Chronic
Wasting Disease Research at the USGS-Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research
Unit
Use of genetic markers to investigate
the role of intra-social group interactions on CWD transmission in female
free-ranging white-tailed deer
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Social structure in white-tailed deer has the potential to greatly affect how a disease may be transmitted through the population. This study examines how the rigid social structure in female white-tailed deer might affect transmission of CWD. The goals of this study are 1) to determine how CWD infection is distributed within female social units and 2) to determine how CWD infected social groups are distributed across the landscape. Females live in familial social units that exhibit high site fidelity and low dispersal. By using genetic markers, we can identify the composition of these social units based on relatedness. We can also determine the location of social units based on harvest data from the Wisconsin CWD control effort. Then, by studying the patterns of CWD infection, we can provide clues to help discover the mechanisms of how CWD is transmitted between individuals and how it spreads on the landscape. |
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Co-Investigator: Dr. Kim T. Scribner,
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife,
Former Student: Dan Grear