Effects of Chronic Stress on the Fecal Microbiome of Malayan Pangolins (Manis javanica) Rescued from the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Pangolins (scaly anteaters, Pholidota) are among those mammals that are most affected by the international, illegal wildlife trade. Recently, wildlife rescue centers in China became dedicated to rehabilitate confiscated pangolins and prepare them for reintroduction to the wild. Chronic stress is thought to be the main reason for a disturbed microbiota community and a higher mortality rate of pangolin in captivity. In this study, we compared the cortisol levels and the fecal microbiome of Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) born and reared in captivity (PCB; n = 7) with those rescued from the wildlife trade (PCT; n = 16). Results show that the level of cortisol in PCT was significantly lower than that observed in PCB. There were also significant differences in the composition of the fecal microflora between the two groups, and the diversity of intestinal microbiota was higher in PCB than in PCT. At the phylum level, the bacteria with significant difference between the two groups included Firmicutes and Bacteroides. At the genus level, bacteria such as Bacteroides, Parabacterides, and Clostridium showed significant differences between the two groups. This study proves that chronic stress has a considerable effect on the diversity and composition of fecal microbiota in Malayan pangolin.

Biological water quality assessment in the degraded Mutara rangelands, northeastern Rwanda.

Rwanda is a heavily overpopulated country that also suffers from overstocking with livestock, especially following the return of war refuges after the civil war (1991-1995). At present, approximately 20% of the human population in Nyagatare District in northeastern Rwanda has no access to clean drinking water and sanitation. We used a biotic index based on the presence of selected families of aquatic macroinvertebrates, derived from the "Tanzania River Scoring System" (TARISS), to assess water quality at N = 55 sites in the Mutara grasslands in Nyagatare District. Poor water quality became evident across most sampling sites both in the Muvumba (mean ± SE TARISS score 5.25 ± 0.10) and Karangazi Rivers (4.79 ± 0.12). Using a general linear model, we asked whether direct effects of land use forms and input of anthropogenic wastewater have an impact on water quality. Our results found no immediate effects of both forms of disturbance/pollution, probably because overall water quality was already poor. Our study is intended to serve as a starting point for continuous monitoring of water quality in the Mutara rangelands in NE Rwanda. The method applied here is cost-efficient, requires only basic equipment, and training local students to apply this technique can provide a solid basis for its implementation in future surveys related to public health.

Captive breeding of wildlife resources-China's revised supply-side approach to conservation.

The conservation and utilization of wild animals in China often raises public concerns. Thus, the Chinese government is increasingly exploring sustainable development of wildlife resources, and has implemented a series of measures, such as the modification of the Wildlife Protection Law (WPL), implementation of captive breeding licenses, an animal marking system, forest certification, and other actions to regulate captive breeding and utilization of wildlife. At the same time, the government tries to meet the Chinese traditional demand for wildlife products. We first introduce wildlife utilization as an internationally accepted conservation tool, and describe market-based wildlife farming as a legal substitute for wild-hunted animals. Second, we highlight the importance of wildlife products in Chinese culture and economy and review some successful examples of wildlife utilization in China, showing that the supply-side approach is a viable alternative to classical conservation. Subsequently, we outline benefits of, and drawbacks to, China's 'conservation through utilization' approach, resulting in the implementation of China's new, revised WPL. We discuss merits and shortcomings of China's revised WPL and respond to recent national and international criticism on China's supply-side approach to conservation. We strongly propose that captive breeding is a feasible approach to China's wildlife conservation-utilization dilemma, and much work is needed to promote the progress, such as legislation restructure, government attention, duties clarification, and so on. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

ERADICATION OF BRUCELLA MELITENSIS FROM TWO CAPTIVE GAZELLE POPULATIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA.

An outbreak of brucellosis occurred in a group of 726 sand gazelles (Gazella marica) at the Prince Mohammed Al-Sudairi Gazelle Breeding Center and in a group of 47 putative "Neumann's gazelles" (Gazella erlangeri) housed at the King Khalid Wildlife Research Center in Saudi Arabia. Clinical signs of anorexia, poor body condition, enlarged testes, reluctance to walk, swollen carpal joints, and suppurative arthritis were present in 16 sand gazelles and 14 Neumann's gazelles. All clinical cases were evaluated using a card agglutination test, complement fixation, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All cases were serologically positive for Brucella melitensis, confirmed through culture and isolation of the microorganism. DNA was extracted from the isolated organisms, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for sequencing. Evaluation focused on tracking the source of infection, the management of the two outbreaks, and the subsequent diagnosis, treatments, and success, including the successful eradication of Brucella from both populations.

GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES IN CAPTIVE AND FREE-RANGING BIRDS AND POTENTIAL CROSS-TRANSMISSION IN A ZOO ENVIRONMENT.

Gastrointestinal parasites are commonly reported in wild birds, but transmission amongst avifauna in zoological settings, and between these captive birds and wild birds in surrounding areas, remains poorly understood. A survey was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive and free-ranging birds at Bristol Zoo Gardens between May and July 2016. A total of 348 fecal samples from 32 avian species were examined using the Mini-FLOTAC flotation method. Parasites were detected in 31% (45/145) of samples from captive birds and in 65.5% (133/203) of samples from free-ranging birds. Parasites of captive individuals included ascarids ( Heterakis spp. and other morphotypes), capillarids, oxyurids, strongyles, a trematode, and protozoans ( Eimeria spp., Isospora spp., Caryospora sp., and Entamoeba spp.). Parasites of free-ranging birds included ascarids ( Ascaridia spp., Porrocaecum spp., and other morphotypes), capillarids, oxyurids, strongyles ( Syngamus spp. and other morphotypes), cestodes ( Choanotaenia spp., Hymenolepis spp., and other morphotypes), a trematode, and protozoans ( Eimeria spp., Isospora spp., Entamoeba spp.). Similar types of parasites were detected in captive and free-ranging birds, but capillarid ova morphology was similar only between closely related species, eg in corvids (captive azure-winged magpies [ Cyanipica cyana] and wild jackdaws [ Corvus monedula]) and between wild columbids (collared doves [ Streptopelia decaocto], rock doves [ Columba livia], and wood pigeons [ Columba palumbus]). The prevalence and intensity of nematodes and coccidia in birds housed outdoors did not differ statistically from species housed indoors. Results indicate that captive and free-ranging birds may share parasites when closely related, but this would need to be confirmed by the study of adult specimens and molecular tests. Determining which parasites are present in captive and free-ranging species in zoological parks will support the establishment of effective husbandry practices to maintain the health status of managed species.

Phylogenetic analyses of gazelles reveal repeated transitions of key ecological traits and provide novel insights into the origin of the genus Gazella.

African bovids are a famous example of a taxonomic group in which the correlated evolution of body size, feeding mode, gregariousness, and social organization in relation to the preferred habitat type has been investigated. A continuum has been described ranging from small-bodied, sedentary, solitary or socially monogamous, forest- or bush-dwelling, browsing species that seek shelter from predation in dense vegetation, to large-bodied, migratory, highly gregarious, grazing taxa inhabiting open savannahs and relying on flight or group-defense behaviors when facing predators. Here, we examined a geographically widespread clade within the Bovidae (the genus Gazella) that shows minimal interspecific variation in body size and asked if we could still uncover correlated changes of key ecological and behavioral traits during repeated transitions from open-land to mountain-dwelling. Our study used a multi-locus phylogeny (based on sequence variation of Cytb and six nuclear intron markers) of all extant members of the genus Gazella to infer evolutionary patterns of key ecological and behavioral traits and to estimate ancestral character states using Bayesian inference. At the base of the Gazella-phylogeny, open plains were inferred as the most likely habitat type, and three independent transitions toward mountain-dwelling were uncovered. Those shifts coincided with shifts from migratory to sedentary lifestyles. Character estimation for group size was largely congruent with movement patterns in that species forming large groups tended to be migratory, while small group size was correlated with a sedentary lifestyle. Evolutionary patterns of two other conspicuous traits (twinning ability vs. exclusive singleton births and hornless vs. horned females) did not follow this trend in the Gazella-phylogeny. Furthermore, we inferred the genus Gazella to have emerged in the Late Miocene to Pliocene (10-3Mya), and estimating ancestral ranges based on a Dispersal-Extinction-Cladogenesis model found the Middle East to be the most likely origin of the genus.

Importance of latrine communication in European rabbits shifts along a rural-to-urban gradient.

BACKGROUND: Information transfer in mammalian communication networks is often based on the deposition of excreta in latrines. Depending on the intended receiver(s), latrines are either formed at territorial boundaries (between-group communication) or in core areas of home ranges (within-group communication). The relative importance of both types of marking behavior should depend, amongst other factors, on population densities and social group sizes, which tend to differ between urban and rural wildlife populations. Our study is the first to assess (direct and indirect) anthropogenic influences on mammalian latrine-based communication networks along a rural-to-urban gradient in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) living in urban, suburban and rural areas in and around Frankfurt am Main (Germany). RESULTS: The proportion of latrines located in close proximity to the burrow was higher at rural study sites compared to urban and suburban ones. At rural sites, we found the largest latrines and highest latrine densities close to the burrow, suggesting that core marking prevailed. By contrast, latrine dimensions and densities increased with increasing distance from the burrow in urban and suburban populations, suggesting a higher importance of peripheral marking. CONCLUSIONS: Increased population densities, but smaller social group sizes in urban rabbit populations may lead to an increased importance of between-group communication and thus, favor peripheral over core marking. Our study provides novel insights into the manifold ways by which man-made habitat alterations along a rural-to-urban gradient directly and indirectly affect wildlife populations, including latrine-based communication networks.

Utility of island populations in re-introduction programmes--relationships between Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) from the Farasan Archipelago and endangered mainland populations.

Understanding local adaptation and population differentiation is vital to the success of re-introduction initiatives. As other mammals living on islands, Arabian gazelles (G. arabica) show reduced body size on the Farasan archipelago, which we corroborated in this study through morphometric analyses of skulls. In the light of the steep population decline on the Arabian Peninsula ­ but stable population development on the archipelago ­ we tested the potential suitability of Farasan gazelles as a source for re-introductions on the mainland. We therefore investigated genetic differentiation between Farasan and mainland populations using eleven nuclear microsatellite loci and detected a distinct genetic cluster exclusively present on the archipelago, which we inferred to be separated from the mainland cluster for less than 2000 years. About 30% of sampled individuals from Farasan Islands showed assignment to a mainland cluster with signs of ongoing introgression. Analyses using the isolation-with-migration model confirmed recent (probably human-induced) bidirectional exchange of gazelles between mainland and island populations. Hence, the surprisingly uniform island dwarfism most likely reflects phenotypic plasticity, that is, altered morphology as a direct consequence of harsh environmental conditions and resource limitation on the archipelago. Should a further decline of Arabian gazelles on the mainland necessitate restocking in the future, Farasan gazelles may thus become an additional source for captive breeding programmes.

The Status of Wildlife Damage Compensation in China.

The conservation management of natural ecosystems in China has significantly improved in recent decades, resulting in the effective protection of wildlife and the restoration of habitats. With the rapid growth in wildlife populations and corresponding range expansions, incidents of human-wildlife conflict have notably increased across China. However, only a few studies have paid adequate attention to wildlife damage management and compensation. In our review, we focus on the foremost mitigation measure to combat human-wildlife conflict, i.e., compensation for damage caused by wildlife. We conducted a questionnaire survey and an in-depth review of the literature across 19 Chinese provinces and autonomous regions, resulting in a total of 78 relevant sources. We first introduce the concept of wildlife damage compensation in China, followed by a review of Chinese legislation and policies regarding wildlife damage compensation. We compiled a comprehensive list of nuisance species, and we showcase four case studies in which we exemplarily describe the current situation of wildlife damage compensation. We reflect on difficulties and challenges such as delayed damage assessments or compensation quotas that do not correspond to current market prices. Since local legislation is often insufficient or completely absent, we make suggestions on how to improve existing policies and compensation mechanisms.

Diversity of bacteria associated with lichens in Mt. Yunmeng in Beijing, China.

Lichens host highly complex and diverse microbial communities, which may perform essential functions in these symbiotic micro-ecosystems. In this research, sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to investigate the bacterial communities associated with lichens of two growth forms (foliose and crustose). Results showed that Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota and Acidobacteriota were dominant phyla in both types of lichens, while Acetobacterales and Hyphomicrobiales were the dominant orders. Alpha diversity index showed that the richness of bacteria hosted by foliose lichens was significantly higher than that hosted by crustose ones. Principal co-ordinates analysis showed a significant difference between beta diversity of the foliose lichen-associated bacterial communities and those of crustose lichen-associated ones. Gene function prediction showed most functions, annotated by the lichen-associated bacteria, to be related to metabolism, suggesting that related bacteria may provide nutrients to their hosts. Generally, our results propose that microbial communities play important roles in fixing nitrogen, providing nutrients, and controlling harmful microorganisms, and are therefore an integral and indispensable part of lichens.

Revisiting the radiation of Gazella arabica on the Arabian Peninsula and testing the suitability of captive breeding stock for reintroduction, using mitochondrial and nuclear markers.

Today, the Arabian gazelle (G. arabica) occurs only in small, scattered populations on the Arabian Peninsula and is classified as 'vulnerable', due to intensive hunting and competition with livestock. The taxonomy of this threatened species is still under debate, hampering conservation efforts while ex-situ breeding programs could be an appropriate conservation measure to prevent the species from going extinct. In our study, we attempted to elucidate the radiation of G. arabica on the Arabian Peninsula, and to ask whether the population genetic structure allows to distinguish between discrete conservation units. We used mitochondrial markers, microsatellite markers, and three intron markers to identify conservation units, to match them with genotypes found in the captive breeding stock held in Saudi Arabia, and to ensure that genotype diversity of potential founder individuals corresponds to that prevailing at targeted reintroduction sites. The sequence divergence was low among nuclear and mitochondrial markers, with gazelles originating from the north of the Arabian Peninsula showing the largest diversity, while south-western and eastern populations showed a decreased diversity. A haplotype network based on the relatively heterogeneous cytochrome b gene found no signs of a prolonged separate evolutionary history of any investigated mainland population, suggesting limitations of gene-flow after the colonization of the Arabian Peninsula leading to a founder effect-like distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes. The ex-situ breeding population held in Saudi Arabia showed a good haplotype diversity, underlining its general suitability for reintroductions. However, it is recommended that genetic data of founders should be assessed prior to future reintroduction.

Reproductive biology of Gazella arabica: Predictors of offspring weight and short- and long-term offspring survival.

Reproductive traits are central to organismal fitness, and so the factors influencing patterns of reproduction and offspring survival are at the heart of biology. Making use of breeding data collected over 16 years at the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in Saudi Arabia, we investigated the reproductive biology of Arabian gazelles Gazella arabica. Offspring survival was mainly a function of birth weight, with heavier offspring having higher survival rates than lighter offspring. However, while sons were heavier than daughters, daughters had higher survival rates. We could not find evidence that giving birth to sons negatively impacts offspring weight in the following year. We uncovered large narrow-sense heritability (h2) in offspring weight at birth, while maternal effects (m2) on birth weight were of lesser importance. However, maternal effects on offspring survival were strong until weaning age, while paternal effects dominated survival to sexual maturity and first reproduction. We propose that variation in maternal postnatal care might overshadow the effects of maternal inheritance of birth weights, while the overall strong heritability of weight at birth and the paternal effects on survival illustrates strong variance in sire fitness based on genetic quality, suggesting a role for sexual selection by female mate choice in wild populations.

Effects of different weaning times on the stress response and the intestinal microbiota composition of female forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and their fawns.

The effects of mother-infant separation (i.e., weaning) on the physiology, psychology and nutrition of mammalian infants have attracted much attention. Forest musk deer (FMD) is a first-class protected species in China and listed endangered in the IUCN Red List. The captive breeding population is not only an important source for restocking of wild resources, but also a necessary way to supply the market with legal musk. So far, there is no scientific basis for the appropriate separation time of FMD females and their infants. Therefore, we used metagenome sequencing and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to study changes in the fecal cortisol concentration, as well as the intestinal microbiome composition and function of females and fawns at three different separation times, i.e., after 80 days, 90 days and 100 days. The results showed that the increment of the cortisol concentration in female FMD increased with increasing lactation time. The increment of cortisol concentration in infant FMD was highest in the 80 days weaning group, but there was no significant difference between the 90 days and the 100 days separation time. Based on the annotation results of COG, KEGG and CAZy databases, the abundance of different functions annotated by the intestinal microbiome of mothers and fawns of the 90 days weaning group changed slightly after separation. Based on the above results, the separation of mother and infant FMD is recommended after 90 days, i.e., the separation time that triggered the lowest rate of weaning stress and that supported a relatively stable gastro-intestinal physiology.

Extrinsic factors, endocrine mechanisms, and behavioral indicators of migratory restlessness in wintering whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus).

Extrinsic factors, endocrine mechanisms, and behavioral indicators of migratory restlessness were studied in wintering whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) in the Sanmenxia Swan National Wetland Park in western Henan Province, central China. First, the fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentration was established and related to mean air temperature or photo period (day length) using simple linear or non-linear regression models. After a model selection procedure, the best fitted model revealed that an increase of FGM concentration was associated with an increase in the squared mean air temperature (R2 = 0.88). Other models showed an increasing FGM concentration to correspond with increasing values of day length, squared day length, and mean air temperature-however without statistical support. In a second step, behavioral frequencies of seven behaviors were condensed into three behavioral principal components (PCs) using principal components analysis. Behavioral PCs largely corresponded to three activity phases described for wintering whooper swans in central China and were correlated with the FGM concentration using Spearman's rank-order correlations. Results revealed a significant correlation between FGM and behavioral PC2 (positive factor loadings from vigilance and preening, negative loading from foraging). Finally, we tested for an effect of behavioral PCs on changes in winter home range size using a set of multiple linear regression models. Results of averaged model parameter estimates showed only the behavioral PC3 (positive factor loadings from fighting and calling, negative loading from locomotion) had a marginal significant effect on home range size. Results confirmed findings of previous studies on migratory restlessness in whooper swans. However, due to the small sample size (N = 15 weeks) the effect of PC3 on home range size was weak and should be viewed with caution.

A holistic model to assess risk factors of fasciolosis in Ankole cattle.

In recent decades, remote sensing (RS) technology and geographical information systems (GIS) were increasingly used as tools for epidemiological studies and the control of zoonotic diseases. Fasciolosis, a zoonotic disease caused by a trematode parasite (Fasciola spp.), is a good candidate for the application of RS and GIS in epidemiology because it is strongly influenced by the environment, i.e. the habitat of the intermediate host. In this study, we examined variables which may increase the fasciolosis risk of Ankole cattle in the degraded and overgrazed Mutara rangelands of north-eastern Rwanda. The risk variables considered included three environmental variables (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI; normalized difference moisture index, NDMI; normalized difference water index, NDWI), two landscape metric variables (rangeland proportion, building density), two geological variables (poorly-drained soil proportion, elevation) and three animal husbandry variables (herd size, adult proportion and the body condition score). Fasciola spp. prevalence was used as the dependent variable, sampling season as a fixed factor and four principal components (PCs, condensed from the ten risk variables) as covariates in a univariate General Linear Model. Fasciola spp. prevalence was positively correlated to rangeland proportion, cattle herd size in rural areas, adult proportion and individual body condition. Moreover, high Fasciola spp. prevalence was found in densely vegetated areas with high moisture (high values of NDVI and NDMI), in combination with large proportions of poorly-drained soil at low elevations. Future investigations should focus on increased sampling across the Mutara rangelands to prepare a predictive, spatial fasciolosis risk map that would help to further improve sustainable land-use management.

Water pollution affects fish community structure and alters evolutionary trajectories of invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata).

Anthropogenic habitat alterations have the potential to affect both, ecological dynamics of communities and populations, as well as evolutionary processes within populations. Invasive species may benefit from anthropogenic disturbance, such as water pollution, to which they sometimes seem more resistant than native ones. They also allow investigating evolutionary divergence among populations occurring along pollution gradients. We assessed fish communities at 55 sampling sites in the degraded and heavily overstocked Mutara Rangelands of north-eastern Rwanda (upper Nile drainage), which receive pollution from domestic wastewater and cattle dung. Diverse fish communities became apparent that included invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata, Poeciliidae), and canonical correspondence analyses found significant differentiation of community structures along several environmental parameters (condensed into principal components), including pollution-effects. As predicted, generalized linear models found guppies to have a higher likelihood of occurrence at polluted sites. Local abundances of guppies, however, decreased at polluted sites. Since guppies are color-polymorphic, and color patterns have a heritable basis, they allow inferences regarding both pollution-induced suppression of male ornamentation (e.g., through xenestrogens) and evolutionary population divergence. We thus quantified different ornament types (numbers and percent body surface cover). ANCOVAs uncovered several weak (based on effect strengths), but statistically significant pollution-effects and interactions with other environmental parameters. The direction of several interaction effects was similar for blue/black and red/orange ornaments, while white/iridescent ornaments responded dissimilarly. As responses differed between ornament types, they likely reflect evolutionary divergence due to site-specific alterations of selective regimes rather than developmental inhibition of male secondary sexual characters. We propose that pollution affects local fitness landscapes resulting, e.g., from predation and mate competition (as a function of local abundances), altogether driving evolutionary divergence of sexually selected traits. This study highlights how human activities not only impact ecological dynamics, but-mediated by altered Eco-Evo dynamics-might change the evolutionary trajectories of populations.

Community Composition and Diversity of Intestinal Microbiota in Captive and Reintroduced Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii).

Large and complex intestinal microbiota communities in hosts have profound effects on digestion and metabolism. To better understand the community structure of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) under different feeding regimes, we compared bacterial diversity and composition between captive and reintroduced Przewalski's horses, using high-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing for identification. Reintroduced Przewalski's horses were sampled in two Chinese nature reserves, i.e., Dunhuang Xihu Nature Reserve (DXNR; n = 8) in Gansu Province and Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR; n = 12) in Xinjiang Province, and compared to a captive population at the Przewalski's Horse Breeding Center in Xinjiang (PHBC; n = 11). The composition of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horses was significantly different at the three study sites. Observed species was lowest in DXNR, but highest in KNR. Lowest Shannon diversity was observed in DXNR, while in KNR and PHBC had a moderately high diversity; Simpson diversity showed an opposite trend compared with the Shannon index. Linear Discriminant Analysis effect size was used to determine differentially distributed bacterial taxa at each study site. The most dominant phyla of intestinal microbiota were similar in all feeding regimes, including mainly Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Spirochaetes. Differing abundances of intestinal microbiota in Przewalski's horses may be related to different food types at each study site, differences in diversity may be attributed to low quality food in DXNR. Results indicated that diet is one of the important factors that can influence the structure of intestinal microbiota communities in Przewalski's horse. These findings combined with a detailed knowledge of the available and consumed food plant species could provide guidelines for the selection of potential future reintroduction sites.

Gastro-intestinal parasite infections of Ankole cattle in an unhealthy landscape: An assessment of ecological predictors.

The distribution of gastro-intestinal (GI) parasites across landscapes is closely related to the spatial distribution of hosts. In GI parasites with environmental life stages, the vitality of parasites is also affected by ecological and landscape-related components of the environment. This is particularly relevant for domestic livestock species that are often kept across habitats with varying degrees of degradation, exposing them to a wide range of environmentally robust parasite species. In our study, we examined the effect of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the prevalence and intensity of GI parasites across a free-ranging stock of Ankole cattle in the Mutara rangelands of northeastern Rwanda. Prevalence and intensity of each parasite type (i.e., strongyle-type nematodes, Strongyloides spp., Moniezia spp., and Eimeria spp.) were used as dependent variables. Two fixed factors related to season and conservation-political history, together with three principal components (condensed from nine ecological variables) were used as independent covariates in a univariate General Linear Model (GLM). Major effects on the prevalence and intensity of strongyle-type nematodes and on the intensity of Eimeria spp. were found in that vegetation-related effects such as above-ground grass biomass in conjunction with a high degree of soil compaction had a negative relationship with these parasite types. These unexpected findings suggest that strongyle-type and coccidian infections increase with increasing rangeland degradation. Strongyle-type nematode prevalence and intensity were also negatively related to goat/sheep density, indicating a 'dilution effect' of GI infections between domestic livestock species.

Pastoralism versus Agriculturalism-How Do Altered Land-Use Forms Affect the Spread of Invasive Plants in the Degraded Mutara Rangelands of North-Eastern Rwanda?

Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) originates from tropical Central and South America and has become invasive in about 50 countries. It causes problems when invading rangelands due to its toxicity to livestock and its tendency to form dense, monotonous thickets. Its invasiveness can partly be explained by the high tannin content largely protecting the species from being browsed, its tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions, as well as its general preference for anthropogenically disturbed habitats. The dispersal of L. camara is facilitated by birds and other animals consuming its drupes (endozoochory), and so both wild and domestic ungulates could contribute to its spread. In our study, we investigated the distribution of L. camara in the Mutara rangelands of north-eastern Rwanda, an area that faced dramatic landscape changes in recent decades. We assessed 23 ecological factors and factors related to land-use and conservation-political history. Major effects on the local abundance of L. camara were found in that the relative canopy cover of L. camara was negatively correlated with the occurrence of other shrubs (suggesting competition for space and nutrients), while encounter rates of houses, 'living fences' (Euphorbia tirucalli L.) and cattle tracks were positively correlated with L. camara cover. Hence, the spread of non-native L. camara in the Mutara rangelands appears to be linked to landscape alterations arising from the transformation of rangelands supporting traditional pastoralist communities to other agricultural land-use forms.

Data on phylogenetic analyses of gazelles (genus Gazella) based on mitochondrial and nuclear intron markers.

The data provided is related to the article "Phylogenetic analyses of gazelles reveal repeated transitions of key ecological traits and provide novel insights into the origin of the genus Gazella" [1]. The data is based on 48 tissue samples of all nine extant species of the genus Gazella, namely Gazella gazella, Gazella arabica, Gazella bennettii, Gazella cuvieri, Gazella dorcas, Gazella leptoceros, Gazella marica, Gazella spekei, and Gazella subgutturosa and four related taxa (Saiga tatarica, Antidorcas marsupialis, Antilope cervicapra and Eudorcas rufifrons). It comprises alignments of sequences of a cytochrome b data set and of six nuclear intron markers. For the latter new primers were designed based on cattle and sheep genomes. Based on these alignments phylogenetic trees were inferred using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methods. Furthermore, ancestral character states (inferred with BayesTraits 1.0) and ancestral ranges based on a Dispersal-Extinction-Cladogenesis model were estimated and results׳ files were stored within this article.