| dc.description.abstract | Free-ranging wildlife are an important contributor of fecal pollution in the form
of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to water bodies. Currently, details of this contribution are
nebulous and understudied. Much of the related research has not focused on freeranging
wildlife; instead investigations examine entire systems while estimating wildlife
contribution indirectly or with data of inconsistent quality and source. I began my
research by conducting a meta-analysis of existing research to determine the current
state of knowledge of wildlife’s specific contribution. Data were sparse, fragmented, of
variable quality, and difficult to access. Researchers relied on a variety of outside
sources (e.g., state natural resource agencies). Making comparison between studies was
nearly impossible because methodologies differed greatly or were described
inconsistently. I then calculated wildlife population densities, undertook fecal
collection, and conducted spatial analyses of fecal deposition to gather accurate and relevant data of the study area. I augmented field data collection with data derived from
my meta-analysis (i.e., fecal deposition rates). I was able to estimate the relative role of
individual species (e.g., raccoons [Procyon lotor], white-tailed deer [Odocoileus
virginianus], and feral hogs [Sus scrofa]). Finally, I created a model using these data to
determine important parameters for future research (e.g., fecal deposition rates) and
simulate various management strategies. Although all parameters need more research
focus, I found defecation rates were especially important but little researched. I found
raccoons were the greatest determiner of potential E. coli load in the floodplain though
adjustment of other parameters would greatly impact these findings. | en |
