Nili Anglister - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Nili Anglister

Uncovering the ways in which pathogens spread has important implications for population health an... more Uncovering the ways in which pathogens spread has important implications for population health and management. Pathogen transmission is influenced by various factors, including patterns of social interactions and shared use of space. We aim to understand how the social behavior of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), a species of conservation interest, influences the presence or absence of mycoplasma, a group of bacteria known to cause respiratory diseases in birds. We investigated how direct and indirect social interactions of griffon vultures in the wild, in different social situations, impacted the mycoplasma infection status. We inferred interactions from high-resolution Global Positioning system (GPS) tracking data. Specifically, we assessed how social behavior affects infection status when vultures share feeding and roosting locations, either at the same time (direct interactions) or subsequently, when space use is asynchronous (indirect interactions). We did not detect a significant effect of any type of social interaction on infection status. However, we observed a high population prevalence of Mycoplasma spp., suggesting that other factors might be more important than social interactions in determining disease dynamics in this population. Uncovering the mechanisms that underlie infection status in wildlife is crucial for maintaining viable populations, designing containment management actions, and gaining insights into the ecological mechanisms that drive infectious disease dynamics.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Mar 16, 2024

Conservation translocations (reinforcements and reintroductions) are central for managing various... more Conservation translocations (reinforcements and reintroductions) are central for managing various endangered species, yet, their implementation is logistically and financially challenging. Because many translocations fail due to the mortality of released individuals, identifying and preventing these factors is crucial. Here we examine risk factors affecting the post-release survival of the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus). The Israeli population is facing extinction, and the recovery efforts by the local Nature and Parks Authority include supplemental releases of individuals from captive-breeding or rehabilitated birds (mostly imported from Spain). We use GPS tracking and thermometers to compare movement, behavior, and weather conditions experienced by released and wild-born individuals active in the same area and time. Our results show that the Judean Desert release site had a significantly lower survival rate than other release sites included in the program. After excluding several possible factors (e.g. known pathogens) with pathological examinations, we found that released individuals at this area were exposed to higher temperatures preceding their death (compared to wild-born griffons nearby), suggesting heat stress as the cause of death. Arguably, they failed to avoid the harsh environmental conditions, resulting in overheating due to their inexperience and undeveloped flight ability, as reflected by their lower probabilities of flying and shorter travel distances per day compared to wild-born vultures. These findings have led to adjustments of the local release protocol, (namely winter releases) resulting in a significant improvement in the early survival of translocated Griffons in the Judean Desert. Accounting for the harmful effects of extreme weather conditions is particularly important in a world facing climate change. More broadly, this sequence of scientific investigation with data integration from ecological, clinical, and biotelemetry sources, leading to improvement in translocation success demonstrates how conservation practices can be optimized by supporting studies to ensure the survival of endangered species in the wild. .

Authorea (Authorea), Apr 27, 2022

Ecology and Evolution

Social relationships among animals emerge from interactions in multiple ecological and social sit... more Social relationships among animals emerge from interactions in multiple ecological and social situations. However, we seldom ask how each situation contributes to the global structure of a population, and whether different situations contribute different information about social relationships and the position of individuals within the social fabric. Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) interact socially in multiple situations, including communal roosting, joint flights, and co‐feeding. These social interactions can influence population‐level outcomes, such as disease transmission and information sharing that determine survival and response to changes. We examined the unique contribution of each social and ecological situation to the social structure of the population and individuals' positions within the overall social network using high‐resolution GPS tracking. We found that the number of individuals each vulture interacted with (degree) was best predicted by diurnal interactions—bot...

Science of The Total Environment

Animal Behavior and Parasitism

Behavioral feedbacks in host–parasite interactions have received growing attention in recent year... more Behavioral feedbacks in host–parasite interactions have received growing attention in recent years, emphasizing how host behavior (e.g., movement and social connections) is simultaneously affecting—and affected by—parasite transmission and infection. This conceptual development highlights the need to obtain longitudinal data on individuals, their movements, and their social interactions. Conveniently, parallel developments in collecting and analyzing animal tracking data offer an opportunity to better integrate movement ecology into host–parasite dynamics. Tracking devices like miniaturized Global Positioning System (GPS) tags and complementary sensors such as accelerometers provide data on the effects of host movement on their potential to transmit parasites (e.g., how far, when, where, and to whom can parasites be transmitted). Tracking can also demonstrate the influence of parasites on host behavior and movement (e.g., via indirect physiological illness effects, or through direct...

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 2019

The Mediterranean coastal dune habitat of Israel is diminishing rapidly, mostly due to massive ur... more The Mediterranean coastal dune habitat of Israel is diminishing rapidly, mostly due to massive urbanization, changes in habitat characteristics caused by dune stabilization and the presence of Acacia saligna, an invasive species brought to Israel for the purpose of dune stabilization. In this study we document the effect of sand stabilization on the composition of small mammal communities in the Ashdod-Nizzanim sands, Israel. We analyzed differences in species diversity and abundance for species of rodents in four types of habitat: unstable (mobile) sand dune, semi-stabilized dune, inter-dune depression and a plot of the invasive Acacia saligna. Rodent communities were found to undergo gradual changes concurrently with the stabilization of the sands. The mobile dune was the only habitat in which the strict psammophiles Jaculus jaculus and Gerbillus pyramidum were captured in abundance. No species commensal with human were captured neither in the mobile nor in the semi-stabilized dun...

Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, 2016

Clinical signs of organophosphate and carbamate intoxication in wild birds can be mistaken for th... more Clinical signs of organophosphate and carbamate intoxication in wild birds can be mistaken for those of other diseases, thus potentially delaying diagnosis and implementation of life-saving treatment. The objective of this study was to determine the reference interval for blood cholinesterase activity in 20 different wild avian species from 7 different orders, thereby compiling a reference database for wildlife veterinarians. Blood was collected from birds not suspected of having organophosphate or carbamate toxicosis, and the modified Michel method, which determines the change in blood pH that directly correlates with cholinesterase activity, was used to measure blood cholinesterase levels. Results of change in blood pH values ranged from 0.11 for the white-tailed eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla ) to 0.90 for the honey buzzard ( Pernis apivorus ). The results showed that even within the same family, interspecies differences in normal cholinesterase blood activity were not uncommon. The findings emphasized the importance of determining reference intervals for avian blood cholinesterase activity at the species level.

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 2014

Two wild adult Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) were captured and admitted to the Hebrew University Ve... more Two wild adult Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) were captured and admitted to the Hebrew University Veterinary Teaching Hospital with various neurologic signs, including alerted mentation, head tilt, and pathologic nystagmus. The lesion in the central nervous system was localized to the forebrain in one ibex and to the cerebellum of the other. Both ibex&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s were diagnosed with brain cyst using computed tomography (CT). Craniectomy was performed to remove the cysts, and both animals returned to their natural environment after a rehabilitation period. Parasitologic examination revealed cysts of Taenia multiceps coenurus. This is the first report to describe the neurologic signs, CT findings, surgical procedure, and follow-up postsurgery information in wild Capra nubiana.