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Madagascar is an island nation renowned for its biodiversity and species endemism, yet it is still largely understudied despite intense anthropogenic threats including forest loss and edge effects. Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve is a recently expanded rainforest protected area that is lacking detailed surveys and assessments of the native carnivore community of the endemic family Eupleridae. To identify which terrestrial carnivores occupy the reserve and what anthropogenic disturbances and factors best explain their occurrence patterns, we deployed 35 motion-activated cameras to detect native and introduced carnivores. From November 2018 to February 2019, we collected 2918 unique capture events (all species) and confirmed the presence of 5 euplerids: Galidia elegans, Galidictis fasciata, Eupleres goudotii, Fossa fossana, and Cryptoprocta ferox. These results extend the known range of E. goudotii and G. fasciata. In the reserve, F. fossana and G. elegans were the most common and widespread native carnivores, while E. goudotii was the rarest. We highlight the negative impact of edge effects on G. fasciata and F. fossana and the threat posed by the free-ranging non-native carnivore C. familiaris. This study represents the first detailed survey and occurrence estimates of the carnivore community of this protected area, allowing comparison with other protected areas in Madagascar. Our empirical findings show that anthropogenic disturbance negatively impacts carnivore existence within the Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve and provide important management recommendations for protecting the carnivore community and the co-occurring wildlife living within this area.

Studies of elusive carnivores often rely on passive sampling when investigating either spatial or temporal interactions. However, inference on behavioral mechanisms are usually lacking. We present an analysis that combines previously published spatial co-occurrence estimates and temporal kernel density estimates to explore spatiotemporal interspecific interactions. We do so by deriving a spatiotemporal value (STV) that is a relative measure of potential interaction in both niche dimensions, across a gradient of degradation, for rainforest carnivore pairs in Madagascar. We also use a conceptual framework to provide insight into the potential behavioral mechanisms of habitat selection. Of the six native and three invasive carnivores, we estimate the spatiotemporal interactions for twelve pairings, which range from no spatial/temporal relationship (n = 5) to spatiotemporal aggregation or segregation (n = 7). We visualized these spatiotemporal interactions along a fragmentation gradient and demonstrate that these interactions are not static, as STV overlap increases with increasing anthropogenic disturbance. Of the three invasive carnivores (free-ranging dogs Canis familiaris, cats Felis species, and small Indian civets Viverricula indica) the latter had the highest number of spatial occurrence (n = 4) and spatiotemporal overlap (n = 4) relationships with native carnivores. Our results highlight the potential for increasing direct and indirect interactions between native and invasive species as forest degradation and invasive predators increase. Our approach allows us to better understand adaptive behaviors, plasticity in temporal activity, community assemblage, and to develop targeted conservation strategies to manage ecological communities in rapidly changing ecosystems.

Effective, targeted management and conservation plans for wildlife populations require reliable population sampling and estimation. Unfortunately, robust, comprehensive primate population estimates are often lacking, particularly for rare, elusive species. Historically, population estimates of primates have relied on labor-intensive line-transect sampling and distance estimation techniques. We used occupancy sampling to estimate the probability of occupancy and detection of seven lemur species in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, and explore relationships between occupancy and detection and landscape, habitat, and co-occurring species variables. We detected and provide estimates of occupancy and/or detection for seven lemur species in a World Heritage Site: Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We found habitat type was an important variable explaining occupancy patterns for detection of golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), as well as red bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) and black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata). The presence of free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) was an important factor in several competing models for red-bellied lemurs and eastern lesser bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur griseus), highlighting the threat posed by this exotic predator to primates. While some estimates had error values overlapping zero, reflecting the rarity and low detection of these species, these results indicate the importance of protecting multiple forest types to maintain lemur biodiversity and the underappreciated conservation threat of invasive species in Madagascar.

Primate species face growing risks of extinction throughout the world. To better protect their populations, effective monitoring techniques are needed. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of arboreal camera traps and occupancy modeling as conservation tools for threatened lemur species. This project aimed to (1) estimate the occupancy and detection probabilities of lemur species, (2) investigate factors potentially affecting lemur habitat use, and (3) determine whether ground or arboreal cameras are better for surveying lemur assemblages. We conducted camera trapping research in five forest fragments (total trap nights = 1770; 900 arboreal trap nights (134 photo events); 870 ground trap nights (2 photo events)) and reforestation areas (total trap nights = 608; 1 photo event) in Kianjavato, Madagascar from May to September 2019. We used arboreal trap data from fragments to estimate occupancy for five species: the red-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur rufifrons; ψ = 0.54 ± SD 0.03), Jolly's mouse lemur (Microcebus jollyae; ψ = 0.14 ± 0.17), the greater dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus major; ψ = 0.42 ± 0.30), the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer; ψ = 0.24 ± 0.03), and the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata; ψ = 0.24 ± 0.08). Tree diameter, elevation, distance to village, and canopy connectivity were important predictors of occupancy, while camera height, canopy connectivity, fragment ID, and fragment size predicted detection. Arboreal cameras recorded significantly higher species richness compared with ground cameras. We suggest expanded application of arboreal camera traps in future research, but we recommend longer trapping periods to better sample rarer species. Overall, arboreal camera trapping combined with occupancy modeling can be a highly efficient and useful approach for monitoring and predicting the occurrence of elusive lemur species and has the potential to be effective for other arboreal primates and canopy taxa across the globe.

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are estimated to be one of the most globally abundant invasive carnivores that threaten wildlife. Madagascar is home to large populations of free-roaming dogs and is a highly diverse and anthropogenically threatened environment, making it one of the world's top conservation priorities. Comparatively little is known about human-dog relationships in developing countries such as Madagascar. We surveyed non-dog owners and dog owners visiting free mobile veterinary clinics in their communities around Ranomafana National Park (RNP) and Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (AMNP) to understand human-dog relationships, gain insight on free-roaming dog behavior, and to assess the feasibility of humane population control measures. Amongst dog owners, the vast majority of respondents reported owning their dog for protection and a significant number had dogs for companionship. Our results indicate that free-roaming (owned, unconfined) dogs may be an underappreciated threat to endemic wildlife in the National Parks of Madagascar, as nearly half of dog owners reported that their dog killed at least one wild animal a month. Most dog owners in surveyed communities approve of spay/neuter/vaccine programs and state that they would use them if freely available, indicating that veterinary intervention can be an important tool in humanely controlling free-roaming dog populations in these regions.

Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensisL.) is a persistent, perennial weed species that infests a variety of temperate habitats around the globe. To evaluate the efficacy of general management approaches and impacts on crop yield and to identify research gaps, we conducted a series of meta-analyses using published studies focusing onC. arvensismanagement in annual cropping and perennial systems. Our analysis of 48 articles (560 data points) conducted in annual systems indicated that 95% of data points measured efficacy over short time frames (within 2 yr of treatment). Furthermore, only 27% of data points reported impacts ofC. arvensismanagement on crop yield. In annual systems, herbicide control dominated the literature (~80% of data points) and was an effective management technique up to 2 yr posttreatment. Integrated management, with or without herbicides, and three nonchemical techniques were similarly effective as herbicide at reducingC. arvensisup to 2 yr posttreatment. In addition, integrated approaches, with or without herbicides, and two nonchemical techniques had positive effects on crop yield. There were few differences among herbicide mechanism of action groups onC. arvensisabundance in annual systems. There were only nine articles (28 data points) concerningC. arvensismanagement in perennial systems (e.g., pasture, rangeland, lawn), indicating more research effort has been directed toward annual systems. In perennial systems, biocontrol, herbicide, and non-herbicide integrated management techniques were equally effective at reducingC. arvensis, while competition and grazing were not effective. Overall, our results demonstrate that while chemical control ofC. arvensisis generally effective and well studied, integrated and nonchemical control practices can perform equally well. We also documented the need for improved monitoring of the efficacy of management practices over longer time frames and including effects on desired vegetation to develop sustainable weed management programs.

The standard row width for potato production in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon is 86 cm (34 in.), but the reasons for this are unclear. The goal of this research was to identify a row width that maximizes potato grower revenue by optimizing land use efficiency. A 2012 pilot study conducted in central WA with four potato varieties (Alturas, Ranger Russet (R.), R. Burbank, and Umatilla R.) and four row width treatments (76, 81, 86, and 91 cm (30, 32, 34, and 36 in.)) indicated that row widths

Although stand-alone and integrated management techniques have been cited as viable approaches to managing Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense(L.) Scop.], it continues to impact annual cropping and perennial systems worldwide. We conducted meta-analyses assessing effectiveness of management techniques and herbicide mechanism of action groups for controllingC. arvenseusing 55 studies conducted in annual cropping systems and 45 studies in perennial systems. Herbicide was the most studied technique in both types of systems and was effective at reducingC. arvense. However, integrated multitactic techniques, with or without herbicides, were more effective than sole reliance on herbicides for long-term control in both annual cropping and perennial systems. A variety of management techniques such as biocontrol, crop diversification, mowing, and soil disturbance provided control similar to that of herbicide. Our results suggest that many management techniques aimed at reducingC. arvensecan also improve crop yield or abundance of desired plants. This study highlights the need to devote more research to nonchemical and integrated management approaches forC. arvensecontrol.

Organic farming has become a major agricultural and economic sector, and weed management is one of the primary challenges facing the industry. Of particular concern are rhizomatous perennial weeds such as field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) and Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.] which are highly competitive and not easily controlled in organic systems. We conducted meta-analyses of the existing literature to 1) identify promising management approaches for these weeds in the absence of synthetic herbicides and 2) determine which aspects of field bindweed and Canada thistle management warrant further study. Mechanical control (i.e. plowing, cultivation, hoeing) was the most studied management category in annual cropping systems, accounting for 40% of data extracted, but did not outperform most of the other management actions overall, possibly due to the variability in specific methodology (i.e. timing, frequency, depth, implement). In annual systems, integrated management, or the combination of two or more control methods, emerged as the management technique that caused the greatest decrease in abundance and survival for field bindweed. We identified several additional management techniques that decreased field bindweed and/or Canada thistle in both annual and perennial systems including biocontrol, mowing, grazing, crop diversification, solarization, shading, flaming, and crop competition. However, organic producers continue to struggle with these species. This discrepancy may originate from the fact that most of the studies we evaluated reported impacts over short time spans, with 53% being conducted for a period of one to two years, and only 9% conducted for five or more years. Further, only 16% of field bindweed and 26% of Canada thistle studies reported measures of variability. Longer-term research focused on sustainable perennial weed management systems is needed in addition to research about short-term interventions.

Introduced carnivores exert considerable pressure on native predators through predation, competition and disease transmission. Recent research shows that exotic carnivores negatively affect the distribution and abundance of the native and endangered carnivores of Madagascar. In this study, we provide information about the frequency and distribution of interactions between exotic (dogs and cats) and native carnivores (Eupleridae) in the Betampona Natural Reserve (BNR), Madagascar, using noninvasive camera trap surveys. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) were the most frequently detected carnivore species within the BNR, and we found that indirect interactions between exotic and native carnivores were frequent (n = 236). Indirect interactions were more likely to occur near the research station (incidence rate ratio = 0.91), which may constitute a disease transmission hot spot for carnivores at BNR. The intervals between capture of native and exotic carnivores suggest that there is potential for pathogen transmission between species in BNR. These capture intervals were significantly shorter near the edge of the reserve (P = 0.04). These data could be used to implement biosecurity measures to monitor interactions and prevent disease transmission between species at the domestic animal and wildlife interface.

Six hundred untrained panelists evaluated the baked sensory appeal of up to six varieties, three clones, and two Russet Norkotah (RN) strains. Panelists consumed small samples of plain baked potato and recorded their preference for aroma, flavor, texture, aftertaste and acceptance. After viewing photographs of two unidentified baked potatoes (RN and Classic Russet) sliced in half, they selected the photo that best described their visual preference of a baked potato; each potato was stored at 6.7 °C for 6 months prior to cooking. Eighty percent of panelists shown the photographs of the unidentified baked potatoes preferred the visual appearance of Classic R (white/cream - colored flesh) to that of RN (yellow/Gy - colored flesh). Mean scores for all culinary traits averaged > 5.0 on the 1-9 scale, which indicated that panelists generally liked the culinary attributes of all trialed varieties, however, panelists were able to detect differences among varieties. Flavor and texture were addressed in written comments from panelists more frequently than other attributes. On a texture scale of 1–7, with 1 = moist/dense and 7 = dry/crumbly, most panelists preferred baked potatoes with a texture of 3 (creamy/smooth).

Protected areas (PA) aim to eliminate many of the threats that species face on the greater landscape. In the last three decades, PA's have expanded considerably; however, quantitative assessments of how well they have mitigated threats to habitat and biodiversity are very limited. Habitat bordering PA's and the wildlife that use it are threatened by a wide-range of anthropogenic pressures (e.g., edge effects, fragmentation, and introduced predators) and this situation is particularly acute for low-density, poorly studied carnivore communities. From 2010 to 2015, we photographically sampled within (contiguous forest) and bordering (degraded, fragmented forest) a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest PA in Madagascar - Ranomafana National Park (RNP). We investigated the effects of invasive predators, local people presence, and habitat quality on the endemic rainforest carnivore community using static, dynamic, and co-occurrence models. We found native carnivores to be absent or have a low probability of occurrence in degraded forest bordering the PA, while local people and dogs ( Canis familiaris ) had high occurrence. Madagascar's largest endemic carnivore, the fosa ( Cryptoprocta ferox ) and the much smaller ring-tailed vontsira ( Galidia elegans ), occurrence in RNP declined rapidly over six years; their strong co-occurrence with dogs suggests interspecific competition, direct aggression/mortality, or disease as the cause. We highlight the dangers posed to biodiversity, particularly carnivores, from anthropogenic pressures bordering PA's and present recommendations to address increased human and dog activity, including programs to control dogs and their impact on biodiversity.

In 2016, Russet Norkotah was the second most widely grown potato variety in the US; however, recent research has identified alternatives with excellent production economics. During 2011–2013, fresh market variety research was conducted in the Columbia Basin of central Washington, a long-season production region. Russet Norkotah was compared to five varieties–Classic Russet, Mountain Gem Russet, Russet Burbank, Targhee Russet, and Teton Russet–and four sub-clonal strains–CO-3, CO-8, TX-278, and TX-296–derived from Russet Norkotah. Each variety was evaluated for early- (104 days between planting and vine kill) and late- (150 days between planting and vine kill) harvest tuber size profile, grade, and yield, grower economic value, susceptibility to blackspot bruise and shatter bruise, emergence, stem and at-harvest tuber numbers, tuber length-to-width ratios, and quality. When harvested early, Classic Russet and Mountain Gem Russet produced 30% and 15% more gross revenue than Russet Norkotah, respectively. All other varieties and Russet Norkotah strains except CO-3 produced as much early-harvest gross revenue as Russet Norkotah. CO-3 early-harvest revenue was close to 50% lower than that of Russet Norkotah. All varieties and Russet Norkotah strains produced significantly greater late-harvest yields and gross returns than Russet Norkotah. Late-harvest gross revenue for Targhee Russet and Mountain Gem Russet was 38% and 34% higher than Russet Norkotah, respectively. Classic Russet, Mountain Gem Russet, Targhee Russet, and Teton Russet had significantly more shatter bruise following the late harvest than Russet Norkotah and all Russet Norkotah strains. Russet Burbank was among the most susceptible to blackspot and Targhee Russet the least, with 32% and 2.1%, respectively. If bruising is mitigated, Mountain Gem Russet, Classic Russet, and Teton Russet may be suitable alternatives to Russet Norkotah and Russet Norkotah strains for both early and late harvests.

SummaryCamera trap surveys are a non-invasive way to monitor wildlife populations. Although most often used to study medium- and large-sized mammals, camera traps also detect non-target species. These detections provide useful ecological information on little-known species, but such data usually remain unanalysed. We used detections from camera-trapping surveys of native carnivores and small mammals to examine distribution patterns and occupancy trends of little-known ground-dwelling rainforest birds at seven sites across the Masoala-Makira protected area complex in north-eastern Madagascar. We obtained 4,083 detections of 28 bird species over 18,056 trap nights from 200 to 2013. We estimated occupancy across the Masoala-Makira protected area complex (hereafter, landscape occupancy) and annual trends in occupancy at three resurveyed sites for five commonly observed species. Landscape occupancy across Masoala-Makira ranged from 0.75 (SE 0.09; Madagascar Magpie-robinCopsychus albospecularis) to 0.25 (SE 0.06; Scaly Ground-rollerGeobiastes squamiger). Ground-dwelling forest bird occupancy was similar at forest sites that ranged from intact to fully degraded; however, three species were detected less often at sites with high feral cat trap success. Nearly half of all focal species showed declines in annual occupancy probability at one resurveyed site (S02) from 2008 to 2013. The declines in ground-dwelling bird occupancy could have community-wide consequences as birds provide ecosystem services such as seed dispersal and pest regulation. We suggest immediate conservation measures—such as feral cat removal—be implemented to protect ground-dwelling forest birds and other threatened taxa across this landscape.

We examined horizontal spatial patterns of fish densities and zooplankton biomass at a fine spatial scale of 50 m across seasons before, during, and after an experimental lake destratification to determine how interacting trophic levels may respond to alteration of thermal stratification. We used semivariogram analysis to calculate maximum distances of autocorrelation for fish and zooplankton separately, and cross variograms to determine whether relationships between fish and zooplankton are positive or negative. Fish became more dispersed during the manipulation, likely due to a flight response with the loss of preferred cold water habitat. There were no changes in zooplankton horizontal distributions with mixing, but we detected seasonal trends in distribution and biomass. We detected positive relationships between fish densities and zooplankton biomass for portions of the year, but did not detect any negative relationships. There was no effect of lake mixing on spatial interactions between fish and zooplankton. Our results indicate that external factors, such as seasonal wind patterns, may drive whole-lake zooplankton distributions, and that fish respond horizontally to change in vertically structured processes, especially when reliant on depth-dependent variables such as cold water.

Surveys across multiple seasons or years are necessary to evaluate the effects of dynamic processes on long-term persistence of wildlife populations, such as effects of exotic species on native species populations. Unfortunately, multi-year surveys are rare, particularly for rainforest carnivore populations, and managers often rely on single-season/year, ‘snapshot’ surveys that produce static estimates of population parameters. Here we provide results using single-species, multi-year occupancy modeling from a six-year survey (2008–2013) of a rainforest carnivore community at a 15 km 2 area study site within the newly established Makira Natural Park, Madagascar. We demonstrate a precipitous decline in the native carnivore community with four of the six native carnivores (falanouc Eupleres goudotii , ring-tailed vontsira Galidia elegans , broad-striped vontsira Galidictis fasciata , and brown-tailed vontsira Salanoia concolor ) decreasing by at least 60% over this six-year period. In addition, we observed two exotic carnivores (small Indian civet Viverricula indica and feral cat Felis species) colonize this study site with Felis species increasing in occupancy from 0 to 0.68 by the final year. Further, we demonstrate how variables associated with human encroachment (i.e. distance to forest edge and nearest village) are most important for explaining these trends in native carnivore extirpation and exotic carnivore colonization. These findings provide additional evidence on the threat posed to native carnivore populations by the expansion of exotic carnivores worldwide. We highlight the striking increase in extirpation, and the factors influencing such changes, for native carnivores. In this manuscript, we point to the limited number of multi-year surveys to evaluate dynamic processes on long-term persistence of native wildlife populations, as well as the lack of exotic carnivore control programs in threatened ecosystems in many developing nations as factors limiting our ability to effectively conserve biodiversity across the globe.

Summary Plants alter soil biota which subsequently modifies plant growth, plant–plant interactions and plant community dynamics. While much research has been conducted on the magnitude and importance of soil biota effects (SBEs) in natural systems, little is known in agro-ecosystems. We investigated whether agricultural management systems could affect SBEs impacts on crop growth and crop–weed competition. Utilising soil collected from eight paired farms, we evaluated the extent to which SBEs differed between conventional and organic farming systems. Soils were conditioned by growing two common annual weeds: Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed) or Avena fatua (wild oat). Soil biota effects were measured in wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth and crop–weed competition, with SBEs calculated as the natural log of plant biomass in pots inoculated with living soil divided by the plant biomass in pots inoculated with sterilised soil. SBEs were generally more positive when soil inoculum was collected from organic farms compared with conventional farms, suggesting that cropping systems modify the relative abundance of mutualistic and pathogenic organisms responsible for the observed SBEs. Also, as feedbacks became more positive, crop–weed competition decreased and facilitation increased. In annual cropping systems, SBEs can alter plant growth and crop–weed competition. By identifying the management practices that promote positive SBEs, producers can minimise the impacts of crop–weed competition and decrease their reliance on off-farm chemical and mechanical inputs to control weeds, enhancing agroecosystem sustainability.

Biological invasions can represent important threats to endemic species, including those within the invaders’ food webs. The Asian common toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) was introduced to Madagascar in 2011. This introduction presents a potentially dangerous prey item to a relatively naive, highly diverse endemic carnivore fauna. Using a multivariate niche modeling approach (background test), we assessed the predicted niche overlap between D. melanostictus and six endemic carnivores in eastern Madagascar. The overlap between this potential prey and predators was assessed on four environmental niche axes: temperature, precipitation, vegetation cover and elevation. Our results showed a mixture of niche overlap and divergence between D. melanostictus and the six carnivores for environmental axes tested. There was significant overlap with five of the carnivores on temperature and NDVI axes. On the precipitation axis, there was significant overlap between D. melanostictus with two species. Our results suggested that wide-ranging, locally rare carnivores may overlap extensively with D. melanostictus. The six carnivores that inhabit the eastern rainforest of Madagascar will likely share multiple, niche axes with this novel potential prey item. Species that eat the non-native common toad and are susceptible to its toxins are at conservation risk because their populations may not be robust enough to adapt quickly to this threat. We advocate closely monitoring these emerging interactions and suggest a preemptive conservation strategy for carnivores potentially at risk.

Primate populations, including Madagascar’s lemurs, are threatened worldwide and conservationists need accurate population estimates to develop targeted conservation plans. We sought to fill knowledge gaps for three lemur taxa —white-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur albifrons); eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger); and Allocebus/Microcebus, a category combining observations of hairy-eared dwarf lemurs (Allocebus trichotis) and mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.)— in northeastern Madagascar by estimating their density, examining how their encounter rates and densities vary across three different forest types, and monitoring trends in encounter rates and densities at resurveyed sites, using data from surveys at six forest sites over a 4-year period (2010–2013). Landscape density for white-fronted brown lemur, eastern woolly lemur, and Allocebus/Microcebus was 21.5 (SE 3.67), 57.7 (SE 9.17), and 39.1 (SE 9.55) individuals/km2, respectively. There was no difference in density estimates at intact and intermediately degraded forest sites; however, we encountered white-fronted brown lemurs more often in intact forest (1.64 ± SE 0.40 individuals/km) than in intermediately degraded and degraded forest (0.15 ± SE 0.06 and 0.16 ± SE 0.06 individuals/km). In addition, we encountered white-fronted brown lemurs at lower rates in 2013 (0.15 ± SE 0.06 individuals/km) compared to 2010 (0.82 ± SE 0.12 individuals/km) at a resurveyed site. Our findings emphasize that primate researchers must account for variation in how lemur encounter rates and densities differ between intact and degraded forests, and although we observed a decline in white-fronted brown lemur encounter rate at our resurveyed site, we caution that changes in lemur encounter rates may simply reflect lower detection rates rather than lower density. Future research should focus on using conventional distance sampling techniques, which are infrequently used in primate studies, to provide more robust density estimates as a way to accurately assess trends and the effects of anthropogenic pressures on lemur populations.

Understanding demographic structures of populations allows managers to better evaluate factors affecting populations and increase efficiency of conservation efforts. Recent studies suggest low productivity, but high survival characterizes mallard (Anas platyrhnchos) populations in the Nebraska Sandhills. We studied age ratios of decoy-trapped and observer-shot mallards in the Sandhills during 2007–2008. Observed age distribution (second-year:after-second-year) of mallards was 2.8:1 for females and 0.8:1 for males. Age ratios of trapped females were skewed towards young females relative to other studies, and the age ratio of trapped females was not different than the age ratio of the sample we collected by shooting. The skewed age ratios we observed provide additional context to the low reproductive success that has been reported for nesting mallards in the Sandhills. Second-year mallard females tend to invest fewer resources and take fewer risks associated with nesting. As a result the Sandhills ...

Despite exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and endemism found in Madagascar, much of its wildlife remains little studied, particularly the carnivore community. The recently described, little-known black forest cat (locally known as “ fitoaty ”) is believed to be restricted to NE Madagascar and has been investigated only through village surveys and anecdotal accounts. From 2008 to 2012, we photographically sampled 7 forest sites with varying degrees of degradation and fragmentation across Makira Natural Park with the goals of: 1) estimating landscape occupancy for fitoaty ( Felis spp.), 2) identifying variables influencing fitoaty occupancy, and 3) comparing fitoaty and feral cat ( Felis spp.) occupancy across the landscape. We observed higher occupancy for fitoaty , minimal co-occurrence between fitoaty and feral cats ( n = 2 sites), and strong divergence in habitat use. We provide the 1st assessment of fitoaty morphology, including comparisons with anecdotal reports, and the 1st population assessment of Madagascar’s exotic cat community with insights into factors associated with carnivore population trends in Madagascar. We suggest the described fitoaty is a phenotypically different form of the feral cat, but additional research is needed. Targeted management plans are needed to diminish the spread and potential negative effects of invasive cats across this important biologically diverse ecoregion.

Human populations continue to increase and encroach on remaining natural habitats worldwide, resulting in greater numbers and larger ranges of commensal exotic carnivores such as cats and dogs. This results in increased interactions with native wildlife. In Madagascar, we know relatively little about the effects of domestic and/or feral dogs and cats on native carnivore populations. We investigated spatial interactions by combining photographic sampling across seven sites with two-species co-occurrence modeling to provide the first assessment of the spatial co-occurrence of native and exotic carnivores in Madagascar, including an examination of habitat characteristics that explain these relationships. Our surveys from 2008 to 2013 accumulated 2991 photo-captures of native and exotic carnivores in 8854 trap nights. We found that native and exotic carnivores in rainforest habitat occur together less often than expected and that exotic carnivores may be replacing native carnivores, particularly in forest areas nearest villages. Six of the native carnivores in this study had higher site use in the absence of exotic carnivores and their species interaction factors (SIF) revealed a lack of co-occurrence (e.g. SIF

Fil: Rich, Lindsey N. Virginia Tech University. Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Estados Unidos. Fil: Davis, Courtney L. University of Pennsylvania. Forest Resources Building. Department of Ecosystem Science and Management; Estados Unidos. Fil: Farris, Zach J. Auburn University. Department of Biological Sciences; Estados Unidos. Fil: Farris, Zach J. Virginia Tech University. Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Estados Unidos. Fil: Miller, David A. W. University of Pennsylvania. Forest Resources Building. Department of Ecosystem Science and Management; Estados Unidos. Fil: Tucker, Jody M. U. S. Forest Service. Sequoia National Forest; Estados Unidos. Fil: Hamel, Sandra. The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø. Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics. Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; Noruega. Fil: Farhadinia, Mohammad S. Iranian Cheetah Society; Irán. Fil: Farhadinia, Mohammad S. University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Wildlife Conservation Research; Reino Unido. Fil: Steenweg, Robin. State University of Montana. Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Science. Wildlife Biology Program; Estados Unidos. Fil: Di Bitetti, Mario Santiago. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biologia Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Di Bitetti, Mario Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biologia Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Di Bitetti, Mario Santiago. Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; Argentina. Fil: Di Bitetti, Mario Santiago. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; Argentina. Fil: Thapa, Kanchan. Virginia Tech University. Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Estados Unidos. Fil: Thapa, Kanchan. World Wildlife Fund. Conservation Science Unit; Estados Unidos. Fil: Kane, Mamadou D. Senegalese National Parks; Senegal. Fil: Sunarto, S. World Wildlife Fund; Indonesia. Fil: Robinson, Nathaniel P. University of Montana. College of Forestry and Conservation; Estados Unidos. Fil: Paviolo, Agustín Javier. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Paviolo, Agustín Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Paviolo, Agustín Javier. Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; Argentina. Fil: Cruz, María Paula. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Cruz, María Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Fil: Cruz, María Paula. Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; Argentina. Fil: Martins, Quinton. The Cape Leopard Trust; Sudáfrica. Fil: Martins, Quinton. Audubon Canyon Ranch; Estados Unidos. Fil: Gholikhani, Navid. Iranian Cheetah Society; Irán. Fil: Taktehrani, Ateih. Iranian Cheetah Society; Irán. Fil: Whittington, Jesse. Banff National Park Resource Conservation; Canadá. Fil: Widodo, Febri A. World Wildlife Fund; Indonesia. Fil: Yoccoz, Nigel G. The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø. Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics. Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; Noruega. Fil: Wultsch, Claudia. Virginia Tech University. Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Estados Unidos. Fil: Wultsch, Claudia. Virginia. Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. American Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos. Fil: Wultsch, Claudia. Virginia. Panthera (New York); Estados Unidos. Fil: Harmsen, Bart J. Panthera (New York); Estados Unidos. Fil: Harmsen, Bart J. University of Belize, Environmental Research Institute; Belice. Fil: Kelly, Marcella J. Virginia Tech University. Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Estados Unidos. Biodiversity loss is a major driver of ecosystem change, yet the ecological data required to detect and mitigate losses are often lacking. Recently, camera trap surveys have been suggested as a method for sampling local wildlife communities, because these observations can be collated into a global monitoring network. To demonstrate the potential of camera traps for globalmonitoring, we assembled data from multiple local camera trap surveys to evaluate the interchange between fine- and broad-scale processes impacting mammalian carnivore communities.Location: Argentina, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Indonesia, Iran, Madagascar, Nepal, Norway, Senegal, South Africa, and the U.S.A.Methods:We gathered camera trap data, totalling>100,000 trap nights, from across five continents. To analyse local and species-specific responses to anthropogenic and environmental variables, we fitted multispecies occurrence models to each study area. To analyse global-level responses, we then fitted a multispecies, multi-area occurrence model.Results:We recorded 4,805 detections of 96 mammalian carnivore species photographed across 1,714 camera stations located in 12 countries. At the global level, our models revealed that carnivore richness and occupancy within study areas was positively associated with prey availability.Occupancy within study areas also tended to increase with greater protection and greater distances to roads. The strength of these relationships, however, differed among countries.Main conclusions:We developed a research framework for leveraging global camera trap data to evaluate patterns of mammalian carnivore occurrence and richness across multiple spatial scales.Our research highlights the importance of intact prey populations and protected areas in conserving carnivore communities. Our research also highlights the potential of camera traps for monitoring wildlife communities and provides a case study for how this can be achieved on a global scale. We encourage greater integration and standardization among camera trap studies worldwide, which would help inform effective conservation planning for wildlife populations bothlocally and globally.

Body size governs predator-prey interactions, which in turn structure populations, communities, and food webs. Understanding predator-prey size relationships is valuable from a theoretical perspective, in basic research, and for management applications. However, predator-prey size data are limited and costly to acquire. We quantified predator-prey total length and mass relationships for several freshwater piscivorous taxa: crappie (Pomoxis spp.), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), northern pike (Esox lucius), rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and walleye (Sander vitreus). The range of prey total lengths increased with predator total length. The median and maximum ingested prey total length varied with predator taxon and length, but generally ranged from 10–20% and 32–46% of predator total length, respectively. Predators tended to consume larger fusiform prey than laterally compressed prey. With the exception of large muskellunge, predators most commonly consumed prey between 16 and 73 mm. A sensitivity analysis indicated estimates can be very accurate at sample sizes greater than 1,000 diet items and fairly accurate at sample sizes greater than 100. However, sample sizes less than 50 should be evaluated with caution. Furthermore, median log10 predator-prey body mass ratios ranged from 1.9–2.5, nearly 50% lower than values previously reported for freshwater fishes. Managers, researchers, and modelers could use our findings as a tool for numerous predator-prey evaluations from stocking size optimization to individual-based bioenergetics analyses identifying prey size structure. To this end, we have developed a web-based user interface to maximize the utility of our models that can be found at www.LakeEcologyLab.org/pred_prey.

The wide-ranging, cumulative, negative effects of anthropogenic disturbance, including habitat degradation, exotic species, and hunting, on native wildlife has been well documented across a range of habitats worldwide with carnivores potentially being the most vulnerable due to their more extinction prone characteristics. Investigating the effects of anthropogenic pressures on sympatric carnivores is needed to improve our ability to develop targeted, effective management plans for carnivore conservation worldwide. Utilizing photographic, line-transect, and habitat sampling, as well as landscape analyses and village-based bushmeat hunting surveys, we provide the first investigation of how multiple forms of habitat degradation (fragmentation, exotic carnivores, human encroachment, and hunting) affect carnivore occupancy across Madagascar’s largest protected area: the Masoala-Makira landscape. We found that as degradation increased, native carnivore occupancy and encounter rates decreased while exotic carnivore occupancy and encounter rates increased. Feral cats (Felis species) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) had higher occupancy than half of the native carnivore species across Madagascar’s largest protected landscape. Bird and small mammal encounter rates were negatively associated with exotic carnivore occupancy, but positively associated with the occupancy of four native carnivore species. Spotted fanaloka (Fossa fossana) occupancy was constrained by the presence of exotic feral cats and exotic small Indian civet (Viverricula indica). Hunting was intense across the four study sites where hunting was studied, with the highest rates for the small Indian civet (x=90 individuals consumed/year), the ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans) (x=58 consumed/year), and the fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) (x=31 consumed/year). Our modeling results suggest hunters target intact forest where carnivore occupancy, abundance, and species richness, are highest. These various anthropogenic pressures and their effects on carnivore populations, especially increases in exotic carnivores and hunting, have wide-ranging, global implications and demand effective management plans to target the influx of exotic carnivores and unsustainable hunting that is affecting carnivore populations across Madagascar and worldwide. Published version

Madagascar’s native small mammals (Tenrecidae and Nesomyinae) are understudied. To help fill these knowledge gaps, we analyzed 1,575 detections of small mammals obtained during camera-trap surveys at 7 sites in northeastern Madagascar (2008–2011) using single-season occupancy analyses in program PRESENCE. We estimated landscape occupancy and detection probabilities of tufted-tailed rats ( Eliurus spp.), red forest rats ( Nesomys spp.), greater hedgehog tenrecs ( Setifer setosus ), and common tenrecs ( Tenrec ecaudatus ) and examined how these parameters responded to habitat characteristics, habitat degradation, and the trap success of native and exotic carnivorans. Only Nesomys showed a marked difference in mean occupancy between intact (ψ = 0.71 ± SE 0.06), intermediately degraded (ψ = 0.23 ± SE 0.05), and degraded (ψ = 0.34 ± SE 0.06) forest sites. Only Nesomys and Setifer occupancy was strongly influenced by habitat characteristics; Nesomys occupancy was positively related to distance away from forest edge (β = 1.39 ± SE 0.27) and percent rainforest cover (β = 1.89 ± SE 0.39), and Setifer occupancy negatively related to average canopy height (β = −0.52 ± SE 0.25). We found trap success of exotic carnivorans had little influence on small mammal occupancy and detection probabilities (with the exception of Eliurus ). We suggest that camera traps are a valid method for studying aspects of small mammal ecology, but caution researchers to consider characteristics of camera traps (e.g., trigger speed) to increase potential inference.