ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?

Soil fungi were cultured from 24 wallows and proximal control sites in Maine and New Hampshire, USA during the autumn moose (Alces alces) breeding season of 2016 to investigate the presence of soil fungi pathogenic to winter tick larvae (Dermacentor albipictus). Twenty genera of fungi were isolated,...

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Main Authors: Jay A. Yoder, Cameron J. Dobrotka, Kelli A. Fisher, Anthony P. LeBarge, Peter J. Pekins, Scott McLellan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lakehead University 2018-01-01
Series:Alces
Subjects:
Online Access:http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/239/266
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author Jay A. Yoder
Cameron J. Dobrotka
Kelli A. Fisher
Anthony P. LeBarge
Peter J. Pekins
Scott McLellan
author_facet Jay A. Yoder
Cameron J. Dobrotka
Kelli A. Fisher
Anthony P. LeBarge
Peter J. Pekins
Scott McLellan
author_sort Jay A. Yoder
collection DOAJ
description Soil fungi were cultured from 24 wallows and proximal control sites in Maine and New Hampshire, USA during the autumn moose (Alces alces) breeding season of 2016 to investigate the presence of soil fungi pathogenic to winter tick larvae (Dermacentor albipictus). Twenty genera of fungi were isolated, and all are considered common in a forested ecosystem. The predominant genera isolated in wallows were pathogenic to winter tick larvae and included Aspergillus spp. (in particular A. flavus), Beauveria bassiana, Mortierella spp., Mucor spp., Paecilomyces spp., Penicillium spp., and Trichoderma spp. Wallow soils had specific characteristics and differed from proximal control sites by having: 1) lower fungal diversity, 2) a higher frequency of primary colonizers including Mortierella spp., Mucor spp., Penicillium spp., and Trichoderma spp., and 3) a more variable total amount of fungi indicative of changing (disturbed) soil conditions. We conclude that wallows are sites of soil disturbance that concentrate fungi known to be pathogenic to larval winter ticks. Fungi acquired by breeding moose using wallows might subsequently act as an on-host mechanism of tick control.
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spelling doaj.art-338497db34c442e9b1472476774020662022-12-22T00:20:45ZengLakehead UniversityAlces0835-58510835-58512018-01-01545570ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?Jay A. Yoder0Cameron J. Dobrotka1Kelli A. Fisher2Anthony P. LeBarge3Peter J. Pekins4Scott McLellan5Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501, USADepartment of Biology, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501, USADepartment of Biology, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501, USADepartment of Biology, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501, USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, USAMaine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Greenville, Maine, 04441, USASoil fungi were cultured from 24 wallows and proximal control sites in Maine and New Hampshire, USA during the autumn moose (Alces alces) breeding season of 2016 to investigate the presence of soil fungi pathogenic to winter tick larvae (Dermacentor albipictus). Twenty genera of fungi were isolated, and all are considered common in a forested ecosystem. The predominant genera isolated in wallows were pathogenic to winter tick larvae and included Aspergillus spp. (in particular A. flavus), Beauveria bassiana, Mortierella spp., Mucor spp., Paecilomyces spp., Penicillium spp., and Trichoderma spp. Wallow soils had specific characteristics and differed from proximal control sites by having: 1) lower fungal diversity, 2) a higher frequency of primary colonizers including Mortierella spp., Mucor spp., Penicillium spp., and Trichoderma spp., and 3) a more variable total amount of fungi indicative of changing (disturbed) soil conditions. We conclude that wallows are sites of soil disturbance that concentrate fungi known to be pathogenic to larval winter ticks. Fungi acquired by breeding moose using wallows might subsequently act as an on-host mechanism of tick control.http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/239/266Behaviortick controlsurvivalAlces alcesMaineNew HampshireUnited StatesDermacentor albipictusfungiwinter tick
spellingShingle Jay A. Yoder
Cameron J. Dobrotka
Kelli A. Fisher
Anthony P. LeBarge
Peter J. Pekins
Scott McLellan
ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
Alces
Behavior
tick control
survival
Alces alces
Maine
New Hampshire
United States
Dermacentor albipictus
fungi
winter tick
title ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
title_full ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
title_fullStr ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
title_full_unstemmed ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
title_short ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI OF THE WINTER TICK IN MOOSE WALLOWS: A POSSIBLE BIO-CONTROL FOR ADULT MOOSE?
title_sort entomopathogenic fungi of the winter tick in moose wallows a possible bio control for adult moose
topic Behavior
tick control
survival
Alces alces
Maine
New Hampshire
United States
Dermacentor albipictus
fungi
winter tick
url http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/239/266
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