Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://laurentian.scholaris.ca/handle/10219/3536
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Item Parasite species co-occurrence patterns on Peromyscus: Joint species distribution modelling(Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian Society for Parasitology, 2020-04-28) Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I.; Veitch, Jasmine S.M.; Bowman, JeffHosts are often infested by multiple parasite species, but it is often unclear whether patterns of parasite co- occurrence are driven by parasite habitat requirements or parasite species interactions. Using data on infestation patterns of ectoparasitic arthropods (fleas, trombiculid mites, cuterebrid botflies) from deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), we analyzed species associations using joint species distribution modelling. We also experimentally removed a flea (Orchopeas leucopus) from a subset of deer mice to examine the effect on other common ecto- parasite species. We found that the mite (Neotrombicula microti) and botfly (Cuterebra sp.) had a negative re- lationship that is likely a true biotic species interaction. The flea had a negative association with the mite and a positive association with the botfly species, both of which appeared to be influenced by host traits or parasite life-history traits. Furthermore, experimental removal of the flea did not have a significant effect on ectoparasite prevalence of another species. Overall, these findings suggest that complex parasite species associations can be present among multiple parasite taxa, and that aggregation is not always the rule for ectoparasite communities of small mammals.Item The effects of body region, season and external arsenic application on hair cortisol concentration(Oxford University Press and the Society for Experimental Biology, 2018-06-28) Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I.; Acker, Madison; Mastromonaco, Gabriela F.Hair cortisol analysis has been used to quantify hormone levels in circulation in several mammal species. Hair remains stable for decades or centuries, allowing researchers to use archived hair samples to investigate hormone levels that span long time periods. However, several studies have found that intra-individual variability, driven by the body region from which a sample is derived, confounds measurements of systemic glucocorticoid hormone concentrations. In addition, the external application of chemical agents to hair can remove or concentrate molecules of interest. These may preclude the use of samples that have been collected opportunistically and/or those that have been housed in museum collections. Using a captive population of Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis), we found a strong effect of body region on the concentration of cortisol within hair, as well as an effect of season. Using a collection of American mink (Neovison vison) pelts, we found that application of the preservative arsenic in the form of a soap does not cause a signifi- cant decrease in cortisol. The marmot results suggest that intra-individual variability is not stable through time. The reason for these seasonal effects is not clear and further study is necessary. Researchers using samples from an unknown body region should exercise caution in interpreting their results. The mink results suggest that samples held in museum collec- tions can be used to quantify cortisol, even when arsenic preservation is suspected.Item Effects of captivity, diet, and relocation on the gut bacterial communities of white-footed mice(John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2020-03-06) Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I.; Leeuwen, Pauline van; Mykytczuk, Nadia; Mastromonaco, Gabriela F.Microbes can have important impacts on their host's survival. Captive breeding programs for endangered species include periods of captivity that can ultimately have an impact on reintroduction success. No study to date has investigated the impacts of captive diet on the gut microbiota during the relocation process of generalist species. This study simulated a captive breeding program with white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) to describe the variability in gut microbial community structure and composition during captivity and relocation in their natural habitat, and compared it to wild individuals. Mice born in captivity were fed two different diets, a control with dry standardized pellets and a treatment with nonprocessed components that re- flect a version of their wild diet that could be provided in captivity. The mice from the two groups were then relocated to their natural habitat. Relocated mice that had the treatment diet had more phylotypes in common with the wild-host micro-biota than mice under the control diet or mice kept in captivity. These results have broad implications for our understanding of microbial community dynamics and the effects of captivity on reintroduced animals, including the potential impact on the survival of endangered species. This study demonstrates that ex situ conservation actions should consider a more holistic perspective of an animal's biology including its microbes.Item Peer-reviewed scientific contributions from Canadian zoos and aquariums(Canadian Science Publishing, 2020-02-19) Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I.; Pyotta, Breanna E.With the widespread loss of biodiversity, zoos and aquariums are striving to become leaders in biodiversity conservation and research. Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) is a nonprofit organization created to represent its members, including as agencies of conservation and science. However, the contribution of CAZA members to conservation and science has not been quantified. We used research productivity in the form of peer-reviewed publications to systematically quantify biodiversity conservation engagement by CAZA institutions. We extracted publications from the ISI Web of Science database and found that the annual number of publications increased over time. CAZA members published most in the area of veterinary science, with few publications in biodiversity conservation. Organization age, research-orientated mission statements, and financial assets were significant predictors of research productivity. CAZA institutions also published significantly less (X = 12.5 ± 5.52 SE) than members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (X = 24.27 ± 5.08 SE), based in the United States. Zoos and aquariums are important resources in mitigating biodiversity loss, and are increasing their research output in this area. Nonetheless, only a small proportion of publications were in biodiversity conservation, and the majority of all publications occurred in OPEN ACCESS zoo-centric journalsItem Enhanced access to anthropogenic food waste is related to hyperglycemia in raccoons (Procyon lotor)(Oxford University Press and the Society for Experimental Biology, 2018-05-22) Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I.; Mazal, Zvia; Jardine, Claire M.; Gagnon, JeffreyUrban landscapes have well-known effects on wildlife populations. Many species of urban wildlife feed on anthropogenic food wastes, and little is known regarding the sub-lethal physiological consequences of this novel diet. We use samples from three populations of raccoons to test the hypothesis that access to anthropogenic food waste will lead to elevated body mass, blood glucose and serum leptin. Each population varied in their presumed access to food waste. We found that raccoons from the site with the highest presumed access to food waste were significantly heavier and had significantly higher levels of glycated serum protein (GSP, a marker of elevated blood glucose). In addition, GSP concentration was positively related to body mass. No significant differences in serum leptin were detected, nor was serum leptin related to body mass. Urban diets may have significant physiological consequences for urban wildlife related to glucose metabolism. Further research will be needed to determine the evolutionary consequences of the novel urban diet, and whether adaptation is occurring.