimate adult size by 11 months, exhibiting faster growth rates than late developers (despite having similar adult size). Male cubs born into larger social groups tended to follow the late developer phenotype. Our results support the hypothesis that a minimum body size is required to reach sexual maturity, which may be achieved at different ages, even within a single population, where early maturity can confer individual fitness advantages and enhance population growth rate.
Nadine Adrianna Sugianto; Chris Newman; David Whyte Macdonald; Christina Dagmar Buesching. Heterochrony of puberty in the European Badger (Meles meles) can be explained by growth rate and group-size: Evidence for two endocrinological phenotypes. 2018, 405803 .
AMA StyleNadine Adrianna Sugianto, Chris Newman, David Whyte Macdonald, Christina Dagmar Buesching. Heterochrony of puberty in the European Badger (Meles meles) can be explained by growth rate and group-size: Evidence for two endocrinological phenotypes. . 2018; ():405803.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNadine Adrianna Sugianto; Chris Newman; David Whyte Macdonald; Christina Dagmar Buesching. 2018. "Heterochrony of puberty in the European Badger (Meles meles) can be explained by growth rate and group-size: Evidence for two endocrinological phenotypes." , no. : 405803.
Currently, 43% of the world's terrestrial surface is within five kilometres of a road, and therefore understanding how road networks impact species and ecosystem processes is highly relevant to applied conservation ecology. Among various effects on wildlife, roads can disrupt the interaction between plants and their animal-mediated seed dispersers, compromising plant community composition and regeneration. Here, using the Chinese beech (Fagus engleriana) nut-rodent system, we quantified the extent to which rodent functions on seed dispersal were modified in habitats adjacent to roads. Compared to transects 200 m from the road, we observed approximately nine times greater seed dispersal effectiveness at transects 10 m proximity to the road and six times greater at 100 m from the road. Associated with this, high densities of seedlings, saplings and mature trees occurred closer to the road, suggesting that the road effect zone may facilitate plant recruitment. However, road proximity resulted in shorter nut dispersal distances, which did not support a benefit to plant recruitment. These counteractive effects may be caused by modified rodent behaviour in the vicinity of the road, and also by effects on rodent distribution and activity in relation to road-side habitat structure and environmental pressure. Crucially, no tagged seeds were dispersed across the road, implying that it imposed a barrier effect on animal-mediated seed dispersal and plant recruitment. We conclude that the ever-expanding effect of roads on zoochorous seed dispersal may ultimately cause profound changes in the structure of plant communities across diverse ecosystems, on a global scale.
Jifa Cui; Wenwen Chen; Chris Newman; Wenwu Han; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald; Zongqiang Xie; Youbing Zhou. Roads disrupt rodent scatter-hoarding seed-dispersal services: implication for forest regeneration. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 2018, 34, 102 -108.
AMA StyleJifa Cui, Wenwen Chen, Chris Newman, Wenwu Han, Christina D. Buesching, David W. Macdonald, Zongqiang Xie, Youbing Zhou. Roads disrupt rodent scatter-hoarding seed-dispersal services: implication for forest regeneration. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. 2018; 34 ():102-108.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJifa Cui; Wenwen Chen; Chris Newman; Wenwu Han; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald; Zongqiang Xie; Youbing Zhou. 2018. "Roads disrupt rodent scatter-hoarding seed-dispersal services: implication for forest regeneration." Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 34, no. : 102-108.
Wild-living animals are subject to weather variability that may cause the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress and tissue damage, potentially driving demographic responses. Our 3-yr field study investigated the effects of seasonal weather conditions on biomarkers for oxidative stress, oxidative damage, and antioxidant defense in the European badger (Meles meles). We found age class effects: cubs were more susceptible to oxidative stress and oxidative damage than adults, especially very young cubs in the spring, when they also exhibited lower antioxidant biomarkers than adults. Although previous studies have found that intermediate spring and summer rainfall and warmer temperatures favor cub survival, counterintuitively these conditions were associated with more severe oxidative damage. Oxidative damage was high in cubs even when antioxidant biomarkers were high. In contrast, adult responses accorded with previous survival analyses. Wetter spring and summer conditions were associated with higher oxidative damage, but they were also associated with higher antioxidant biomarkers. Autumnal weather did not vary substantially from normative values, and thus effects were muted. Winter carryover effects were partially evident, with drier and milder conditions associated with greater oxidative damage in the following spring but also with higher antioxidant capacity. Plausibly, warmer conditions promoted more badger activity, with associated metabolic costs at a time of year when food supply is limited. Modeling biomarkers against projected climate change scenarios predicted greater future risks of oxidative damage, although not necessarily exceeding antioxidant capacity. This interdisciplinary approach demonstrates that individual adaptive physiological responses are associated with variation in natural environmental conditions.
Kirstin Bilham; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; Michael J. Noonan; Amy Boyd; Adrian L. Smith; David W. Macdonald. Effects of Weather Conditions on Oxidative Stress, Oxidative Damage, and Antioxidant Capacity in a Wild-Living Mammal, the European Badger (Meles meles). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 2018, 91, 987 -1004.
AMA StyleKirstin Bilham, Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching, Michael J. Noonan, Amy Boyd, Adrian L. Smith, David W. Macdonald. Effects of Weather Conditions on Oxidative Stress, Oxidative Damage, and Antioxidant Capacity in a Wild-Living Mammal, the European Badger (Meles meles). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. 2018; 91 (4):987-1004.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirstin Bilham; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; Michael J. Noonan; Amy Boyd; Adrian L. Smith; David W. Macdonald. 2018. "Effects of Weather Conditions on Oxidative Stress, Oxidative Damage, and Antioxidant Capacity in a Wild-Living Mammal, the European Badger (Meles meles)." Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 91, no. 4: 987-1004.
Den use can be crucial in buffering environmental conditions and especially to provide an insulated environment for raising altricial young. Through Sept-Dec 2016 we monitored temperature and humidity at 11 badger setts (burrow systems), using thermal probes inserted over 4–13 sett entrances to a depth of ca. 2 m, supplemented by continuous daily logging at one entrance per sett. Setts were cooler than exterior conditions Sept-Oct, and warmer than exterior conditions Nov-Dec. Setts cooled down when badgers left them to forage by night, and warmed up when badgers occupied them by day. Soil type and aspect also influenced sett temperature. Sett temperature did not affect the weight or body-condition of either adults or maturing cubs in autumn. However, cubs born into setts that were relatively warmer through the preceding autumn-winter were heavier in the following spring than contemporaries born in cooler setts (badgers exhibit delayed implantation), and so warmer setts might benefit early cub growth. We posit that sett quality may be important in providing badgers with a stable thermal refuge from variable weather conditions. More broadly, den use may buffer climate change effects for many fossorial carnivore species.
Marie Tsunoda; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald; Yayoi Kaneko. Badger setts provide thermal refugia, buffering changeable surface weather conditions. Journal of Thermal Biology 2018, 74, 226 -233.
AMA StyleMarie Tsunoda, Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching, David W. Macdonald, Yayoi Kaneko. Badger setts provide thermal refugia, buffering changeable surface weather conditions. Journal of Thermal Biology. 2018; 74 ():226-233.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie Tsunoda; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald; Yayoi Kaneko. 2018. "Badger setts provide thermal refugia, buffering changeable surface weather conditions." Journal of Thermal Biology 74, no. : 226-233.
Due to their apparent intelligence and adaptability, mustelids typically thrive if introduced into new ranges and increasingly they live among us even in urbanized areas (e.g., stone martens (Martes...
Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching. Mustelidae Cognition. Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior 2018, 1 -14.
AMA StyleChris Newman, Christina D. Buesching. Mustelidae Cognition. Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. 2018; ():1-14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChris Newman; Christina D. Buesching. 2018. "Mustelidae Cognition." Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior , no. : 1-14.
Of thirteen extant species of true badger, eleven have a distribution in Asia, as do the more loosely affiliated stink- and honey-badgers. Even though these badgers show superficial similarities, they exhibit very different societies, even within same species under different circumstances, and provide an informative model to advance understanding of socio-ecology. They illustrate how group-living is promoted by natal philopatry, and food security; enabled by omnivory and hibernation in cold-winter regions. Conversely predatory, carnivorous species, and those competing for food security within a broader trophic guild, tend to be more solitary. This socio-ecological diversity poses conservation challenges, with Asian badgers vulnerable to habitat loss, urban and road development, direct conflict with people, culling to manage zoonotic disease transmission, and hunting pressure – often for traditional medicine. These threats are ever-more prevalent in expanding Asian economies, where cultural and attitudinal changes are urgently needed to safeguard biodiversity for the future.
Youbing Zhou; Chris Newman; Yayoi Kaneko; Christina D. Buesching; Wenwen Chen; Zhao-Min Zhou; Zongqiang Xie; David W. Macdonald. Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation. Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleYoubing Zhou, Chris Newman, Yayoi Kaneko, Christina D. Buesching, Wenwen Chen, Zhao-Min Zhou, Zongqiang Xie, David W. Macdonald. Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation. Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYoubing Zhou; Chris Newman; Yayoi Kaneko; Christina D. Buesching; Wenwen Chen; Zhao-Min Zhou; Zongqiang Xie; David W. Macdonald. 2018. "Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation." Asian badgers—the same, only different: how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation , no. : 1.
Adaptation to climatic conditions is a major ecological and evolutionary driver. Long-term study of European badger population dynamics in Oxfordshire reveals that rainfall and temperature patterns affect food (principally earthworm) availability, energy expended in thermoregulation, and activity patterns, with badgers able to seek refuge in their setts. Cubs prove especially vulnerable to harsh weather conditions, where drought and food shortages exacerbate the severity of pandemic juvenile coccidial parasite infections. Crucially, weather variability, rather than just warming trends, stresses badgers, by destabilising their bioclimatic niche. Summer droughts cause mortality, even driving genetic selection; and while milder winters generally benefit badgers, less time spent in torpor leads to more road casualties. Similar effects also operate over a wide spatial scale in Ireland, impacting regional badger densities and bodyweights. That even an adaptable, generalist musteloid is so variously susceptible to weather conditions highlights how climate change places many species and ecosystems at risk.
Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald. Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics. Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleChris Newman, Christina D. Buesching, David W. Macdonald. Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics. Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChris Newman; Christina D. Buesching; David W. Macdonald. 2018. "Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics." Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem: the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics , no. : 1.
The concluding chapter of this book poses the question: what is special about the musteloids in the context of promoting their conservation. Ranking species on their public appeal, most musteloids score relatively poorly as ambassadors, or flagships, for conservation compared with, for example, big cats. There are individual exceptions (many of the otters, for example, and the endangered ‘celebrity’ species, such as black-footed ferrets or red pandas), and some have potential as umbrella species due to their range overlap with other threatened mammals. The chapter explores if and how musteloids contribute to ecosystem services, and thus their utility value, and assesses the potential for identifying priorities for conservation action (in terms of both priority species and priority countries). The conservation needs of musteloids are varied, and these are not the only important considerations, but they illustrate some of the complexity that is involved.
David W. Macdonald; Chris Newman; Lauren A. Harrington. Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight. Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleDavid W. Macdonald, Chris Newman, Lauren A. Harrington. Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight. Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid W. Macdonald; Chris Newman; Lauren A. Harrington. 2018. "Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight." Beneath the umbrella: conservation out of the limelight , no. : 1.
Excluded from the pursuit predator niche by better-adapted early felids and canids, the musteloids exploited other hunting strategies as grasslands proliferated in the Oligocene. Unconstrained by specialised running limbs, lineages evolved to excavate prey (badgers) and enter burrows (polecats). Others took to tree-climbing (martens, procynoids) and even swimming (otters). While some species specialised in rodent hunting (weasels) others became more generalist omnivores. In-turn the dispersion of these food types dictated socio-spatial geometries, allowing insectivorous, piscivorous and frugivorous species to congregate with varying degrees of social cohesion, often unified within subterranean burrows – a basis to group-living distinct from the pack-hunting felids and canids. Induced ovulation and delayed implantation feature in the mating systems of several species, evolved to ensure breeding success amongst low-density, solitary ancestors. Group-living musteloids exhibit degrees of reproductive suppression, allo-parental care and other cooperative behaviours, thus this contrarian superfamily provides unique insights into the basis of carnivore societies.
David W. Macdonald; Chris Newman. Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society. Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleDavid W. Macdonald, Chris Newman. Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society. Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid W. Macdonald; Chris Newman. 2018. "Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society." Musteloid sociality: the grass-roots of society , no. : 1.
The musteloids comprise over 90 species (belonging to four families – the Mustelidae, Mephitidae, Procyonidae and Ailuridae) in a diversity of forms, that are distributed worldwide, across several climatic zones and in a number of habitat types (terrestrial and aquatic). This first chapter gives a brief overview of the biogeography and ecology of musteloids, their assemblages and communities, their conservation status, and the anthropogenic threats that they face, and then provides a short account of each of the musteloid species describing their geographic range, habitat associations, diet, home range size, population densities, and conservation issues. Each species vignette is accompanied by a range map reproduced from the 2016 IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, and body size data taken from the literature.
David W. Macdonald; Lauren A. Harrington; Chris Newman. Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids. Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleDavid W. Macdonald, Lauren A. Harrington, Chris Newman. Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids. Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid W. Macdonald; Lauren A. Harrington; Chris Newman. 2018. "Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids." Dramatis personae: an introduction to the wild musteloids , no. : 1.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be important drivers of population dynamics because of their negative effects on reproduction. However, screening for STDs, especially in wildlife populations, is widely neglected. Using the promiscuous, polygynandrous European badger (Meles meles) as a model, we investigated the presence and prevalence of herpesviruses (HVs) in a wild, high-density population and assessed potential differences in somatic fitness and female reproductive condition between infected and uninfected individuals. We collected n=98 genital swabs from 71 females (51 adults and 20 cubs) and 27 males (26 adults and 1 cub) during spring and summer 2015. Using a PCR specific for a mustelid α-HV, all genital-swab samples tested negative. In a panherpes PCR, a γ-HV was found in 55% (54/98; 39 adults and 15 cubs), identified as mustelid gammaherpesvirus 1 (MusGHV-1) using DNA sequencing. This contrasts with the results of a previous study, which reported MusGHV-1 in 98% (354/361) of blood samples taken from 218 badgers in the same population using PCR. The detection of MusHV-1 in the female reproductive tract strongly indicates the potential for a horizontal and, likely also a vertical, route of transmission. Our results suggest a potential linkage of genital HVs and impaired future reproductive success in females, but because reproductive failure can have many reasons in badgers, the causative link of this negative relationship remains to be investigated.
Alice Kent; Bernhard Ehlers; Tom Mendum; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Mark Chambers; Christina D. Buesching. GENITAL TRACT SCREENING FINDS WIDESPREAD INFECTION WITH MUSTELID GAMMAHERPESVIRUS 1 IN THE EUROPEAN BADGER (MELES MELES). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2018, 54, 133 -137.
AMA StyleAlice Kent, Bernhard Ehlers, Tom Mendum, Chris Newman, David W. Macdonald, Mark Chambers, Christina D. Buesching. GENITAL TRACT SCREENING FINDS WIDESPREAD INFECTION WITH MUSTELID GAMMAHERPESVIRUS 1 IN THE EUROPEAN BADGER (MELES MELES). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2018; 54 (1):133-137.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlice Kent; Bernhard Ehlers; Tom Mendum; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Mark Chambers; Christina D. Buesching. 2018. "GENITAL TRACT SCREENING FINDS WIDESPREAD INFECTION WITH MUSTELID GAMMAHERPESVIRUS 1 IN THE EUROPEAN BADGER (MELES MELES)." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 54, no. 1: 133-137.
In the light of human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC), populations are exposed to ever-greater bioclimatic stress at the edge of a species’ historic range. The distribution dynamics of European badgers (Meles meles) at their southern edge are linked tightly to climatic variability. We contribute critical data on how climatic context and local factors determine site occupancy in a northern-range population. Eleven study areas (averaging ~21.3 km2) spread over ~50,000 km2 in Northern Scotland. While accounting for heterogeneous detectability, we applied single-season occupancy models to broad-scale camera-trapping data (168 stations) to evaluate how Autumn–Winter weather conditions interact with land-cover type (including agricultural land) and human disturbance to determine badger occupancy. Mean minimum daily winter temperature and elevation influenced inter-site occupancy. When clustering study areas into two distinct topo-climatic types, badger occupancy was associated with agriculture in areas with lower mean minimum winter temperatures (246 m). In areas with higher mean minimum winter temperature (>1.2°C) at lower elevation (<133 m), badgers selected sites further away from human infrastructures (settlements and main roads). Climatic factors and human disturbance interact in intricate, context-dependent patterns to determine badger site occupancy. The UKCP09 Medium Emissions Scenario projects a winter mean minimum temperature increase of between 1 and 3°C (central estimate) for Northern Scotland by the 2050s. Although warmer weather should benefit badger occupancy, this may be counteracted by up to a predicted 5% human population increase in the Scottish highlands, by 2037, which is likely to disturb badgers. We show that even in instances where species’ regional responses to climate change are positive, these effects can be neutralized by other anthropogenic pressures. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence advocating that interactive effects should be taken into account when planning conservation management.
André P. Silva; Gonçalo Curveira-Santos; Kerry Kilshaw; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Luciana G. Simões; Luís M. Rosalino. Climate and anthropogenic factors determine site occupancy in Scotland's Northern-range badger population: implications of context-dependent responses under environmental change. Diversity and Distributions 2017, 23, 627 -639.
AMA StyleAndré P. Silva, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos, Kerry Kilshaw, Chris Newman, David W. Macdonald, Luciana G. Simões, Luís M. Rosalino. Climate and anthropogenic factors determine site occupancy in Scotland's Northern-range badger population: implications of context-dependent responses under environmental change. Diversity and Distributions. 2017; 23 (6):627-639.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndré P. Silva; Gonçalo Curveira-Santos; Kerry Kilshaw; Chris Newman; David W. Macdonald; Luciana G. Simões; Luís M. Rosalino. 2017. "Climate and anthropogenic factors determine site occupancy in Scotland's Northern-range badger population: implications of context-dependent responses under environmental change." Diversity and Distributions 23, no. 6: 627-639.
European badgers (Meles meles) use shared defecation sites, termed latrines, to demarcate group ranges. While some latrines are small, comprising few pits with few fresh scats spread over a small area, others are large, comprising many pits with many fresh droppings and extending over a large area. Although many studies have investigated badger latrine usage patterns, and speculated on latrine function, this variation in relative latrine size remains unexplained. Using nearest neighbor analyses, we analyzed the latrine positioning, use, and inter-latrine distances from four study areas with different population densities. We found that latrines were spaced regularly throughout the range, and border marking was prioritized, increasing the chances of traversing badgers intercepting a latrine. While the numbers of latrines increased with group range size, the number of fresh feces per latrine decreased, suggesting that fresh feces may be a limiting resource in the maintenance of latrines, and that maintaining latrine spacing pattern is more important than the actual number of fresh feces in each latrine. We thus posited that, where territories are small and groups large, the capacity to produce feces exceeds the minimum need for perimeter marking, resulting in fecal redundancy and large latrines. In contrast, in larger territories, especially when occupied by smaller groups, badgers may experience fecal constraint, thus maintaining smaller latrines. We concluded that latrine maintenance and fecal scent-marking activity in badgers involves a trade-off between group size and group range area, leading to different degrees of fecal constraint, while energetic costs of signaling are minimized.
Christina D. Buesching; Chris Newman; Katrina Service; David W. Macdonald; Philip Riordan. Latrine marking patterns of badgers ( Meles meles ) with respect to population density and range size. Ecosphere 2016, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleChristina D. Buesching, Chris Newman, Katrina Service, David W. Macdonald, Philip Riordan. Latrine marking patterns of badgers ( Meles meles ) with respect to population density and range size. Ecosphere. 2016; 7 (5):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristina D. Buesching; Chris Newman; Katrina Service; David W. Macdonald; Philip Riordan. 2016. "Latrine marking patterns of badgers ( Meles meles ) with respect to population density and range size." Ecosphere 7, no. 5: 1.
Zhao-Min Zhou; Rebecca N Johnson; Chris Newman; Christina D Buesching; David W Macdonald; Youbing Zhou. Private possession drives illegal wildlife trade in China. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2015, 13, 353 -354.
AMA StyleZhao-Min Zhou, Rebecca N Johnson, Chris Newman, Christina D Buesching, David W Macdonald, Youbing Zhou. Private possession drives illegal wildlife trade in China. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2015; 13 (7):353-354.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhao-Min Zhou; Rebecca N Johnson; Chris Newman; Christina D Buesching; David W Macdonald; Youbing Zhou. 2015. "Private possession drives illegal wildlife trade in China." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13, no. 7: 353-354.
Many of the encounters between farming and wildlife, especially vertebrates, involve human–wildlife conflict for some parties at some scale. This is not surprising considering that the farmscape is put to multiple uses by diverse categories of people with widely different goals, but it is problematic insofar as conflict expresses disadvantage to both the wildlife and the people involved. The sources of the problems, and ultimately of the threats to conservation, can be characterized as ‘seven deadly risk factors. Remedies and mitigations are varied, and variously difficult to achieve, but all benefit from the principles of evidence-based, inter-disciplinary policy. This chapter introduces the themes and case studies that comprise the chapters of this book.
David W. Macdonald; Eva M. Raebel; Chris Newman; Ruth E. Feber. War or peace. Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2 2015, 1 -19.
AMA StyleDavid W. Macdonald, Eva M. Raebel, Chris Newman, Ruth E. Feber. War or peace. Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2. 2015; ():1-19.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid W. Macdonald; Eva M. Raebel; Chris Newman; Ruth E. Feber. 2015. "War or peace." Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2 , no. : 1-19.
Despite their emblematic status, assumed knowledge on the socio-ecology of badgers, even that based on older research, proves increasingly incongruous; providing an inadequate basis to decide management policy. Starting from 1987 at the Wytham Woods research site, the 9500 + captures of 1548 individuals, for which detailed data has been gathered, have afforded unique insights into badger society. This chapter demonstrates that they do not in fact live in discrete groups, but rather trespass into supposed neighbouring group ranges and visit other group setts. Here they mate, with almost 50% of cubs fathered by extra-group males, although with scant evidence of any offspring advantages. Only limited social interactions can be observed, typically on a purely reciprocal basis, and communication mediated primarily by scent secretion and olfaction. Population dynamics also prove intriguing, interacting strongly with weather conditions, in both absolute terms and with an adverse effect of unpredictable weather variability. Dry summers exacerbate the effect of endo-parasitic infections, leading to cub mortality; and while mild winters favour survival overall, greater ranging activity is associated with more traffic fatalities. Ultimately, the chapter exposes how it is the dispersion of key resources, and in particular earthworms, which best explains badger socio-spatial geometries. This intersects with agricultural practice and land management, where the mosaic of worm-rich fields, peppered with wooded copses, that typify the British countryside have created conditions where this otherwise more solitary mustelid thrives, and is consequently forced into high-density living. The result is an awkward compromise, where their socio-ecology lags their actual ecological circumstances.
David W. Macdonald; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching. Badgers in the rural landscape—conservation paragon or farmland pariah? Lessons from the Wytham Badger Project. Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2 2015, 65 -95.
AMA StyleDavid W. Macdonald, Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching. Badgers in the rural landscape—conservation paragon or farmland pariah? Lessons from the Wytham Badger Project. Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2. 2015; ():65-95.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid W. Macdonald; Chris Newman; Christina D. Buesching. 2015. "Badgers in the rural landscape—conservation paragon or farmland pariah? Lessons from the Wytham Badger Project." Wildlife Conservation on Farmland Volume 2 , no. : 65-95.
Youbing Zhou; Wenwen Chen; Christina D. Buesching; Chris Newman; Yayoi Kaneko; Mingxi Xiang; Caiai Nie; David W. Macdonald; Zongqiang Xie. Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) latrine use in relation to food abundance: evidence of the scarce factor paradox. Ecosphere 2015, 6, art19 .
AMA StyleYoubing Zhou, Wenwen Chen, Christina D. Buesching, Chris Newman, Yayoi Kaneko, Mingxi Xiang, Caiai Nie, David W. Macdonald, Zongqiang Xie. Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) latrine use in relation to food abundance: evidence of the scarce factor paradox. Ecosphere. 2015; 6 (1):art19.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYoubing Zhou; Wenwen Chen; Christina D. Buesching; Chris Newman; Yayoi Kaneko; Mingxi Xiang; Caiai Nie; David W. Macdonald; Zongqiang Xie. 2015. "Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) latrine use in relation to food abundance: evidence of the scarce factor paradox." Ecosphere 6, no. 1: art19.