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Behavior and genetic aspects of boldness and aggression in urban coyotes (Canis latrans)

Wurth, Ashley M
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5510-1699
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529529011351

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Animals exhibit behaviors that may differ based on factors such as learning, social cues, the environment, and genetics. Coyotes are a large carnivore that inhabit the spectrum from rural to highly developed landscapes and have a tumultuous relationship with humans. To increase coexistence and decrease human-coyote conflict, it is important to analyze how urbanization may influence coyote behavior and genetics, and ultimately, coyote relationships with humans. My dissertation examines coyote genetics and behavior across a variety of urbanization levels in Illinois, from rural to the urban core of Chicago from 2014-2018. Through genotyping regions or specific SNPs associated with behavior (particularly boldness and aggression) in other species including the domestic dog, I first detected genetic polymorphisms in the coyote in these regions and then tested for differences in genotypic frequency based on landscape type. Through trapping coyotes in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, I studied behavioral actions across six contexts and tested for a relationship between boldness and aggression. Finally, I tested for correlations between behavior and genetic polymorphisms. I found 34 potential SNP locations in the dog and/or coyotes, with 11 SNPs only found in the coyote and 7 only found in the dog. In landscape analysis, 9 of the 21 polymorphic SNPs and 1 of 2 microsatellites had genotypic frequencies that varied based on urbanization level. Coyotes exhibited varying behavioral actions within behavioral contexts with low boldness and aggression scores across all contexts and measures. For individuals that we were able to recapture (n = 14), boldness was repeatable but aggression had low repeatability and varied between contexts. Urban individuals were more likely to be bold and more likely to be aggressive. However, we did not find support for a single behavioral syndrome that underlies boldness and aggression, as there was no linear relationship between boldness and aggression. We found 9 SNPs and 1 microsatellite correlated with boldness and/or aggression measures, with 2 of these markers also correlated with behavior in dogs. Overall, coyotes had polymorphism within behavioral regions and exhibited various behaviors with frequencies that differed based on landscape type. Therefore, coyote boldness and aggression may be under genetic control with urban conditions acting as a selective pressure.
Stanley Gehrt, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Elizabeth Marschall, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jeremy Bruskotter, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
192 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Genetics; Wildlife Conservation; Wildlife Management
Aggression; Behavior; Boldness; Canis Latrans; Coyote; Chicago Metropolitan Area; Single nucleotide polymorphism;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wurth, A. M. (2018). Behavior and genetic aspects of boldness and aggression in urban coyotes (Canis latrans) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529529011351

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wurth, Ashley. Behavior and genetic aspects of boldness and aggression in urban coyotes (Canis latrans). 2018. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529529011351.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wurth, Ashley. "Behavior and genetic aspects of boldness and aggression in urban coyotes (Canis latrans)." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529529011351

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1543529529011351
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.