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Importance & Value of Mammals

Mammalogy (Fall 2013 Althoff - reference FDVM Chapter 28-29). LEC 16. Importance & Value of Mammals. Historically - Indigenous People. Major part of __________ a) food (ex. bison, deer, elk) b) fur, shelter, utensils, etc.

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Importance & Value of Mammals

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  1. Mammalogy (Fall 2013 Althoff - reference FDVM Chapter 28-29) LEC 16 Importance & Value of Mammals

  2. Historically - Indigenous People • Major part of __________ a) food (ex. bison, deer, elk) b) fur, shelter, utensils, etc. • Major part of __________ a) ceremony b) spiritual relationships (ex. bison) c) admiration (ex. of bear)

  3. Domestication • Regardless of species…almost all domesticated mammals share certain ______________ and _____________ characteristics that lend themselves to domestication: 1) adaptable in terms of diet and environment 2) highly social, with behavior based on a juvenile period with strong social bonds & domestic hierarchy 3) easily maintained as a resource for products 4) easily bred in captivity, with rapid growth rates 5) closely herded—not adapted for instant flight • Think: sheep, goats, and pigs! • Precludes individuals that are strongly territorial

  4. Domestication out of ~5, 400 species • _____ of mammalian species have been domesticated • Of, those, about 150 have been large herbivores (> 50 kg)….but only 5 –all from_______—have been domesticated AND spread beyond their original range: horse cow sheep goat pig • Summary, by taxonomic grouping provided in Table 28.1, p519 FDVMK…but little ___________ on scientific names

  5. Hypothesized Areas of Origin: Pig Cattle Goat Sheep …probably ____________ “domestication” events throughout this region FDVMK Fig. 28.2 p518

  6. Different Stages of Domestication associated with evolving human social and economic development • ______________: pre-agriculture dog, goat, sheep, reindeer early agriculture cattle (including water buffalo, yak, and banteng), pig • _______________: transport & labor  horses and ass, camel and llama, elephants pest destruction  cats, ferrets provide consumer products  deer ranches, African bovids, fur farms (Ox species in Asia)

  7. Add to the list with “temporal” and “functional” use… • _________: rats mice rabbits

  8. Domesticated Livestock – “BIG” numbers Perissodactyla Numbers Horses 55,470,000 Asses 40,328,000 Mules 12,806,000 Artiodactyla Cattle 1,371,177,000 Sheep 1,024,040,000 Pigs 956,017,000 Goats 767,930,000 Buffalo 170,661,000 Camels 19,074,000 • FDVMK Table 28.2 p521 2003 estimates

  9. Historically - European Settlers • First wave (pre-1850’s) a) ____________ hunting provided food, clothing b) ___________ (trappers used for barter) • Second wave (post 1850’s) provided Eastern U.S. markets

  10. Historically • Bison numbered in the (30-75) millions • Predators, particularly wolves, reportedly killed 1/3 of all bison calves (source: DeSmet 1905 from accounts by Native Americans) • Demise of _______ on Great Plains a major factor in establishment of conservation movement

  11. Importance to Ecosystem • Pre 1900’s: bison & prairie dog were __________ species in the Great Plains • Post 1960’s: _____________ only KEYSTONE species that realistically can still have that distinction

  12. Influences on Mammals in Great Plains/Midwest...today • Grazing a) competition for food with ungulates b) pest control (coyotes, pocket gophers, prairie dogs) • Cultivation of crops (rodents, lagomorphs, ungulates) • Fire suppression • Development (mining, commercial development)

  13. Some examples of _____________ impacts in recent times… • White-tailed deer a) vehicle collisions (loss of life & property) b) altering forest floor species composition • Nutria (introduced) a) destruction of marshes b) damage to flood control levees (____ of levees estimated to have failed during Katrina because of Nutria) • Tree squirrels (fox, gray especially) a) major cause of transformers blowing

  14. Other Considerations • Bison replaced by cattle, sheep • Elk, deer, pronghorn provide major recreational hunting • Endangered species and/or Species of Interest (examples): grizzly bear timber wolf river otter swift fox Indiana bat Canada lynx black-footed ferret

  15. Gray wolf (Canis lupus) SOURCE: NatureServe 14 April 2008

  16. Black-footed ferret By _____, finally more b-f ferrets In wild than in captivity !!! Historical range Meeteetse, WY (last known “wild” popn by 1980s) Reintroduction sites by 1995 Wyoming (Shirley Basin) – ‘91 Montana (C.M. Russel NWR) – ‘94 South Dakota (Badlands) – ‘94

  17. Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) SOURCE: NatureServe 14 April 2008

  18. Other Considerations... • Value as Ecosystem “Health” Indicators a) changes in habitat quality &/or quantity ex: muskrats (aquatic systems) cottontails (terrestrial systems) b) pollution: most mammals in the Great Plains/Midwest don’t migrate (as compared to many bird species)…for long-lived species this may help identify areas of contamination

  19. Keys to Preserving Mammals(AKA ___________________________) • ______________ human population growth & associated expansion • _____________ of mammals as part of “our” ecosystem • _____________ pest removal, not population reduction • _____ or ______ and/or _______ large tracts of undisturbed/unmanipulated land

  20. “Newer” approaches …not-for-profit support/guidance • __________ first one with red-cockaded woodpecker in NC; now one for San Joaquin kit fox in CA now one for North Idaho ground squirrel in ID now one for Mexican gray wolf in NM • _________________ • NatureServe • _________________________ • National Wildlife Federation

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