@article{parsons_pacifici_shaw_cobb_boone_kays_2024, title={Urbanization and primary productivity mediate the predator-prey relationship between deer and coyotes}, volume={15}, ISSN={["2150-8925"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4882}, DOI={10.1002/ecs2.4882}, abstractNote={Abstract Predator–prey interactions are important for regulating populations and structuring communities but are affected by many dynamic, complex factors across large scales, making them difficult to study. Integrated population models (IPMs) offer a potential solution to understanding predator–prey relationships by providing a framework for leveraging many different datasets and testing hypotheses about interactive factors. Here, we evaluate the coyote–deer ( Canis latrans – Odocoileus virginianus ) predator–prey relationship across the state of North Carolina (NC). Because both species have similar habitat requirements and may respond to human disturbance, we considered net primary productivity (NPP) and urbanization as key mediating factors. We estimated deer survival and fecundity by integrating camera trap, harvest, and biological and hunter observation datasets into a two‐stage, two‐sex Lefkovich population projection matrix. We allowed survival and fecundity to vary as functions of urbanization, NPP, and coyote density, and projected abundance forward to test eight hypothetical scenarios. We estimated initial average deer and coyote densities to be 11.83 (95% CI: 5.64, 20.80) and 0.46 (95% CI: 0.02, 1.45) individuals/km 2 , respectively. We found a negative, though highly uncertain, relationship between the current levels of coyote density and deer fecundity in most areas that became more negative under hypothetical conditions of lower NPP or higher urbanization, leading to lower projected deer abundances. Though not conclusive, our results indicate the possibility that coyotes could have stronger effects on deer populations in NC if their densities rise, but primarily in less productive and/or more suburban habitats. Our case study provides an example of how IPMs can be used to better understand the complex relationships between predator and prey under changing environmental conditions.}, number={6}, journal={ECOSPHERE}, author={Parsons, Arielle W. and Pacifici, Krishna and Shaw, Jonathan C. and Cobb, David and Boone, Hailey M. and Kays, Roland}, year={2024}, month={Jun} }
 @article{kellner_parsons_kays_millspaugh_rota_2022, title={A Two-Species Occupancy Model with a Continuous-Time Detection Process Reveals Spatial and Temporal Interactions}, volume={1}, ISSN={["1537-2693"]}, DOI={10.1007/s13253-021-00482-y}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS}, author={Kellner, Kenneth F. and Parsons, Arielle W. and Kays, Roland and Millspaugh, Joshua J. and Rota, Christopher T.}, year={2022}, month={Jan} }
 @article{parsons_wikelski_wolff_dodel_kays_2022, title={Intensive hunting changes human-wildlife relationships}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2167-8359"]}, DOI={10.7717/peerj.14159}, abstractNote={Wildlife alter their behaviors in a trade-off between consuming food and fear of becoming food themselves. The risk allocation hypothesis posits that variation in the scale, intensity and longevity of predation threats can influence the magnitude of antipredator behavioral responses. Hunting by humans represents a threat thought to be perceived by wildlife similar to how they perceive a top predator, although hunting intensity and duration varys widely around the world. Here we evaluate the effects of hunting pressure on wildlife by comparing how two communities of mammals under different management schemes differ in their relative abundance and response to humans. Using camera traps to survey wildlife across disturbance levels (yards, farms, forests) in similar landscapes in southern Germany and southeastern USA, we tested the prediction of the risk allocation hypothesis: that the higher intensity and longevity of hunting in Germany (year roundvs3 months, 4x higher harvest/km2/year) would reduce relative abundance of hunted species and result in a larger fear-based response to humans (i.e., more spatial and temporal avoidance). We further evaluated how changes in animal abundance and behavior would result in potential changes to ecological impacts (i.e., herbivory and predation). We found that hunted species were relatively less abundant in Germany and less associated with humans on the landscape (i.e., yards and urban areas), but did not avoid humans temporally in hunted areas while hunted species in the USA showed the opposite pattern. These results are consistent with the risk allocation hypothesis where we would expect more spatial avoidance in response to threats of longer duration (i.e., year-round hunting in Germanyvs. 3-month duration in USA) and less spatial avoidance but more temporal avoidance for threats of shorter duration. The expected ecological impacts of mammals in all three habitats were quite different between countries, most strikingly due to the decreases in the relative abundance of hunted species in Germany, particularly deer, with no proportional increase in unhunted species, resulting in American yards facing the potential for 25x more herbivory than German yards. Our results suggest that the duration and intensity of managed hunting can have strong and predictable effects on animal abundance and behavior, with the potential for corresponding changes in the ecological impacts of wildlife. Hunting can be an effective tool for reducing wildlife conflict due to overabundance but may require more intensive harvest than is seen in much of North America.}, journal={PEERJ}, author={Parsons, Arielle Waldstein and Wikelski, Martin and Wolff, Brigitta Keeves and Dodel, Jan and Kays, Roland}, year={2022}, month={Oct} }
 @article{parsons_clark_kays_2022, title={Monitoring small mammal abundance using NEON data: are calibrated indices useful?}, volume={11}, ISSN={["1545-1542"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac096}, DOI={10.1093/jmammal/gyac096}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY}, author={Parsons, Arielle W. and Clark, James S. and Kays, Roland}, year={2022}, month={Nov} }
 @article{parsons_dawrs_nelson_norton_virdi_hasan_epperson_holst_chan_leos-barajas_et al._2022, title={Soil Properties and Moisture Synergistically Influence Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Prevalence in Natural Environments of Hawai'i}, volume={4}, ISSN={["1098-5336"]}, DOI={10.1128/aem.00018-22}, abstractNote={Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in the environment, being found commonly in soils and natural bodies of freshwater. However, little is known about the environmental niches of NTM and how they relate to NTM prevalence in homes and other human-dominated areas.}, journal={APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY}, author={Parsons, Arielle W. and Dawrs, Stephanie N. and Nelson, Stephen T. and Norton, Grant J. and Virdi, Ravleen and Hasan, Nabeeh A. and Epperson, L. Elaine and Holst, Brady and Chan, Edward D. and Leos-Barajas, Vianey and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Apr} }
 @article{parsons_kellner_rota_schuttler_millspaugh_kays_2022, title={The effect of urbanization on spatiotemporal interactions between gray foxes and coyotes}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2150-8925"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3993}, DOI={10.1002/ecs2.3993}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={3}, journal={ECOSPHERE}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Parsons, Arielle W. and Kellner, Kenneth F. and Rota, Christopher T. and Schuttler, Stephanie G. and Millspaugh, Joshua J. and Kays, Roland W.}, year={2022}, month={Mar} }
 @article{lasky_parsons_schuttler_hess_sutherland_kalies_clark_olfenbuttel_matthews_clark_et al._2021, title={Carolina critters: a collection of camera-trap data from wildlife surveys across North Carolina}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1939-9170"]}, DOI={10.1002/ecy.3372}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={ECOLOGY}, author={Lasky, Monica and Parsons, Arielle W. and Schuttler, Stephanie G. and Hess, George and Sutherland, Ron and Kalies, Liz and Clark, Staci and Olfenbuttel, Colleen and Matthews, Jessie and Clark, James S. and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Jun} }
 @article{suraci_gaynor_allen_alexander_brashares_cendejas-zarelli_crooks_elbroch_forrester_green_et al._2021, title={Disturbance type and species life history predict mammal responses to humans}, volume={5}, ISSN={["1365-2486"]}, DOI={10.1111/gcb.15650}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY}, author={Suraci, Justin P. and Gaynor, Kaitlyn M. and Allen, Maximilian L. and Alexander, Peter and Brashares, Justin S. and Cendejas-Zarelli, Sara and Crooks, Kevin and Elbroch, L. Mark and Forrester, Tavis and Green, Austin M. and et al.}, year={2021}, month={May} }
 @article{kays_hody_jachowski_parsons_2021, title={Empirical evaluation of the spatial scale and detection process of camera trap surveys}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2051-3933"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-021-00277-3}, DOI={10.1186/s40462-021-00277-3}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={1}, journal={MOVEMENT ECOLOGY}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Kays, Roland and Hody, Allison and Jachowski, David S. and Parsons, Arielle W.}, year={2021}, month={Aug} }
 @article{cove_kays_bontrager_bresnan_lasky_frerichs_klann_lee_crockett_crupi_et al._2021, title={SNAPSHOT USA 2019: a coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States}, volume={102}, ISSN={["1939-9170"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3353}, DOI={10.1002/ecy.3353}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={6}, journal={ECOLOGY}, author={Cove, Michael V. and Kays, Roland and Bontrager, Helen and Bresnan, Claire and Lasky, Monica and Frerichs, Taylor and Klann, Renee and Lee, Thomas E., Jr. and Crockett, Seth C. and Crupi, Anthony P. and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Jun} }
 @article{hansen_parsons_kays_millspaugh_2020, title={Does Use of Backyard Resources Explain the Abundance of Urban Wildlife?}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2296-701X"]}, DOI={10.3389/fevo.2020.570771}, abstractNote={While urbanization is clearly contributing to biodiversity loss, certain wildlife assemblages can paradoxically be diverse and abundant in moderately developed areas. One hypothesis to explain this phenomenon is that abundant anthropogenic resources for wildlife (i.e., food and shelter) outweigh the costs associated with urbanization. To test this hypothesis, we used camera traps to measure mammal species richness, diversity, and relative abundance (i.e., detection rate) in 58 residential yards in Raleigh, North Carolina, focusing on six types of features that might be used as resources: animal feeding, vegetable gardens, compost piles, chicken coops, brushpiles, and water sources. We also placed cameras at random control sites within each yard and sampled forests in nearby suburban and rural areas for comparison. We fit mixed-effects Poisson models to determine whether yard features, yard-scale characteristics, or landscape-scale landcover predicted mammal relative abundance for eight species. We also tested if the relative abundance of native canid predators in yards was related to the number of prey (rodents and lagomorphs). Species richness, diversity, and relative abundance of most mammal species was higher in yards and suburban forests than in rural forests. Within a yard, purposeful feeding had the strongest effect on animal relative abundance, with eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) being the most common (32.3 squirrels/day at feeders; 0.55 at control sites; 0.29 in suburban forests; and 0.10 in rural forests). We observed species using (e.g., eating) most yard features, although canids were less likely than other taxa to use resources in yards. The presence of a yard feature did not strongly affect the abundance of species at the control site in the yard, suggesting the influence of these features was highly localized. The relative abundance of predators had a positive association with prey relative abundance, and predators were less common in yards with fences. These results demonstrate that there is high use of anthropogenic resources, especially supplemental feeding by urban wildlife, and this increase in prey species may then attract predators, which supports the hypothesis that use of supplemental food resources explains the abundance of urban wildlife.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION}, author={Hansen, Christopher P. and Parsons, Arielle W. and Kays, Roland and Millspaugh, Joshua J.}, year={2020}, month={Oct} }
 @article{parsons_niedermeyer_gould_brown_strules_parsons_bernardo mesa‐cruz_kelly_hooker_chamberlain_et al._2020, title={Listeria monocytogenes
            at the human–wildlife interface: black bears (
            Ursus americanus
            ) as potential vehicles for
            Listeria}, volume={13}, ISBN={1751-7915}, ISSN={1751-7915 1751-7915}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13509}, DOI={10.1111/1751-7915.13509}, abstractNote={Summary}, number={3}, journal={Microbial Biotechnology}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Parsons, Cameron and Niedermeyer, Jeff and Gould, Nicholas and Brown, Phillip and Strules, Jennifer and Parsons, Arielle W. and Bernardo Mesa‐Cruz, J. and Kelly, Marcella J. and Hooker, Michael J. and Chamberlain, Michael J. and et al.}, editor={Brown, PhillipEditor}, year={2020}, month={May}, pages={706–721} }
 @article{kays_dunn_parsons_mcdonald_perkins_powers_shell_mcdonald_cole_kikillus_et al._2020, title={The small home ranges and large local ecological impacts of pet cats}, volume={23}, ISSN={1367-9430 1469-1795}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acv.12563}, DOI={10.1111/acv.12563}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={5}, journal={Animal Conservation}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Kays, R. and Dunn, R. R. and Parsons, A. W. and Mcdonald, B. and Perkins, T. and Powers, S. A. and Shell, L. and McDonald, J. L. and Cole, H. and Kikillus, H. and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Mar}, pages={516–523} }
 @article{parsons_rota_forrester_baker‐whatton_mcshea_schuttler_millspaugh_kays_2019, title={Urbanization focuses carnivore activity in remaining natural habitats, increasing species interactions}, volume={56}, ISSN={0021-8901 1365-2664}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13385}, DOI={10.1111/1365-2664.13385}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={8}, journal={Journal of Applied Ecology}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Parsons, Arielle W. and Rota, Christopher T. and Forrester, Tavis and Baker‐Whatton, Megan C. and McShea, William J. and Schuttler, Stephanie G. and Millspaugh, Joshua J. and Kays, Roland}, editor={Wheeler, HelenEditor}, year={2019}, month={Apr}, pages={1894–1904} }
 @article{rodrigues_kays_parsons_versiani_paolino_pasqualotto_krepschi_chiarello_2017, title={Managed forest as habitat for gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) in agricultural landscapes of southeastern Brazil}, volume={98}, ISSN={0022-2372 1545-1542}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyx099}, DOI={10.1093/jmammal/gyx099}, abstractNote={Because of massive conversion of natural habitat into cropland, the future of many tropical mammals depends on understanding how agricultural landscapes influence biodiversity. We assessed the effects of natural and anthropogenic land covers and disturbances on occupancy of gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) in 3 agricultural landscapes in the Brazilian Cerrado where sugarcane or managed forest cover most (> 50%) of the landscape. We used camera-trap surveys to quantify the relationships between deer occurrence and land cover, unpaved roads, urban areas, waterways, and degrees of legal protection. We found a strong and positive effect of managed forests, indicating that this land cover is good habitat for the brocket deer in our region. Native forests and sugarcane had, surprisingly, weaker effects on deer occupancy. Furthermore, the effect of sugarcane varied according to the amount of remaining natural forest: when the amount of natural forest surrounding the camera point was scarce, sugarcane had a negative effect on deer occupancy, but the effect was positive when natural forest was abundant. Our results confirm the ecological flexibility of gray brocket deer, even in landscapes where sugarcane monocultures or Eucalyptus plantations predominate. We caution however that the responses of deer might be different in landscapes more severely depleted of natural vegetation (< 20% at the landscape level). We therefore suggest that future research assess the population status of this deer in more deforested landscapes, and also consider the temporal dynamics of managed forests and sugarcane, as the vegetation cover can change drastically. Devido à intensa conversão de habitats naturais em grandes extensões de plantios, o futuro de muitos mamíferos tropicais depende do entendimento de como paisagens agrícolas influenciam a biodiversidade. Avaliamos os efeitos de coberturas de terras naturais e antrópicas e distúrbios na ocupação do veado-catingueiro (Mazama gouazoubira) em 3 paisagens agrícolas no Cerrado brasileiro, onde a cana-de-açúcar ou florestas plantadas cobrem a maior parte (> 50%) da paisagem. Utilizamos armadilhas-fotográficas para quantificar as relações entre a ocorrência dos veados e o tipo de cobertura da terra, estradas de terra, áreas urbanas, cursos d'água e grau de proteção legal. Encontramos um efeito forte e positivo de florestas plantadas, indicando que essa cobertura da terra é um bom habitat para o veado-catingueiro na nossa região. Florestas nativas e cana-de-açúcar tiveram, surpreendentemente, efeitos mais fracos na ocupação dessa espécie. Contudo, o efeito da cana-de-açúcar variou de acordo com a quantidade de remanescentes naturais: quando a quantidade de florestas naturais no entorno da armadilha-fotográfica era escassa, a cana-de-açúcar teve um efeito negativo na ocupação dos veados, mas o efeito foi positivo quando as florestas naturais eram abundantes. Nossos resultados confirmam a flexibilidade ecológica do veado-catingueiro, mesmo em paisagens onde predominam monoculturas de cana-de-açúcar ou florestas plantadas de Eucalyptus. Vale ressaltar, porém, que a resposta desta espécie pode ser diferente em paisagensmais severamente esgotadas de vegetação natural (< 20% na escala da paisagem). Portanto, sugerimos que em futuros trabalhos seja avaliado o status populacional dessa espécie em paisagens mais desmatadas considerando, também, a dinâmica temporal das florestas plantadas e da cana-de-açúcar, à medida que a cobertura da vegetação muda drasticamente.}, number={5}, journal={Journal of Mammalogy}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Rodrigues, Thiago Ferreira and Kays, Roland and Parsons, Arielle and Versiani, Natalia Fraguas and Paolino, Roberta Montanheiro and Pasqualotto, Nielson and Krepschi, Victor Gasperotto and Chiarello, Adriano Garcia}, year={2017}, month={Aug}, pages={1301–1309} }
 @article{stocking_simons_parsons_o'connell_2017, title={Managing Native Predators: Evidence from a Partial Removal of Raccoons (Procyon lotor) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA}, volume={40}, ISSN={1524-4695}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1675/063.040.sp103}, DOI={10.1675/063.040.sp103}, abstractNote={Abstract. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are important predators of ground-nesting species in coastal systems. They have been identified as a primary cause of nest failure for the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) throughout its range. Concerns over the long-term effects of raccoon predation and increased nest success following a hurricane inspired a mark-resight study of the raccoon population on a barrier island off North Carolina, USA. Approximately half of the raccoons were experimentally removed in 2008. Nests (n = 700) were monitored on two adjacent barrier islands during 2004–2013. Daily nest survival estimates were highest for 2004 (0.974 ± 0.005) and lowest for 2007 and 2008 (0.925 ± 0.009 and 0.925 ± 0.010, respectively). The only model in our candidate set that received any support included island and time of season, along with a diminishing effect of the hurricane and a constant, 5-year effect of the raccoon removal. For both hurricane and raccoon removal, however, the support for island-specific effects was weak (β = -0.204 ± 0.116 and 0.146 ± 0.349, respectively). We conclude that either the raccoon reduction was inadequate, or factors other than predation cause more variation in nest success than previously recognized. A multi-faceted approach to management aimed at reducing nest losses to storm overwash, predation, and human disturbance is likely to yield the largest population level benefits.}, number={sp1}, journal={Waterbirds}, publisher={Waterbird Society}, author={Stocking, J.J. and Simons, T.R. and Parsons, A.W. and O'Connell, A.F.}, year={2017}, month={Feb}, pages={10–18} }
 @article{martin_kendall_runge_simons_waldstein_schulte_converse_smith_pinion_rikard_et al._2010, title={Optimal control of native predators}, volume={143}, ISSN={["1873-2917"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.biocon.2010.04.023}, abstractNote={We apply decision theory in a structured decision-making framework to evaluate how control of raccoons (Procyon lotor), a native predator, can promote the conservation of a declining population of American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Our management objective was to maintain Oystercatcher productivity above a level deemed necessary for population recovery while minimizing raccoon removal. We evaluated several scenarios including no raccoon removal, and applied an adaptive optimization algorithm to account for parameter uncertainty. We show how adaptive optimization can be used to account for uncertainties about how raccoon control may affect Oystercatcher productivity. Adaptive management can reduce this type of uncertainty and is particularly well suited for addressing controversial management issues such as native predator control. The case study also offers several insights that may be relevant to the optimal control of other native predators. First, we found that stage-specific removal policies (e.g., yearling versus adult raccoon removals) were most efficient if the reproductive values among stage classes were very different. Second, we found that the optimal control of raccoons would result in higher Oystercatcher productivity than the minimum levels recommended for this species. Third, we found that removing more raccoons initially minimized the total number of removals necessary to meet long term management objectives. Finally, if for logistical reasons managers cannot sustain a removal program by removing a minimum number of raccoons annually, managers may run the risk of creating an ecological trap for Oystercatchers.}, number={7}, journal={BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION}, author={Martin, Julien and Kendall, William L. and Runge, Michael C. and Simons, Theodore R. and Waldstein, Arielle H. and Schulte, Shiloh A. and Converse, Sarah. J. and Smith, Graham W. and Pinion, Timothy and Rikard, Michael and et al.}, year={2010}, month={Jul}, pages={1751–1758} }