Biology subjects

Cherry, M. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Cherry, M. J..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Respiratory shedding of infectious SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.41.1 lineage with increased evolutionary rate among captive white-tailed deer

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have high value for research, conservation, agriculture and recreation, and may be important SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs with unknown human health implications. In November 2023, we sampled 15 female deer in a captive facility in central Texas, USA. All individuals had neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and 11 had RT-qPCR-positive respiratory swabs; one also had a positive rectal swab. Six of 11 respiratory swabs yielded infectious virus with replication kinetics of most samples displaying lower growth 24-48 h post infection in vitro when compared to Omicron lineages isolated from humans in Texas in the same period. However, virus growth was similar between groups by 72 h, suggesting no strong attenuation of deer-derived virus. All deer viruses clustered in XBB Omicron clade, with more mutations than expected compared to contemporaneous viruses in humans, suggesting that crossing the species barrier to deer was accompanied by a high substitution rate.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Influence of visual perception on movement decisions by an ungulate prey species

Visual perception is dynamic and depends on physiological properties of a species visual system and physical characteristics of the environment. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are most sensitive to short- and mid-wavelength light (e.g., blue and green). Wavelength enrichment varies spatially and temporally across the landscape. We assessed how the visual perception of deer influences their movement decisions. From August-September 2019, we recorded 10-min locations from 15 GPS collared adult male deer in Central Florida. We used Hidden-Markov models to identify periods of movement by deer and subset these data into three time periods based on temporal changes in light environments. We modeled resource selection during movement using path-selection functions and simulated 10 available paths for every used path. We developed five a priori models and used 10-fold cross validation to assess our top models performance for each time period. During the day, deer selected to move through woodland shade, avoided forest shade, and neither selected nor avoided small gaps. At twilight, deer avoided wetlands as cloud cover increased but neither selected nor avoided other cover types. Visual cues and signals are likely more conspicuous to deer in short-wavelength-enriched woodland shade during the day, while at twilight in long-wavelength-enriched wetlands during cloud cover, visual cues are likely less conspicuous. The nocturnal light environment did not influence resource selection and likely has little effect on deer movements because its relatively homogenous. Our findings suggest visual perception relative to light environments is likely an underappreciated driver of behaviors and decision-making by an ungulate prey species. Summary StatementWe assessed how visual perception of white-tailed deer influences movement decisions. Our findings suggest visual perception relative to light environments represents an underappreciated driver of decision-making by ungulate prey species.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at one of three captive cervid facilities in Texas

Free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus) across the United States are increasingly recognized as involved in SARS-CoV-2 transmission cycles. Through a cross-sectional study of 80 deer at three captive cervid facilities in central and southern Texas, we provide evidence of 34 of 36 (94.4%) white-tailed deer at a single captive cervid facility seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 by neutralization assay (PRNT90), with endpoint titers as high as 1280. In contrast, all tested white-tailed deer and axis deer (Axis axis) at two other captive cervid facilities were seronegative, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in respiratory swabs from deer at any of the three facilities. These data support transmission among captive deer that cannot be explained by human contact for each infected animal, as only a subset of the seropositive does had direct human contact. The facility seroprevalence was more than double of that reported from wild deer, suggesting that the confined environment may facilitate transmission. Further exploration of captive cervids and other managed animals for their role in the epizootiology of SARS-CoV-2 is critical for understanding impacts on animal health and the potential for spillback transmission to humans or other animal taxa. ImportanceAs SARS-CoV-2 vaccine coverge of the human population increases and variants of concern continue to emerge, identification of the epidemiologic importance of animal virus reservoirs is critical. We found that nearly all (94.4%) of the captive white-tailed deer at a cervid facility in central Texas had neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2. This seroprevalence is over double than that which has been reported from free-ranging deer from other regions of the US. Horizontal transmission among deer may be facilitated in confinement. Tracking new infections among wild and confined deer is critical for understanding the importance of animal reservoirs for both veterinary and human health.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2019

Space use and resource selection of bobcats in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia

Bobcats are an apex predator and a species of socio-cultural importance in the central Appalachian Mountains. Despite their importance, knowledge of bobcat spatial ecology in the region is sparse. We examined space use and resource selection of bobcats in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia during 3 biological seasons: breeding (January-March), kitten-rearing (April-September), and dispersal (October-December). We observed sex effects on all space use metrics, with male seasonal areas of use (SAU) approximately 3 times larger than female SAUs and male movement rates 1.5 times higher than females during all seasons. We found no seasonal effect on SAU size for either sex. Female movement rates increased during the kitten-rearing season, and male movement rates increased during the dispersal season. We examined seasonal bobcat resource selection at 2 hierarchical scales, selection of home ranges within the landscape (2nd order) and selection of locations within home ranges (3rd order). Female bobcats exhibited 2nd order selection for higher elevations and deciduous forest and avoidance of fields. Males exhibited 2nd order selection for higher elevations and fields. Male 2nd order selection appears to be driven largely by the spatial distribution of females, which is mediated through the valley and ridge topography of the study area. Sample size precluded 3rd order analysis for females, however males exhibited 3rd order selection for higher elevations, fields, and deciduous forest. Resource selection patterns varied seasonally for both sexes, possibly driven by seasonal shifts in prey availability. Our findings highlight the importance of forested ridges to bobcats in the region. Our findings also illustrate the differences in space use between sexes, which future research efforts should consider. Further research should investigate seasonal shifts in bobcat prey selection, which may further explain the seasonal resource selection shifts we observed, and highlight potential implications for prey species.

ecology↗