Human land use influences chronic wasting disease prevalence in mule deer

Human alteration of landscapes can affect the distribution, abundance, and behavior of wildlife. We explored the effects of human land use on the prevalence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations residing in north-central Colorado. We chose best approximating...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecological applications 2005-02, Vol.15 (1), p.119-126
Main Authors: Farnsworth, M.L, Wolfe, L.L, Hobbs, N.T, Burnham, K.P, Williams, E.S, Theobald, D.M, Conner, M.M, Miller, M.W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
animal diseases
anthropogenic activities
Applied ecology
Chronic wasting disease
CWD
Deer
Deer hunting
Epidemiology
human-wildlife relations
Land use
landscape alteration
Landscapes
model selection
Mule deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Parametric models
prion
urban development
urbanization
Wildlife ecology
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Summary:Human alteration of landscapes can affect the distribution, abundance, and behavior of wildlife. We explored the effects of human land use on the prevalence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations residing in north-central Colorado. We chose best approximating models estimating CWD prevalence in relation to differences in human land use, sex, and geographic location. Prevalence was higher in developed areas and among male deer, suggesting anthropogenic influences on the occurrence of disease. We also found a relatively high degree of variation in prevalence across the three study sites, suggesting that spatial patterns in disease may be influenced by other factors operating at a broader, landscape scale. Our results suggest that multiple factors, including changes in land use, differences in exposure risk between sexes, and landscape-scaled heterogeneity, are associated with CWD prevalence in north-central Colorado.
ISSN:1051-0761
1939-5582
DOI:10.1890/04-0194