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At least 1,045 records · Page 58Linked to original sources
USGS2001

Differences in oxidative stress between young Canada geese and mallards exposed to lead-contaminated sediment

Lead (Pb) exposure results in an increase in tissue lipid peroxides and variation in glutathione (GSH) concentrations, which can be related to peroxidative damage of cell membranes in Pb-poisoned animals. Species and individual variation in sensitivity to Pb poisoning among animals may be due to differential resistance to oxidative stress. The effects of oxidative stress caused by Pb exposure (1.7, 414, and 828 µg/g of diet) were compared for the first 6 wk in growing young of two species of waterfowl, Canada geese ( Branta canadensis ) and mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ), with the first species being possibly more sensitive to Pb poisoning based on previous field and laboratory observations. Blood and liver Pb concentrations increased more in mallards than in geese. This may be explained on the basis of body weight, being 3.2 times higher in geese, and by hepatic metabolism, where GSH S -transferase (GST) activity is 2.9-fold higher in geese and presumably has a role in the binding of Pb to GSH and subsequent biliary excretion. In contrast, mallards showed higher hepatic levels of GSH and activities of GSH peroxidase (GPX) and GSH reductase (GR). Although both species showed a rise in hepatic GSH concentration with Pb exposure, the relationship between increased lipid peroxidation and Pb exposure was only significant in geese. Within treatment groups, hepatic GSH concentrations were inversely related to liver Pb concentrations in both species, which may correspond to the role of GSH in Pb excretion. Hepatic GSH was also inversely related to hepatic lipid peroxidation, but only in mallards and in agreement with the species differences observed in GPX and GR activities. The lower resistance to lipid peroxidation of Canada geese may explain why geese can die in the field from Pb poisoning after ingesting fewer shot than found in the gizzards of mallards and with lower liver Pb concentrations than in mallards.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Pa↗
USGS2011

Meat and bone meal and mineral feed additives may increase the risk of oral prion disease transmission

Ingestion of prion-contaminated materials is postulated to be a primary route of prion disease transmission. Binding of prions to soil (micro)particles dramatically enhances peroral disease transmission relative to unbound prions, and it was hypothesized that micrometer-sized particles present in other consumed materials may affect prion disease transmission via the oral route of exposure. Small, insoluble particles are present in many substances, including soil, human foods, pharmaceuticals, and animal feeds. It is known that meat and bone meal (MBM), a feed additive believed responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contains particles smaller than 20 μm and that the pathogenic prion protein binds to MBM. The potentiation of disease transmission via the oral route by exposure to MBM or three micrometer-sized mineral feed additives was determined. Data showed that when the disease agent was bound to any of the tested materials, the penetrance of disease was increased compared to unbound prions. Our data suggest that in feed or other prion-contaminated substances consumed by animals or, potentially, humans, the addition of MBM or the presence of microparticles could heighten risks of prion disease acquisition.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Pa↗
USGS2002

Individual covariation in life-history traits: Seeing the trees despite the forest

We investigated the influence of age on survival and breeding rates in a long-lived species Rissa tridactyla using models with individual random effects permitting variation and covariation in fitness components among individuals. Differences in survival or breeding probabilities among individuals are substantial, and there was positive covariation between survival and breeding probability; birds that were more likely to survive were also more likely to breed, given that they survived. The pattern of age-related variation in these rates detected at the individual level differed from that observed at the population level. Our results provided confirmation of what has been suggested by other investigators: within-cohort phenotypic selection can mask senescence. Although this phenomenon has been extensively studied in humans and captive animals, conclusive evidence of the discrepancy between population-level and individual-level patterns of age-related variation in life-history traits is extremely rare in wild animal populations. Evolutionary studies of the influence of age on life-history traits should use approaches differentiating population level from the genuine influence of age: only the latter is relevant to theories of life-history evolution. The development of models permitting access to individual variation in fitness is a promising advance for the study of senescence and evolutionary processes.

Brittany↗
USGS2022

Biosafety practices when working with bats: A guide to field research considerations

Introduction: Field work with bats is an important contribution to many areas of research in environmental biology and ecology, as well as microbiology. Work with bats poses hazards such as bites and scratches, and the potential for exposure to infectious pathogens such as rabies virus. It also exposes researchers to many other potential hazards inherent to field work, such as environmental conditions, delayed emergency responses, or challenging work conditions. Methods: This article discusses the considerations for a thorough risk assessment process around field work with bats, pre- and post-occupational health considerations, and delves into specific considerations for areas related to biosafety concerns—training, personal protective equipment, safety consideration in field methods, decontamination, and waste. It also touches on related legal and ethical issues that sit outside the realm of biosafety, but which must be addressed during the planning process. Discussion: Although the focal point of this article is bat field work located in northern and central America, the principles and practices discussed here are applicable to bat work elsewhere, as well as to field work with other animal species, and should promote careful considerations of how to safely conduct field work to protect both researchers and animals.

Applied Biosafety↗
USGS2017

The Nitrogen Footprint Tool network: A multi-institution program to reduce nitrogen pollution

Anthropogenic sources of reactive nitrogen have local and global impacts on air and water quality and detrimental effects on human and ecosystem health. This paper uses the nitrogen footprint tool (NFT) to determine the amount of nitrogen (N) released as a result of institutional consumption. The sectors accounted for include food (consumption and upstream production), energy, transportation, fertilizer, research animals, and agricultural research. The NFT is then used for scenario analysis to manage and track reductions, which are driven by the consumption behaviors of both the institution itself and its constituent individuals. In this paper, the first seven completed institution nitrogen footprint results are presented. The institution NFT network aims to develop footprints for many institutions to encourage widespread upper-level management strategies that will create significant reductions in reactive nitrogen released to the environment. Energy use and food purchases are the two largest sectors contributing to institution nitrogen footprints. Ongoing efforts by institutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also help to reduce the nitrogen footprint, but the impact of food production on nitrogen pollution has not been directly addressed by the higher-ed sustainability community. The NFT Network found that institutions could reduce their nitrogen footprints by optimizing food purchasing to reduce consumption of animal products and minimize food waste, as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels for energy.

Sustainability↗
USGS2010

Vector control improves survival of three species of prairie dogs ( Cynomys ) in areas considered enzootic for plague

Plague causes periodic epizootics that decimate populations of prairie dogs (PDs) ( Cynomys ), but the means by which the causative bacterium ( Yersinia pestis ) persists between epizootics are poorly understood. Plague epizootics in PDs might arise as the result of introductions of Y. pestis from sources outside PD colonies. However, it remains possible that plague persists in PDs during interepizootic periods and is transmitted at low rates among highly susceptible individuals within and between their colonies. If this is true, application of vector control to reduce flea numbers might reduce mortality among PDs. To test whether vector control enhances PD survival in the absence of obvious plague epizootics, we reduced the numbers of fleas (vectors for Y. pestis ) 96–98% (1 month posttreatment) on 15 areas involving three species of PDs ( Cynomys leucurus , Cynomys parvidens in Utah, and Cynomys ludovicianus in Montana) during 2000–2004 using deltamethrin dust delivered into burrows as a pulicide. Even during years without epizootic plague, PD survival rates at dusted sites were 31–45% higher for adults and 2–34% higher for juveniles compared to survival rates at nondusted sites. Y. pestis was cultured from 49 of the 851 flea pools tested (6882 total fleas) and antibodies against Y. pestis were identified in serum samples from 40 of 2631 PDs. Although other explanations are possible, including transmission of other potentially fatal pathogens by fleas, ticks, or other ectoparasites, our results suggest that plague might be maintained indefinitely in PD populations in the absence of free epizootics and widespread mortality among these animals. If PDs and their fleas support enzootic cycles of plague transmission, there would be important implications for the conservation of these animals and other species.

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases↗
USGS2012

Resistance to plague among black-tailed prairie dog populations

In some rodent species frequently exposed to plague outbreaks caused by Yersinia pestis , resistance to the disease has evolved as a population trait. As a first step in determining if plague resistance has developed in black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus ), animals captured from colonies in a plague-free region (South Dakota) and two plague-endemic regions (Colorado and Texas) were challenged with Y. pestis at one of three doses (2.5, 250, or 2500 mouse LD50s). South Dakota prairie dogs were far more susceptible to plague than Colorado and Texas prairie dogs ( p <0.001), with a mortality rate of nearly 100% over all doses. Colorado and Texas prairie dogs were quite similar in their response, with overall survival rates of 50% and 60%, respectively. Prairie dogs from these states were heterogenous in their response, with some animals dying at the lowest dose (37% and 20%, respectively) and some surviving even at the highest dose (29% and 40%, respectively). Microsatellite analysis revealed that all three groups were distinct genetically, but further studies are needed to establish a genetic basis for the observed differences in plague resistance.

Colorado, South Dakota, Texas↗
USGS2001

Disease emergence in birds: Challenges for the twenty-first century

The paper by Hartup et al. (2001) on House Finch ( Carpodacus mexicanus ) conjunctivitis is an example of the rapid geographic spread that can result from disease emergence in naïve populations. That event was neither novel nor transient relative to its occurrence or effects. Disease emergence and reemergence are hallmarks of the latter part of the twentieth century (Center for Disease Control 1994, Levins et al. 1994, DaSilva and Laccarino 1999, Gratz 1999). Current examples involving domestic animals include the problems in Europe with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”) (Brown 2001) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) (Kitching 1999). Human health has been affected by diseases caused by an array of viruses (Morse 1993, Nichol et al. 1993, Murphy and Nathanson 1994), bacteria (Dennis 1998, DaSilva and Laccarino 1999), rickettsia (Walker and Dumier 1996, Azad et al. 1997), protozoans (Tuerrant 1997, Saini et al. 2000), and metazoan parasites (Hildreth et al. 1991, Gubler 1998), as well as other causes. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has received the most notoriety of those diseases (Hahn et al. 2000, Schwartlander et al. 2000). A similar pattern exists on a global scale for free-ranging wildlife populations (Table 1) (Friend 1994, 1995; Epstein et al. 1998, Daszak et al. 2000). However, in comparison to disease emergence affecting humans and domestic animals, response to emerging diseases of wildlife is generally superficial. We present concepts and data to support our contention that failure to adequately address disease emergence in free-ranging wildlife is resulting in a diminished capability to achieve and sustain desired geographic distributions and population abundance for species of wild birds, including some threatened and endangered avifauna. For clarity, we define disease and disease emergence in the context of our use of those terms because they are the focus of our comments. Disease is any departure from health (Guralnik 1982); that is, dysfunction contributing to physiological, physical, reproductive, behavioral, or other impairment that reduces the probability of survival of individuals. If enough individuals are affected, the collective effects can reduce the sustainability of the population. Although disease can result from exposure to a wide variety of physical, chemical, and biological agents and other conditions, we focus this paper on microbes and parasites and to overt mortality caused by them. Thus, disease effects presented only represent the proverbial “tip of the iceberg” relative to the challenges wild avifauna face from disease. Our perspective of disease emergence expands the earlier definitions of emerging diseases by others (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1994, Morse 1995) to include all species. Our comments are defined by the context of disease occurrences that have increased within the past three decades, or threaten to increase in the near future relative to populations affected, geographic distribution, or magnitude of effects.

The Auk↗
USGS2005

Exploring individual quality: Basal metabolic rate and reproductive performance in storm-petrels

Despite evidence that some individuals achieve both superior reproductive performance and high survivorship, the factors underlying variation in individual quality are not well understood. The compensation and increased-intake hypotheses predict that basal metabolic rate (BMR) influences reproductive performance; if so, variation in BMR may be related to differences in individual quality. We evaluated whether BMR measured during the incubation period provides a proximate explanation for variation in individual quality by measuring the BMRs and reproductive performance of Leach's storm-petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) breeding on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada, during 2000 and 2001. We statistically controlled for internal (body mass, breeding age, sex) and external (year, date, time of day) effects on BMR. We found that males with relatively low BMRs hatched their eggs earlier in the season and that their chicks' wing growth rates were faster compared to males with relatively high BMRs. Conversely, BMR was not related to egg volume, hatching date, or chick growth rate for females or to lifetime (???23 years) hatching success for either sex. Thus, for males but not for females, our results support the compensation hypothesis. This hypothesis predicts that animals with low BMRs will achieve better reproductive performance than animals with high BMRs because they have lower self-maintenance costs and therefore can apportion more energy to reproduction. These results provide evidence that intraspecific variation in reproductive performance is related to BMR and suggest that BMR may influence individual quality in males. ?? The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Ecology↗
USGS2005

Using the risk-disturbance hypothesis to assess the relative effects of human disturbance and predation risk on foraging American Oystercatchers

The risk-disturbance hypothesis asserts that animals perceive human disturbance similar to nonlethal predation stimuli, and exhibit comparable responses in the form of optimization tradeoffs. However, few studies have examined how natural predation risk factors interact with human-disturbance stimuli to elicit such responses. We observed American Oystercatcher ( Haematopus palliatus ) vigilance behavior from September–December 2002 on the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina. A set of models was constructed based on 340 focal-animal samples and models revealed relationships between vigilance behavior, predator density, and boat activity. Oystercatchers increased vigilance in response to aerial predators, particularly late in the season when predator species composition was dominated by Northern Harriers ( Circus cyaneus ). At a broader temporal scale, oystercatchers exhibited the highest vigilance rates during simultaneous peaks in boating disturbance and Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ) activity. Due to this temporal overlap of stimuli, it is difficult to interpret what may have been driving the observed increased in vigilance. Foraging rates appeared to be primarily driven by habitat and tidal stage indicating that time lost to vigilance did not effectively reduce intake. Taken together, these findings provide some support for the risk-disturbance hypothesis, underscore the sensitivity of disturbance studies to temporal scale, and draw attention to the potential confounding effects of natural predation risk.

South Carolina↗
USGS2020

Migratory status determines resource selection by American Woodcock at an important fall stopover, Cape May, New Jersey

Migration is a period of high activity and exposure during which risks and energetic demand on individuals may be greater than during nonmigratory periods. Stopover locations can help mitigate these threats by providing supplemental energy en route to the animal’s end destination. Effective conservation of migratory species therefore requires an understanding of use of space that provides resources to migratory animals at stopover sites. We conducted a radio-telemetry study of a short-distance migrant, the American Woodcock ( Scolopax minor ), at an important stopover site, the Cape May Peninsula, New Jersey. Our objectives were to describe land-cover types used by American Woodcock and evaluate home range habitat selection for individuals that stopover during fall migration and those that choose to overwinter. We radio-marked 271 individuals and collected 1,949 locations from these birds (0–21 points individual –1 ) over 4 yr (2010 to 2013) to inform resource selection functions of land-cover types and other landscape characteristics by this species. We evaluated these relationships at multiple spatial extents for (1) birds known to have ultimately left the peninsula (presumed migrants), and (2) birds known to have remained on the peninsula into the winter (presumed winter residents). We found that migrants selected deciduous wetland forest, agriculture, mixed shrub, coniferous wetland forest, and coniferous shrub, while wintering residents selected deciduous wetland forest, coniferous shrub, and deciduous shrub. We used these results to develop predictive models of potential habitat: 7.80% of the peninsula was predicted to be potential stopover habitat for American Woodcock (95% classification accuracy) and 4.96% of the peninsula was predicted to be potential wintering habitat (85% classification accuracy). Our study is the first to report habitat relationships for migratory American Woodcock in the coastal U.S. and provides important spatial tools for local and regional managers to support migratory and winter resident woodcock populations into the future.

New Jersey↗
USGS2021

Exploiting common senses: Sensory ecology meets wildlife conservation and management

Multidisciplinary approaches to conservation and wildlife management are often effective in addressing complex, multi-factor problems. Emerging fields such as conservation physiology and conservation behaviour can provide innovative solutions and management strategies for target species and systems. Sensory ecology combines the study of ‘how animals acquire’ and process sensory stimuli from their environments, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of ‘how animals respond’ to this information. We review the benefits that sensory ecology can bring to wildlife conservation and management by discussing case studies across major taxa and sensory modalities. Conservation practices informed by a sensory ecology approach include the amelioration of sensory traps, control of invasive species, reduction of human–wildlife conflicts and relocation and establishment of new populations of endangered species. We illustrate that sensory ecology can facilitate the understanding of mechanistic ecological and physiological explanations underlying particular conservation issues and also can help develop innovative solutions to ameliorate conservation problems.

Conservation Physiology↗
USGS2022

Island of misfit tortoises: Waif gopher tortoise health assessment following translocation

Translocation, the intentional movement of animals from one location to another, is a common management practice for the gopher tortoise ( Gopherus polyphemus ). Although the inadvertent spread of pathogens is a concern with any translocation effort, waif tortoises—individuals that have been collected illegally, injured and rehabilitated or have unknown origins—are generally excluded from translocation efforts due to heightened concerns of introducing pathogens and subsequent disease to naïve populations. However, repurposing these long-lived animals for species recovery is desirable when feasible, and introducing waif tortoises may bolster small populations facing extirpation. The objective of this study was to assess the health of waif tortoises experimentally released at an isolated preserve in Aiken County, SC, USA. Our assessments included visual examination, screening for 14 pathogens using conventional or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and haematological evaluation. Of the 143 individuals assessed in 2017 and 2018, most individuals (76%; n = 109 of 143) had no overt clinical evidence of disease and, when observed, clinical findings were mild. In both years, we detected two known tortoise pathogens, Mycoplasma agassizii and Mycoplasma testudineum , at a prevalence of 10.2–13.9% and 0.0–0.8%, respectively. Additionally, we found emydid Mycoplasma , a bacterium commonly found in box turtles ( Terrapene spp . ), in a single tortoise that showed no clinical evidence of infection. The presence of nasal discharge was an important, but imperfect, predictor of Mycoplasma spp. infection in translocated tortoises. Hemogram data were comparable with wild populations. Our study is the first comprehensive effort to assess pathogen prevalence and hemogram data of waif gopher tortoises following translocation. Although caution is warranted and pathogen screening necessary, waif tortoises may be an important resource for establishing or augmenting isolated populations when potential health risks can be managed.

Conservation Physiology↗
USGS2017

Polar bears experience skeletal muscle atrophy in response to food deprivation and reduced activity in winter and summer

When reducing activity and using stored energy during seasonal food shortages, animals risk degradation of skeletal muscles, although some species avoid or minimize the resulting atrophy while experiencing these conditions during hibernation. Polar bears may be food deprived and relatively inactive during winter (when pregnant females hibernate and hunting success declines for other demographic groups) as well as summer (when sea ice retreats from key foraging habitats). We investigated muscle atrophy in samples of biceps femoris collected from free-ranging polar bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) throughout their annual cycle. Atrophy was most pronounced in April–May as a result of food deprivation during the previous winter, with muscles exhibiting reduced protein concentration, increased water content, and lower creatine kinase mRNA. These animals increased feeding and activity in spring (when seal prey becomes more available), initiating a period of muscle recovery. During the following ice melt of late summer, ~30% of SBS bears abandon retreating sea ice for land; in August, these ‘shore’ bears exhibited no muscle atrophy, indicating that they had fully recovered from winter food deprivation. These individuals subsequently scavenged whale carcasses deposited by humans and by October, had retained good muscle condition. In contrast, ~70% of SBS bears follow the ice north in late summer, into deep water with less prey. These ‘ice’ bears fast; by October, they exhibited muscle protein loss and rapid changes in myosin heavy-chain isoforms in response to reduced activity. These findings indicate that, unlike other bears during winter hibernation, polar bears without food in summer cannot mitigate atrophy. Consequently, prolonged summer fasting resulting from climate change-induced ice loss creates a risk of greater muscle atrophy and reduced abilities to travel and hunt.

Conservation Physiology↗
USGS2020

Pheromone pollution from invasive sea lamprey misguides a native confamilial

Animals living in the Anthropocene search for mates facing a barrage of pollutants. Few studies consider pheromones from invasive species as pollution, but their central role in the lives of many animals indicates cross-reaction among historically allopatric relatives has potentially damaging impacts. We hypothesized the sex pheromone of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), an invasive fish in the Laurentian Great Lakes, misguides mate search in native chestnut lamprey (Ichthyomyzon castaneus). In a field test, 100 % of female I. castaneus chose male odourants from P. marinus over conspecifics. Chemical analysis of water in which males were held confirmed both species signal with 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate but revealed higher release rates in P. marinus. Our results indicate sex pheromones from invasive species can be an influential type of pollution and underscore the conservation implications of studies on pheromone evolution.

Current Zoology↗
USGS2009

Comparative endocrinology in the 21st century

Hormones coordinate developmental, physiological, and behavioral processes within and between all living organisms. They orchestrate and shape organogenesis from early in development, regulate the acquisition, assimilation, and utilization of nutrients to support growth and metabolism, control gamete production and sexual behavior, mediate organismal responses to environmental change, and allow for communication of information between organisms. Genes that code for hormones; the enzymes that synthesize, metabolize, and transport hormones; and hormone receptors are important targets for natural selection, and variation in their expression and function is a major driving force for the evolution of morphology and life history. Hormones coordinate physiology and behavior of populations of organisms, and thus play key roles in determining the structure of populations, communities, and ecosystems. The field of endocrinology is concerned with the study of hormones and their actions. This field is rooted in the comparative study of hormones in diverse species, which has provided the foundation for the modern fields of evolutionary, environmental, and biomedical endocrinology. Comparative endocrinologists work at the cutting edge of the life sciences. They identify new hormones, hormone receptors and mechanisms of hormone action applicable to diverse species, including humans; study the impact of habitat destruction, pollution, and climatic change on populations of organisms; establish novel model systems for studying hormones and their functions; and develop new genetic strains and husbandry practices for efficient production of animal protein. While the model system approach has dominated biomedical research in recent years, and has provided extraordinary insight into many basic cellular and molecular processes, this approach is limited to investigating a small minority of organisms. Animals exhibit tremendous diversity in form and function, life-history strategies, and responses to the environment. A major challenge for life scientists in the 21st century is to understand how a changing environment impacts all life on earth. A full understanding of the capabilities of organisms to respond to environmental variation, and the resilience of organisms challenged by environmental changes and extremes, is necessary for understanding the impact of pollution and climatic change on the viability of populations. Comparative endocrinologists have a key role to play in these efforts.

Integrative and Comparative Biology↗
USGS2023

The smaller, the better? First evaluation of growth and mortality in crayfish internally tagged with p-Chips

Small-bodied aquatic animals present a challenge to researchers seeking to uniquely mark individuals for scientific study. Microtransponder tags, such as p-Chips, represent the smallest electronic animal tags available to meet this need. The use of p-Chips to tag freshwater crayfishes, however, has not been explored. The goal of this study, therefore, was to determine the effects of p-Chip tagging on growth and survival of crayfishes in a controlled laboratory environment. We also investigated potential influences from variables such as sex, reproductive form, number of molt events, and crayfish size on mortality. We internally tagged individuals of the woodland crayfish Faxonius hylas (Faxon, 1890) (12.2–26.6 mm carapace length; CL) with either one p-Chip (single-tag) or one p-Chip and one visual implant elastomer tag (double-tagged) and observed the effects over a period of 90 days. Survival probability over time was not statistically different ( P > 0.05) among tagging groups, sex, and reproductive form. Survival rates were similar across all tagging groups, with 75% in the control group, 77% in the double-tagged group, and 78% in the single-tag group. A strong correlation, however, was observed between survival and the number of molt events. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between survival and crayfish size (CL), indicating a higher risk of mortality for larger individuals. There were no statistically significant differences in growth in CL ( P = 0.30) or mass ( P = 0.19) among the tagging groups. We conclude that p-Chips are a viable tagging option for the study of crayfishes given their size, readability, and retention through molting cycles. We recommend that future studies repeat this experiment using smaller individuals to determine the minimum crayfish size compatible with p-Chip tagging. It is also important to test p-Chips with other crayfish species and compare the growth and mortality of crayfish tagged with p-Chips in natural habitats.

Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
USGS1969

Toxicity of Zectran insecticide to several wildlife species

Zectran® (4-dimethylamino-3,5-xylyl methycarbamate), all insecticide proposed for control of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), was tested against 16 species of pen-reared or captivity-acclimated animals to determine its toxicity and potential hazard to wildlife. The acute oral LD 60 values in mg/kg were: lesser sandhill crane, Grus canadensis canadensis L.., 1.0-4.5; Canada goose, Branta canadensis L.., 2.64; mourning dove, Zenaidura macroura L.., 2.83; mallard duck, Anas platyrhyndura L.., 3.0; coturnix quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica (Teminck & Schlep get), 3.21; mallard duckling 4.2; ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus L.., 4.5; house finch, Garpodacus mexicanus (Müller), 4.76; chukar partridge, Alectoris graeca (Meisner), 5.24; domestic pigeon, Columba livia (Gmelin), 6.47; sharp-tailed grouse, Pedioecetes phasianellus L.., 10.0; albino Sprague-Dawley rat, Rattus noruegicis (Fischer), 14.1; domestic goat, Capra aegagnzs L., 15.0-30.0; mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque), 20.0-30.0; house (English) sparrow, Passer domesticus 1.., 50.4; and bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana (Shaw), 283.0-800.0. In general, birds were more susceptible to single oral doses than mammals and reacted more quickly to intoxication and were more quickly affected. In both groups, the first easily recognized symptom of Zectran poisoning was an increase in the respiratory rate. Deaths appeared to occur from respiratory failure following tachypnea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Zectran did not show any marked cumulative effect in subacute oral tests with mallards, chukars, and mule deer. The animals were able to tolerate up to about 40% of a single oral LD 50 dose per day for 30 days, and there was some evidence of a low degree of acquired resistance. Zectran applied dermally to albino New Zealand rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lilljeborg), at 2000 mg/kg produced no discernible effects. The reproduction of chukars surviving repeated daily doses of Zectran was similar to that of controls. Low application rates, rapid degradation, low dermal toxicity, and the low degree of cumulative toxic action indicate that little hazard to wildlife should result under field conditions, even though Zectran is highly toxic in acute oral tests.

Journal of Economic Entomology↗