Genetic and morphological differentiation of wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in northeastern Ontario

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (10) ◽  
pp. 1221-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler J. Wheeldon ◽  
Brent R. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Morphological Differentiation ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
Full Extent ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
Biological Population ◽  
Canis Lycaon

Gray wolves ( Canis lupus L., 1758), eastern wolves ( Canis lycaon Schreber, 1775), and coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) are presently managed as a single biological population in primary wolf range in Ontario with the intent of minimizing incidental harvest of wolves. This management strategy is based on the assumption that wolves and coyotes cannot be reliably distinguished because of hybridization, and the resulting restrictions on coyote harvest are unpopular with hunters and farmers. We genetically and morphologically characterized a sample of sympatric wolves and coyotes harvested in the Lesser Clay Belt area of northeastern Ontario in 2006–2009 to test the hypothesis that these species cannot be reliably distinguished. We found that wolves and coyotes were genetically and morphologically distinct, with minimal hybridization between them. Our findings suggest that wolves and coyotes in the sampled area can be reliably distinguished, but further sampling is required to determine the full extent of areas in Ontario where wolves and coyotes are reliably distinguishable. We discuss unresolved issues regarding the feasibility of separate management for these species. We also discuss implications of our findings regarding wolf recovery in the northeastern United States.

scholarly journals Gray Wolves, Canis lupus, Killed by Cougars, Puma concolor, and a Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos, in Montana, Alberta, and Wyoming

2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Jimenez ◽  
Valpa J. Asher ◽  
Carita Bergman ◽  
Edward E. Bangs ◽  
Susannah P. Woodruff
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Ursus Arctos ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Grizzly Bear ◽  
Grey Wolf ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
Large Predators

Four cases where large predators caused Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) mortality are recorded. We describe two incidents of Cougars (Puma concolar) killing Wolves in Montana and one incident of a Cougar killing a Wolf in Alberta. We report the first recorded incident of a Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) killing a Wolf in the western United States.

Seedbank Dynamics of Two Swallowwort (Vincetoxicum) Species

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio DiTommaso ◽  
Lindsey R. Milbrath ◽  
Scott H. Morris ◽  
Charles L. Mohler ◽  
Jeromy Biazzo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
First Year ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
The Third ◽  
Viable Seeds ◽  
Filled Seeds

Pale swallowwort and black swallowwort are European viny milkweeds that have become invasive in many habitats in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. A multiyear seedbank study was initiated in fall 2011 to assess annual emergence of seedlings and longevity of seeds of pale swallowwort and black swallowwort at four different burial depths (0, 1, 5, and 10 cm) over 4 yr. One hundred swallowwort seeds were sown in seed pans buried in individual pots, and emerged seedlings were counted and removed from May through September each year. A subset of seed pans was retrieved annually in October, and recovered seeds were counted and tested for viability. The majority of seedling emergence occurred during the first year (92% in 2012), and no new seedlings emerged in the third (2014) or fourth (2015) years. Pale swallowwort had relatively poor emergence at sowing depths of 0 cm (11%), 5 cm (6%), and 10 cm (0.05%—only one seedling), while 37% of pale swallowwort seeds emerged at 1 cm. The larger-seeded black swallowwort was more successful, with two-thirds of all sown seeds emerging at depths of 1 cm (71%) and 5 cm (66%), and 26% emerging at 10 cm. Only 16% of the surface-sown black swallowwort emerged. A large portion of the seeds that germinated at 10 cm, as well as at 5 cm for pale swallowwort, died before reaching the soil surface. Of filled seeds that were recovered in 2012 (black swallowwort at the 0-cm depth), 66% were viable. No viable seeds were recovered after the second growing season. Seeds recovered following the third year had become too deteriorated to accurately assess. Swallowwort seeds do not appear to survive more than 2 yr in the soil, at least in our experiment, suggesting that the elimination of seed production over 3 yr will exhaust the local seedbank. Seeds would need to be buried at least 10 cm for pale swallowwort but more than 10 cm for black swallowwort to prevent seedling emergence. Burial of swallowwort seeds as a management strategy may, however, only be practical in natural areas where high swallowwort densities occur.

scholarly journals Clarifying late Holocene Coyote (Canis latrans)–Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) sympatry in the western Great Lake states

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-41
Author(s):  
Richard P. Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Great Lakes Region ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Genetics Research ◽  
Lake States

North American Canis genetics research varies in interpreting the Pre-Columbian distribution of Coyotes (Canis latrans). Many studies have relied on generalized species-distribution maps and a few actually cite earlier genetics works as secondary sources. I use archaeological, paleontological, and settlement era documents to demonstrate that Coyotes were present in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois thousands of years prior to European arrival. This review provides important clarification of historical Coyote distribution in the region and may have implications on the various interpretations of introgressed Coyote haplotypes present in Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) throughout the Great Lakes region.

scholarly journals Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) recolonization failure: a Minnesota case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. David Mech ◽  
Forest Isbell ◽  
Jim Krueger ◽  
John Hart
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Canis Lupus ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Established Population ◽  
Do So

During the past few decades, Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) have recolonized many areas in the United States and Europe. In many other cases, however, although dispersing wolves reached areas with adequate prey, a population failed to recolonize. Herein, we provide a case study detailing how a wolf pack attempted for three years to recolonize an area 55 km from a long-established population and within 25 km of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, but failed. The pack produced three litters of pups and at one time included 11–19 members, but it preyed on livestock and dogs and, consequently, was lethally removed. The history of this pack’s attempt to recolonize an area long devoid of wolves exemplifies the issues that have prevented earlier recolonizations in non-wild lands in Minnesota and elsewhere and that promise to do so well into the future.

scholarly journals What is the taxonomic identity of Minnesota wolves?

2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. D. Mech
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Great Lakes Region ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Wolf Population ◽  
The West ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Canis Lycaon

The taxonomic identity of the historical and current wolf ( Canis lupus L., 1758 or Canis lycaon Schreber, 1775 or their hybrids) population in Minnesota (MN) and the Great Lakes region has been, and continues to be, controversial. So too does its legal status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This review summarizes the morphological and genetic information about that population and concludes that historically the MN population consisted of a gray wolf (C. lupus) in the west and an eastern type ( Canis lupus lycaon or C. lycaon) in the east with intergrades or hybrids between the two in most of the state. After extirpation in much of its original MN range, the now-recovered population was infused with gray wolves from Ontario but still consists of hybrid lycaon × gray wolves, probably with higher content gray wolves in the west and higher content lycaon in the east but with most wolves morphologically appearing to be gray wolves. Because the current Wisconsin and Michigan wolf population was derived from MN wolves, they would be primarily hybrids as well. Future research should seek to relate genetic data with morphological measurements in MN wolves. In addition, attempts to breed coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) with gray wolves in captivity would shed considerable light on the controversy over the origin and taxonomic identity of the newly proposed C. lycaon.

Monitoring air quality in class I wilderness areas of the northeastern United States using lichens and bryophytes

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison C. Dibble ◽  
James W. Hinds ◽  
Ralph Perron ◽  
Natalie Cleavitt ◽  
Richard L. Poirot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Class I ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
Wilderness Areas
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document