Noninvasive genetic surveys before and after a megafire detect displacement of migratory mule deer

Due to climate change and past logging and fire suppression, the western US are experiencing increasingly large and frequent wildfires. Understanding how wildlife respond to these mega-fires is becoming increasingly relevant to protect and manage these populations. However, the lack of predictability inherent in such events makes studies difficult to plan. We took advantage of a large high-severity wildfire that burned adjacent to an ongoing study of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) on their summer range upslope of the fire to investigate their displacement onto our study area both immediately and upon their return to summer range the following year. We used spatial capture-recapture models in conjunction with noninvasive fecal DNA sampling to estimate density and non-spatial Pradel robust-design models to estimate apparent survival and recruitment rates. Compared to density before the fire, we observed an increase in deer density and an increase in per-capita recruitment rates one month after the fire. These findings suggest that the immediate response of at least some deer was to flee the fire upslope onto the study area rather than to downslope toward their winter range. These changes did not carry over into the following year, however, suggesting that deer formerly using the burned area as summer range may have returned there despite the high severity of the fire, or may have chosen new areas for their summer range. This suggests that, at least in the short term, the fire did not negatively affect the deer population.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ СВІТЛОСТІЙКОСТІ ПОФАРБУВАНЬ БАВОВНЯНОГО ТРИКОТАЖУ, ОБРОБЛЕНОГО НОВИМИ ТІОСУЛЬФОНАТНИМИ ПРЕПАРАТАМИ

Мета. Аналіз світлостійкості пофарбувань та субстрату білизняного бавовняноготрикотажу обробленого антимікробними тіосульфонатними обробними препаратамиЕТС, МТС і АТС.Методика. При дослідженнях використовували передбачені діючими державнимистандартами методи, які дозволяють визначити світлостійкість забарвлень (колірнийтон, світлість, насиченість, загальний колірний контраст) та розривальніхарактеристики бавовняних білизняних трикотажних полотен, що досліджуються. Дляоцінки світлостійкості пофарбувань, яке проводилось у лабораторії ДП «Хімтекст» (м.Херсон), використано спектрофотометр Premier Colorscan Colorlab (Spectro:5100) згідноз вимогами ДСТУ ГОСТ ІСО 105 – 701:2000 з використанням розрахункових формулсистеми CIELxaxbx.Результати. Вивчено можливість та обґрунтована доцільність використання увітчизняному текстильному та трикотажному виробництвах тіосульфонатних обробнихпрепаратів ЕТС, МТС і АТС для антимікробного оброблення бавовняних білизняних трикотажних полотен літнього асортименту з метою їх ефективного захисту відбіодеструкції целюлозоруйнуючими патогенними та ґрунтовими мікроорганізмами.Встановлено, що в процесі антимікробного оброблення бавовняних трикотажних полотенпрепаратами ЕТС, МТС і АТС не спостерігається помітних змін їх механічнихвластивостей (розривальне навантаження), що може погіршити зносостійкість тагігієнічні показники названих полотен в процесі експлуатації виробів із них. Не виявленонегативного впливу оброблення препаратами ЕТС, МТС і АТС на зміну колірниххарактеристик (світлості, насиченості, колірного тону і загального колірного контрасту)і світлостійкості пофарбувань досліджуваних трикотажних полотен кубовимибарвниками.Основною перевагою тіосульфонатних обробних препаратів є те, що їхвикористання гарантує одночасне досягнення на трикотажних бавовняних білизняних іодягових полотнах високої атмосферостійкості без погіршення їх механічнихвластивостей.Наукова новизна. В результаті проведених досліджень, встановлено, щотіосульфонатні антимікробні препарати ЕТС, МТС і АТС здатні ефективно захищатибавовняні білизняні трикотажні полотна літнього асортименту від тривалої дії сонячноїрадіації.Практична значимість. Встановлено, що обрані нами тіосульфонатні препаратиЕТС, МТС і АТС придатні не тільки для ефективного захисту від мікробіологічноїдеструкції, але й від тривалої дії світлопогоди бавовняних трикотажних полотенлітнього асортименту (робочого одягу, спортивної білизни). Purpose. The purpose of this work is to introduce the new types of antimicrobialpreparations to the cellulose production to provide at the same time bio-resistance, weatherresistance and environmental safety to cotton, polyester, multi-component materials. The mostdemanded creation is producing similar materials for the products of linen assortment, which aredirectly in contact with the skin, safe for human health and environment. Products from suchmaterials can be used both at home and in medical institutions, in the food industry, in trains oflong-distance trafficking, in the army, etc.A lot of attention all over the world is paid for the development of various methods forobtaining and studying the properties of materials with antiseptic attributes. However, despite thelarge amount of work in this area, many issues are still far from their solution. In particular, the actual task is to create environmentally friendly textile materials and knitted cloths withantimicrobial properties, which are stored in wet treatments, washing, light exposure, that isnecessary in using underwear in real conditions. The problems associated with reducing the costto obtain such materials are equally important. Therefore, the purpose of our research is toanalyze the light-fastness of paints and the substrate of linen cotton knitted fabrics treated withantimicrobial thiosulfonate preparations of ETS, MTS and ATS.Method. The methods provided in applicable state standards that determine the lightnessof colors (color tone, lightness, saturation, overall color contrast) and the breakingcharacteristics of the cotton linen fabrics were used in the studies.Results. The possibility and feasibility of using thiosulonate preparations including ETS,MTS and ATS in the domestic textile and knitwear production for antimicrobial treatment ofcotton linen knitted cloths of the summer range for the purpose of their effective protectionagainst biodestruction by cellulose-destroying pathogenic and soil microorganisms aresubstantiated.In the process of antimicrobial treatment of the studied cotton knitted fabrics by ETS, MTSand ATS preparations, no noticeable changes in their mechanical (breaking strength) propertiesare observed, which may worsen the wear resistance and hygienic performance of these fabricsduring the operation of products from them.No negative influence of treatment with ETS, MTS and ATS preparations on the change ofcolor characteristics (lightness, saturation, color tone and general color contrast) and lightstability of coloring of studied knitted fabrics by cubic dyes was found.The main advantage of thiosulfonate treatments is that their use guarantees simultaneousachievement on knitted cotton linen and clothing cloths of high atmospheric resistance withoutdegradation of their mechanical properties.Scientific novelty. As a result of the research, thiosulfonate antimicrobial preparationsincluding ETS, MTS and ATS are found to able to effectively protect the cotton linen knitted linenof the summer range from prolonged exposure to solar radiation.Practical significance. The thiosulfonate preparations chosen by us, such as ETS, MTSand ATS, are revealed to suitable not only for effective protection against microbiologicaldestruction, but also from the long-lasting effect of light clothing of cotton knitted linen of summerassortment (working clothes, sportswear).

A century of changing fire management alters ungulate forage in a wildfire-dominated landscape

Forestry practices such as prescribed fire and wildfire management can modify the nutritional resources of ungulates across broad landscapes. To evaluate the influences of fire and forest management on ungulate nutrition, we measured and compared forage quality and abundance among a range of land cover types and fire histories within 3 elk ranges in Montana. We used historical fire data to assess fire-related variations in elk forage from 1900 to 2015. Fire affected summer forage more strongly than winter forage. Between 1900–1990 and 1990–2015, elk summer range burned by wildfire increased 242–1772 per cent, whereas the area on winter range burned by wildfire was low across all decades. Summer forage quality peaked in recently burned forests and decreased as time since burn increased. Summer forage abundance peaked in dry forests burned 6–15 years prior and mesic forests burned within 5 years. Forests recently burned by wildfire had higher summer forage quality and herbaceous abundance than those recently burned by prescribed fire. These results suggest that the nutritional carrying capacity for elk varies temporally with fire history and management practices. Our methods for characterizing nutritional resources provide a relatively straightforward approach for evaluating nutritional adequacy and tracking changes in forage associated with disturbances such as fire.

Home Ranges and Movements of Elk (Cervus canadensis) Restored to Southern Ontario, Canada

During 2000 and 2001, Elk (Cervus canadensis) were restored to the Bancroft, Ontario area. The objective of this study was to determine the home range and movements of six social units of Elk, 5–12 years after restoration, in an area of about 2500 km2 near Bancroft. Home range and movements were calculated from 40 221 Global Positioning System locations acquired from 56 collared Elk (16 bulls and 40 cows) between 2006 and 2013. Annual home ranges were found to be significantly greater (mean 110.3 km2, standard error [SE] 11.2) for Elk in areas where winter feeding by humans did not occur compared with those (mean 51.0 km2, SE 9.0) where winter feeding was prevalent. Elk in winter feeding areas had smaller ranges in winter than other seasons. On a seasonal basis, home range size was larger for Elk in areas where winter feeding did not occur; mean winter home range for Elk in non-feeding areas was 73.4 km2 (SE34.0) compared with 8.3 km2 (SE 2.6) for Elk in areas where winter feeding occurred. The 20 Elk that were monitored for multiple years exhibited home range fidelity among years. The entire range of all radio-collared Elk within the social groups studied covered 1716.4 km2 during 2006–2013. Average daily movements of Elk in the study arearanged from 1.0 to 2.1 km/day with greatest movements occurring during spring and summer. However, some Elk were capable of moving an average of 5–7km in a 12-h interval. Movements (about 5 km) to winter range occurred during October to December each year. Cows moved to calving areas in May with mean movements of Elk to spring/summer range about 6 km. Cow/calf groups moved to fall ranges by early September with mean movements of about 4 km. During the rut, mean bull movements of 16.0 km to cow groups over 1–5 days occurred in early September. Hunting of Elk during the fall of 2011 and 2012 did not appear to significantly affect the movements and dispersion of Elk in the study area.

Variation in catchment areas of Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) hibernacula inferred from stable hydrogen (δ2H) isotope analysis

Understanding seasonal movements of bats is important for effective conservation efforts. Although female Indiana bats ( Myotis sodalis Miller and Allen, 1928) have been documented to migrate >500 km, knowledge of their migratory patterns is still extremely limited. We used the relationship between latitude and stable hydrogen isotope ratio in bat hair (δ2Hhair) to estimate the north–south extent of the summer range (catchment area) of bats hibernating in 14 Indiana bat hibernacula in eight states throughout its range. Range of δ2Hhair values varied substantially among hibernacula, suggesting large differences among sites in the north–south distance travelled by bats between summer and winter habitats. In particular, hibernacula in the southern portion of the range had greater catchment areas than those in the central and northern portions of the range. Variability in movement distances among sites was not associated with the number of hair samples analyzed or colony size. Significant year-to-year variation (2007–2008 to 2008–2009) in the distribution of δ2Hhair for two sites in Tennessee was observed. Currently, hibernacula considered important for species conservation are largely determined by population size, but our results suggest that migratory diversity should also be considered.

Recent changes in summer distribution and numbers of migratory caribou on the southern Hudson Bay coast

The status of migratory woodland caribou inhabiting the coastal region in southern Hudson Bay is dynamic. The Pen Islands Herd within that region was defined in the 1990s, but opportunistic observations between 1999 and 2007 suggested that its status had significantly changed since the late 1980s and early 1990s. We undertook systematic surveys from the Hayes River, MB, to the Lakitusaki River, ON, in 2008 and 2009 to determine current distribution and minimum numbers of woodland caribou on the southern Hudson Bay coast from the Hayes River, Manitoba, to the Lakitusaki River, Ontario. We documented a significant change in summer distribution during the historical peak aggregation period (7-15 July) compared to the 1990s. In 2008 and 2009, respectively, we tallied 3529 and 3304 animals; however, fewer than 180 caribou were observed each year in the Pen Islands Herd’s former summer range where over 10 798 caribou were observed during a systematic survey in 1994. Over 80% of caribou were in the Cape Henrietta Maria area of Ontario. Calf proportions in herds varied from 8% of animals in the west to 20% in the east. Our 2008 and 2009 systematic surveys were focused on the immediate coast, but one exploratory flight inland suggested that more caribou may be inland than had been observed in the 1980s-1990s. The causes of change in the numbers and distribution in the coastal Hudson Bay Lowlands and the association of current caribou with the formerly large Pen Islands Herd may be difficult to determine because of gaps in monitoring, but satellite telemetry, genetic sampling, remote sensing, habitat analysis, and aboriginal knowledge are all being used to pursue answers.