Gad Perry

Texas Tech University | TTU · Department of Natural Resources Management

Large-area land use land cover (LULC) mapping using high-resolution imagery remains challenging due to radiometric differences between scenes, the low spectral depth of the imagery, landscape heterogeneity, and computational limitations. Using a random forest (RF)- supervised machine-learning algorithm, we present a geographic object-based image an...

Human-wildlife conflicts: consequences of the erosion of the available habitat, introduction of alien species, and anthropization.

Simple Summary Understanding the impact of urbanization on biodiversity is a crucial task of our time. Here, we reflect on the importance of feralization in the relationship between ongoing urbanization and the worsening biodiversity crisis. Feralization is often viewed as the exact opposite of a domestication process—a perception that we argue is...

Biodiversity in arid-lands is very sensitive to some forms of perturbation and very slow to recover. • Arid-lands are vulnerable to agriculture such as grazing of cattle and irrigation, which need certification standards to ensure best practice and reduce impact. • Combined efforts of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and local communities...

Small differences in syntopic Agalychnis callidryas and A. spurrelli oviposition sites and embryo predation via snakes and invertebrates provide context for previously unexplainable differences in embryonic behavioral risk responses. Correlations in reproductive and ecological traits suggest character displacement in the syntopic populations of the...

The strategic goals of the United Nations and the Aichi Targets for biodiversity conservation have not been met. Instead, biodiversity has continued to rapidly decrease, especially in developing countries. Setting a new global biodiversity framework requires clarifying future priorities and strategies to bridge challenges and provide representative...

Most ecosystems are increasingly being degraded and reduced by human activities at the local and global scales. In contrast, urban environments are expanding as increasing portions of humanity move into cities. Despite the common perception among biologists that urban areas are biological deserts, cities offer habitat for many non-human species, bu...

Three concurrent global environmental trends are particularly apparent: human population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Especially in countries such as Ethiopia in the Global South, all three are impacted by, and in turn have bearing upon, social justice and equity. Combined, these spatial and social factors reduce wellbeing, leading to...

Journal: Reptiles & Amphibians [Book Review: Galapagos Giant Tortoises, James P. Gibbs, Linda J. Cayot, and Washington Tapia A. (Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes)]

Texas Wildlife Magazine www.texas-wildlife.org

Animal rights advocates and conservationists are often at odds, despite sharing important core values. We summarize previous work in this area and then review and update several examples of such conflicts, as well as a small number of cases of de facto cooperation resulting in positive outcomes for both groups. Particular attention is given to view...

The proposed military expansion on the island of Guam has increased the potential for the spread of brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis; BTS) to other areas. Prevention, rather than post-introduction management and control, is the most preferred method for combating introductions of invasive species. Here, we use risk assessment modeling as a tool...

Urban environments offer habitat for many species of animals. Although some of those are ubiquitous and/or undesirable, others are native and in some cases, of conservation value. In many cases, urban wildlife populations are a source of enjoyment for human residents, who sometimes invest considerable amounts in attracting them to yards and public...

Of some 3700 extant species of snake, less than 750 are venomous – most of them not greatly harmful to humans. Yet snakes occupy an outsized niche in human imagination, both in regard to their potential medical impacts and in other cultural roles. In this chapter, we review available information on snakebites and fatalities from around the world, d...

Between the 9th and 12th of September 2019, the Systematic Zoology Division (Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) hosted the fourth annual international workshop within the project “Land use contrasts and edge effects – a comparative approach”. The event was entitled “Organisms in nature – evolutionary perspective and ecologica...

Some nonnative species benefit humans, but many become invasive, with high economic, cultural, and ecological costs. Although many introductions are considered accidental, inadvertent, or unintentional, this terminology often cannot be justified. Prevention policies have been proposed or implemented, and a diversity of proven control methods is ava...

Studies of the Caribbean herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) have made significant contributions to our knowledge of evolutionary patterns and processes. A prerequisite for these studies are accurate taxonomies and robust phylogenetic hypotheses. One notable Caribbean radiation lacking such data are dwarf geckos of the genus Sphaerodactylus. Sys...

Aim Area thresholds, at which the form of the species–area relationship (SAR) changes abruptly, have played an important role in the theoretical framework of conservation biogeography and biodiversity research. The application of piecewise regressions has been advocated as a rigorous statistical technique to identify such thresholds within SARs, bu...

The international workshop entitled “Biodiversity and the urban-rural interface: conflicts vs. opportunities” took place between the 24th and the 27th of September 2018 in Linde, Germany. This workshop marks the third annual academic event within our project “Land use contrasts and edge effects – a comparative approach”, affiliated with the Systema...

Visual methods of species identification are used both in research and recreational contexts because they are inexpensive, non-invasive, and believed to be effective among uniquely identifiable individuals. We examined the ability of the general public to identify live snakes (Serpentes) that are native to the United States using an online snake id...

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) are a domesticated and closely guarded economic staple of indigenous people located throughout Ethiopian territorial states. Seventeen morphometric variables were examined to determine intraspecific variation among 8 pastoralist-designated breeds of camels. Additionally, DNA sequences from mitochondrial cytoch...

Guana is a 297-ha island in the British Virgin Islands, a private wildlife sanctuary where human activity is largely restricted to small areas associated with an upscale resort hotel. Guana is free of mongooses and sustains a population of racers (Borikenophis portoricensis; Dipsadidae). Between 2001 and 2012 we marked B. portoricensis with Trovan...

Aim We examine the influence of fluctuating sea levels in a land‐bridge archipelago on the apportioning of intraspecific genetic diversity and divergence in the widespread Puerto Rican crested anole (Anolis cristatellus). We compare three alternative scenarios for genetic diversification in an archipelagic species that contrast the relative influen...

The Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) is found in a variety of habitats. Although several studies have been conducted on habitat use by this species, none have been performed in central Texas, a more mesic habitat than most of those previously studied. This area is of special interest because horned lizard populations have been experiencing...

Christmas tree worms ( Spirobranchus spp.) are prominent sessile organisms inhabiting hermatypic corals in tropical and sub-tropical reefs. Until recently, most of the larger Spirobranchus species were considered to be in obligatory associations with live hermatypic corals. However, recent studies indicate that some Spirobranchus species can build...

To evaluate the regional biogeographical patterns of West Indian native and nonnative herpetofauna, we derived and updated data on the presence/absence of all herpetofauna in this region from the recently published reviews. We divided the records into 24 taxonomic groups and classified each species as native or nonnative at each locality. For each...

Table S1. Presence–absence matrix of Anolis lizards.

Table S3. Presence–absence matrix of Eleutherodactylus frogs.

Figure S1. The iterative process used in left‐horizontal with one threshold approach to determine the break point for each taxonomic group. Figure S2. The iterative process used in two‐slope approach to determine the break point for each taxonomic group. Figure S3. The iterative process used in left‐horizontal with two thresholds approach to dete...

Table S2. Presence–absence matrix of Sphaerodactylus lizards.

Table S4. Presence–absence matrix of Peltophryne frogs.

To detect the small island effect (SIE) and nestedness patterns of herpetofauna of the West Indies, we derived and updated data on the presence/absence of herpetofauna in this region from recently published reviews. We applied regression-based analyses, including linear regression and piecewise regressions with two and three segments, to detect the...

Species richness is one of the most commonly used biodiversity metrics in ecology and conservation planning, and an important indicator for monitoring biodiversity. Between 2006 and 2009, we recorded 938 individual amphibians and reptiles representing 100 species (27 amphibians and 73 reptiles) from Bangladesh. We used EstimateS to calculate herpet...

Both injured and uninjured box turtles (Terrapene spp.) are admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centers where they are treated and/or released. However, nothing is known of their movements, activity, and site fidelity following release. Studies of other reptiles suggest site fidelity and survival following release may be poor. We translocated 17 ad...

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is entrusted with assessing the ethics of proposed projects prior to approval of animal research. The role of the IACUC is detailed in legislation and binding rules, which are in turn inspired by the Three Rs: the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. However, these principles...

Relatively little is known about population ecology of anurans in arctic and subarctic tundra regions, in part because it is difficult to survey anurans in these landscapes. Anuran survey protocols developed for temperate regions have limited applicability in arctic and subarctic tundra landscapes, which may lack roads and vehicle access, and exper...

The Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) is a critically endangered species endemic to the Puerto Rico Bank and currently restricted to the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Our study on Guana Island, BVI, focused on vertical structure use. Based on previous incidental observations, we hypothesized that Stout Iguanas use vertical structures and that adults a...

The commonsense ethical constraints on laboratory animal research known as the three Rs are widely accepted, but no constraints tailored to research on animals in the wild are available. In this article, we begin to fill that gap. We sketch a set of commonsense ethical constraints on ecosystem research parallel to the constraints that govern labora...

Considerable attention has been given lately to the effects of habitat fragmentation and destruction on wildlife. Here, we summarize their effects on animal abundance and plant cover during a three-year study period (1987–90) of the sand dunes of the coastal plain of Israel. Populations of the gray monitor Varanus griseus, the spur-thighed tortoise...

Animal research in laboratories is currently informed by the three R's (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), a common-sense theory of animal research ethics. In addition a fourth R (Refusal) is needed to address research plans that are so badly conceived that their chances of gaining any knowledge worth the animal suffering they cause are nil....

Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) remain one of the most critically endangered reptiles in the world. Factors contributing to that status include habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and competition with introduced herbivores. On Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, the presence of feral sheep (Ovis aries) has been a hypothesized detriment...

Diurnal activity patterns of resident Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) were observed on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, during October 2010. Stilts were principally engaged in foraging and idle behaviors. The amount of time engaged in particular behaviors was relatively constant throughout the day, except during mid-afternoon when i...

Abstract.—Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to urbanization are implicated in amphibian declines worldwide. Conservation efforts require information on resident species and their habitat interactions, but amphibian ecology is largely unstudied in urban centers of the Southern High Plains. Here, we gathered baseline data on amphibian...

Background/Question/Methods Stable isotope analysis has been used in many ecological applications, including understanding nutrient cycles, the dietary habit of animals, and migration routes. There has been an increase in demand for this technique in the recent years. However, a standardized methodology for sample preparation in the field has not...

EditorialThe “Peer” in “Peer Review”

Field biologists, conservation biologists, and wildlife managers frequently have to contend with difficult ethical questions during the course of their work but have little formal guidance in making such decisions. Existing philosophical approaches fail to take into consideration all the competing values involved in such decisions: environmental, k...

Shipments of cargo and household goods have been identified as pathways for brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) transport from Guam to other locations. We analyzed data regarding shipments of military household goods leaving Guam during 2006 to 2009 to identify the potential for human transport of brown treesnakes to the United States by determinin...

Public concern for the humane treatment of animals in research has led to specific guidelines for appropriate treatment of study organisms. Field research poses special challenges that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees find difficult to address based on existing guidelines. Toe clipping is a common but contentious example whose use has b...

Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity and economic interests, with many introductions resulting from actions of people involved in pet and ornamental plant businesses. Invasive species eventually end up in the care of the general public, with most costs born by society rather than businesses or owners: a classic economic externality....

THE GAP Animals have long been used in laboratory research aimed at improving human lives. In contrast, disciplines such as ecology, wildlife management, and conservation biology aim at the management and long-term survival of species or populations under growing human pressures. Although modeling approaches are sometimes helpful, field studies of...

Non-native species are a growing worldwide conservation problem, often second only to habitat destruction and alteration as a cause of extirpations and extinctions. Introduced taxa affect native faunas through competition, predation, hybridization, transmission of diseases, and even by confounding conservation efforts focused on superficially simil...

Unlabelled: Spea multiplicata (New Mexico spadefoot toad) larvae were exposed to 60, 110, and 1000 microg L(-1) perchlorate dissolved in natural surface water to determine risks associated with perchlorate exposure in desert-adapted anurans. Hind- and forelimb development and tail resorption were measured to identify effects of perchlorate exposur...

A wildfire of unknown origin ignited in October 2005 at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Randall County, Texas, burning approximately 300 ha of shortgrass plains typified by blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides). Above-average rainfall in the year preceding the fire resulted in abundant herbaceous vegetation...

Few studies have focused on the thermal biology of tropical or nocturnal snakes. We recorded preferred body temperatures (Tb) of seven Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) in the laboratory and compared these to operative temperatures obtained with copper models and Tbs obtained by radiotelemetry from 11 free-ranging snakes on Guam. Operative tempe...

Eleutherodactylus lentus, thought to be endemic to the US Virgin Islands, is now found on Jost Van Dyke in the nearby British Virgin Islands, where previous surveys have failed to note it. This poses an unusual conundrum. If the new record represents human-aided dispersal, then control actions may be appropriate, even though the species is categori...

The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) is a devastating invader that has ecologically and economically affected Guam and is poised to disperse further. Interdiction efforts are being conducted on Guam and some of the potential receiving sites, but no tools exist for evaluating the potential for snake incursion; thus, the amount of effort that sho...

Experiments in Consilience: Integrating Social and Scientific Responses to Save Endangered Species, edited by Frances R. Westley, Philip S. Miller

Prescribed fire is a common land management tool used to reduce undesirable shrubs, improve forage quality, and enhance wildlife habitat for game species. However, it also has impacts on nongame species. We examined whether a prescribed fire would affect the abundance of lizards and invertebrates in central Texas. In February 2004, four sites were...