Populations In Mississippi Research Articles

Evidence for divergence in cuticular hydrocarbon sex pheromone between California and Mississippi (United States of America) populations of bark beetle parasitoid Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

AbstractRoptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is a common Holarctic parasitoid of the larvae and pupae of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scotytinae). In no-choice laboratory bioassays, we found that male wasps derived either from northern California or southwestern Mississippi, United States of America more frequently displayed sexual behaviours (including mounting, wing fanning, and copulation attempts) to glass bulb decoys treated with hexane cuticular washes of females derived from the same parasitoid population rather than the distant population. This result suggests that the composition of the cuticular hydrocarbon sex pheromone has diverged between eastern and western populations and is consistent with previous data indicating that R. xylophagorum may consist of more than one species.

Regional population structure and management of aquaculture for stock enhancement of the spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)

Abstract The spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus is one of the most popular game fish in coastal waters of the north central Gulf of Mexico. An aquaculture-based stock enhancement program that aims to supplement native wild populations in Mississippi was initiated in 2004 as part of management efforts to sustain stocks and provide additional fishing opportunities to anglers. A genetic program associated with stock enhancement is in development and seeks to assess the effects of stocking on genetic diversity and fitness of wild populations, and design and implement genetic management to monitor and minimize those impacts. In this work, the structure of spotted seatrout populations in the region was investigated in order to assist with the development of a sustainable spatial management of stocking operations. Spotted seatrout specimens were collected during 2010 and 2011 from the four major bay systems in Mississippi and from reference populations in Louisiana (Grand Isle), and West Florida (Pensacola and Apalachicola). Sample size per locality ranged from 53 to 105 specimens. All samples were assayed at 15 microsatellite markers. Divergence among bay systems from Grand Isle (Louisiana) to Grand Bay (Mississippi–Alabama border) was low and non-significant. However, significant divergence between these localities and the Apalachicola location (West Florida) was detected (0.0214 ST 0.0264, P 0.001), consistent with an isolation-by-distance model of population structure. Estimates of local effective population size by the linkage disequilibrium method were very large or infinite in most localities within the Western part of the sampled range (Mississippi and Louisiana) suggesting current population density is high in that region. While the lack of divergence among Mississippi bay systems supports genetic management as a single unit, further work is needed to determine the spatial scale of natural dispersal and assess the degree of local adaptation of regional populations.

PREVALENCE OF AVIAN PARAMYXOVIRUS 1 AND AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS IN DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS (PHALACROCORAX AURITUS) IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA

Although it is well established that wild birds, such as cormorants, carry virulent avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1; causative agent of Newcastle disease) and avian influenza virus (AIV), the prevalence of these viruses among Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Great Lakes region of North America has not been rigorously studied. We determined the prevalences of APMV-1 and AIV in Double-crested Cormorants from the interior population of eastern North America. From 2009 to 2011, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and serum samples were collected from 1,957 individual Double-crested Cormorants, ranging from chicks to breeding adults, on breeding colony sites in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, USA, and Ontario, Canada, as well as on the wintering grounds of migratory populations in Mississippi, USA. Prevalence of antibodies to APMV-1 in after-hatch year birds was consistently high across all three years, ranging from 86.3% to 91.6%. Antibody prevalences in chicks were much lower: 1.7, 15.3, and 16.4% in 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Virulent APMV-1 was detected in six chicks sampled in 2010 in Ontario, Canada. Only one adult was positive for AIV-specific antibodies and five individuals were positive for AIV matrix protein, but the latter were negative for H5 and H7 AIV subtypes. We provide further evidence that Double-crested Cormorants play an important role in the maintenance and circulation of APMV-1 in the wild, but are unlikely to be involved in the circulation of AIV.

Population Genetic Structure of <I>Pseudatomoscelis seriatus</I> (Hemiptera: Miridae) in the Cotton-Growing Regions of the United States

The cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an economically important insect pest of cotton in the United States. However, reports of cotton fleahopper infestation and its management in cotton fields are restricted primarily to Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The objective of this study was to understand the genetic diversity of cotton fleahopper populations infesting cotton in the cotton-growing areas of the United States. Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were used to detect genetic diversity and to characterize geographic genotypes across the distribution of the cotton fleahopper in the United States. We used 172 individuals and 559 amplified fragment length polymorphism loci in this study and found significant, but low, level of genetic differentiation among geographic populations (F(ST) = 0.02; P < 0.0001). Molecular fingerprints of cotton fleahopper populations were partitioned into three broad regional genetic populations with a western, central, and eastern distribution. The western (Arizona) and eastern (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina) populations are genetically distinct, whereas the central (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama) population represents an admixed population, which include both western and eastern populations. These results suggest considerable gene flow among the populations within regions but restricted gene flow among populations from eastern and western region.

An Exploration ofAfricanAmerican Forest Landowners inMississippi

Abstract InMississippi counties with largeAfricanAmerican populations, forest resources constitute one of the most important agricultural outputs. Despite the efforts of natural resources extension personnel to provide educational programming to this group, little is known about their needs, concerns, and meanings of the landscape for them. Research has taken place in theCarolinas, Alabama, andGeorgia; however, forests andAfricanAmerican forest landowners inMississippi face unique social, historical, and ecological contexts that need to be examined. If forests and forestry programs are to provide an equitable distribution of benefits to diverse populations inMississippi, a culturally based understanding of landowners is needed with special attention to those populations who have been traditionally underserved because of race and income. We address this need by presenting data from focus groups withAfricanAmerican forest landowners in several ruralMississippi counties. Findings indicate that a complex relationship with the landscape has inculcated much traditional knowledge about forest resources, opportunities and challenges to participation in programs and landowner associations, and concerns over heir property, among other factors. We discuss implications for how forestry can meet the sustainable natural resource goals and rural development needs ofAfricanAmerican landowners and communities.

A Comparison of Artificial Incubation and Natural Incubation Hatching Success of Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Eggs In Southern Mississippi

Abstract Recent studies have found that Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, populations in southern Mississippi exhibit low recruitment, due in part to very low hatching success of their eggs. We sought to determine if the cause(s) of this low hatching success was related to egg quality (intrinsic factors), unsuitability of the nest environment (extrinsic factors), or a combination of the two. In 2003, hatching success was monitored simultaneously for eggs from the same clutches that were incubated in the laboratory and left to incubate in nests. A subset of randomly chosen eggs from each clutch was incubated in the laboratory under physical conditions that were known to be conducive to successful hatching to estimate the proportion of eggs that were capable of hatching in a controlled setting. Hatching success in the laboratory was compared with that of eggs incubated in natural nests to estimate the proportion of eggs that failed to hatch presumably from extrinsic factors. Laboratory hatching success ...

Extended monitoring of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab maize in Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera

The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), is a major target of transgenic maize expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins in South America and the mid-Southern region of the United States. During 2007–2009, a total of 986 feral individuals of D. saccharalis were collected from maize fields in six locations of Louisiana and Mississippi and examined for resistance to Cry1Ab maize using F1/F2 screens. Major resistance alleles to Cry1Ab maize in the populations sampled from non-Bt maize plants during 2007 and 2008 in Louisiana and 2009 in Mississippi were rare. From a total of 487 individuals collected from three locations in Louisiana in 2007 and 2008, only one individual was identified with major resistance alleles. In addition, no major resistance alleles were detected in 242 individuals collected from three locations in Mississippi in 2009. The frequency of major resistance alleles was estimated to be 0.002 with a 95% CI of 0.00025–0.0057 for the Louisiana populations and < 0.0061, with 95% probability, for the Mississippi populations. The resistance frequency estimated for the Louisiana populations in 2007 and 2008 was not significantly different from those reported previously for populations sampled in 2004–2006. However, among 200 individuals sampled from non-Bt maize plants in 2009 in Louisiana, six individuals were identified to possess major resistance alleles. The estimated major resistance allele frequency for the populations sampled from non-Bt maize plants in 2009 in Louisiana was 0.0176 with a 95% CI of 0.0072 to 0.0328, which was significantly greater than those estimated for the populations collected in 2004–2008. Similarly, the frequency of minor resistance alleles to Cry1Ab maize for the Louisiana populations collected in 2009 was also significantly greater than those estimated for the populations sampled before. In addition, two out of 57 feral individuals collected from Bt maize plants in Louisiana in 2009 were identified to carry major resistance alleles to Cry1Ab maize. Since 2010, transgenic maize expressing pyramided Bt genes has been planted in the US mid-Southern region and by 2011, pyramided Bt maize has replaced Cry1Ab maize as the dominant Bt maize for managing lepidopteran pests including D. saccharalis. The timely switching from single-gene Cry1Ab maize to the pyramided Bt maize should prevent further increases in Cry1Ab resistance allele frequency and thus ensure the continued success of Bt maize for managing D. saccharalis in the region.

Population genetic structure of a threatened tortoise across the south‐eastern United States: implications for conservation management

AbstractThe progressive loss and fragmentation of longleaf pine forests throughout the southeastern United States has led to severe declines in habitat specialists such as the federally listed gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus. However, little is known of the range‐wide historical genetic structure of this species or how habitat loss may have impacted the genetic diversity of this species over time. As genetic data are lacking in many parts of the gopher tortoise range, management of federally listed populations in Louisiana and Mississippi have been based on conservation units delineated by rivers. However, this current management strategy has been formulated without any knowledge of how riverine barriers might relate to genetic population structure. Here, we examine variability of mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellite markers in gopher tortoise populations across their natural range in the southeastern United States. Results from the mitochondrial data showed a historical phylogenetic break that is coincident with the Apalachicola River and a novel population assemblage located within western Georgia. Genetic structure based on microsatellite loci revealed high levels of genetic differentiation in some regions and a pattern of isolation by distance at two spatial scales. We also find that rivers across the federally listed portion of the range, do not significantly influence gene flow. Coalescent analyses of population demographic change in gopher tortoises indicate evidence of an ancient and severe population decline at sites across the range. Findings from this study provide important information that will aid in the identification of distinct population units for management and in the formulation of recommendations for the future maintenance of genetic diversity in this species.

Genetic variation in field and laboratory populations of the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris

AbstractThe predatory spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), is an economically important and highly valued biological control agent. There is substantial information on the biology, ecology, behavior, and rearing of this stink bug. However, virtually nothing is known of its genetic variation, in natural or domesticated populations. To address this lacuna, we used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to assess the genetic variability of field and laboratory populations. Four AFLP universal primer combinations yielded a total of 209 usable loci. The AFLP results showed greater genetic variability between populations from Missouri and Mississippi (both USA), and relatively low variability within Missouri populations. We infer little genetic isolation among Missouri field populations and within laboratory populations, but a significant genetic isolation between Missouri and Mississippi populations.

Factors affecting conception date variation in white‐tailed deer

AbstractUnderstanding the factors that influence timing of reproduction can be of value to wildlife managers. We used estimated breeding dates of captive individual white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Texas and Mississippi, USA, and wild deer populations in Mississippi, to document natural variation within individuals and populations, and to determine whether body condition, age, or moon phase explained conception date variation. Mean conception date of captive individual deer was 1 December with a median of 26 November, a standard deviation of 13.6 days, and a mean range of 33 days. Overall mean conception date for wild populations in Mississippi was 1 January with a standard deviation of 13.4 days and a mean range of 46 days. Annual population mean conception date had a standard deviation of 4 days and a range of 12 days. Moon phase did not predict accurately conception date for individuals or populations of deer. Body condition did not influence conception date at the population level. Individual females 2.5 years old bred earlier than females 1.5 and 3.5 years old; however, the difference was minimal and may have been influenced by the mean gestation used to determine conception date. When scheduling recreational hunting opportunities relative to population breeding dates, managers should rely on local reproductive data and should not rely on predictions based on moon schedules. Further assessment of the individual variation in conception date and potential environmental cues is warranted. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.

Using Mixed Methods to Measure the Perception of Community Capacity in an Academic–Community Partnership for a Walking Intervention

H.U.B. City Steps is a 5-year community-based participatory research walking intervention designed to help lower blood pressure in a majority African American population in southern Mississippi via community collaboration and capacity building, increased walking, culturally tailored health education sessions, and motivational interviewing. Building community capacity for physical activity is a key component of this intervention. Qualitative and quantitative methods have been used to assess how project stakeholders perceive the community capacity-building efforts of the project. This article illustrates the baseline results of this mixed methods approach from the perspective of three groups of stakeholders: project researchers and staff, community advisory board, and intervention walking coaches. Eight constructs were examined, including leadership, resources, external networking, visibility and recognition, personnel sustainability, ability and commitment to organize, communication with community members, and relationships with influential others. Quantitative results indicated significant differences among stakeholder groups for project leadership and personnel sustainability. Qualitative perspectives provided an opportunity to examine possible reasons for these differences. Overall findings provide direction related to improving intervention outcomes and sustainability.

F2 screening for resistance to pyramided Bacillus thuringiensis maize in Louisiana and Mississippi populations of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

In the mid-southern region of the United States, sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), is a major target pest of transgenic maize expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins. Novel transgenic maize technologies containing two or more pyramided Bt genes for controlling lepidopteran pests have recently become commercially available. Insect resistance management (IRM) is an important issue in the sustainable use of Bt crop technologies. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of resistance alleles in field populations of D. saccharalis to the new pyramided Bt maize technologies. A total of 382 F(2) family lines derived from 735 feral larvae/pupae of D. saccharalis collected from six locations in Louisiana and Mississippi during 2008 and 2009 were screened for resistance to three new Bt maize technologies: MON 89034, Genuity™ VT Triple Pro™ and SmartStax™. None of the 382 F(2) isoline families survived on the Bt maize leaf tissue for ≥ 12 days in the F(2) screen. The joint frequency for two- or three-gene resistance models with 95% probability in these populations was estimated to be < 0.0063 to MON 89034 and < 0.003 to VT Triple Pro™ and SmartStax™. These results suggest that the resistance allele frequency in D. saccharalis to the three pyramided Bt maize technologies is low in the mid-southern region of the United States, which should meet the rare resistance assumption of the currently used IRM strategy for Bt maize.

Distribution and Habitat Utilization of the Gopher Tortoise Tick (Amblyomma tuberculatum) in Southern Mississippi

The distribution of the gopher tortoise tick ( Amblyomma tuberculatum ) has been considered intrinsically linked to the distribution of its primary host, gopher tortoises ( Gopherus polyphemus ). However, the presence of G. polyphemus does not always equate to the presence of A. tuberculatum . There is a paucity of data on the ecology, habitat preferences, and distribution of A. tuberculatum . The goals of this study were to assess the distribution of A. tuberculatum in southern Mississippi and to determine which, if any, habitat parameters explain the distribution pattern of A. tuberculatum . During 2006-2007, we examined 13 G. polyphemus populations in southern Mississippi for the presence of A. tuberculatum , and we measured a suite of habitat parameters at each site. Only 23% of the G. polyphemus populations supported A. tuberculatum , suggesting a more restricted distribution than its host. The results of our multivariate analyses identified several habitat variables, e.g., depth of sand and percentage of sand in the topsoil and burrow apron, as being important in discriminating between sites with, and without, A. tuberculatum. Amblyomma tuberculatum was only found at sites with a mean sand depth of > 100 cm and a mean percentage of topsoil and burrow apron sand composition > 94.0 and 92.4, respectively. Thus, environmental factors, and not just its host's range, seem to influence the distribution of A. tuberculatum.

US physician assistant (PA) supply by state and county in 2009

Objective: Understanding the geographic distribution of physician assistants (PAs) can inform health care workforce planning. This study examines PA supply by state and county. Also examined is the relationship between PA supply and level of urbanization as well as state laws governing PA practice. Methods: The addresses of all NCCPA-certified PAs were identified from the AAPA Masterfile and used to estimate PA to population ratios. PA supply in rural and urban communities was analyzed by linking records from the AAPA Masterfile to the 2007 Federal Area Resource File using county identifiers. PA supply was also examined according to the favorability of state laws towards PA practice. Results: State PA supply varies from 0.6 PAs per 10,000 population in Mississippi to 5.6 PAs per 10,000 population in Alaska. Counties with PAs were more likely to be urbanized, whereas those without PAs were more likely to be rural. States identified as “unfavorable” for PA practice were found to have notably lower PA supply compared to other states. Conclusions: Substantial variation exists in the PA-to-population ratio among states, which may be related in part to state practice laws. At a more local level, counties without PAs are more likely to be rural than counties with PAs. The distribution of PAs is likely to remain geographically uneven in the absence of significant policy efforts to attract PAs to practice in rural communities.

Bioarchaeological analysis of diet during the Coles Creek period in the southern Lower Mississippi Valley

The timing of the dietary shift from foraging to maize agriculture, and the speed at which such practices were adopted, are important considerations in the cultural evolution of the New World. In the southern Lower Mississippi Valley, maize agriculture traditionally was believed to have been practiced during the Coles Creek period (A.D. 700-1200); however, direct evidence for maize is lacking in the archaeological record prior to A.D. 1000. The present study examines Coles Creek diet from a bioarchaeological perspective. Oral-health indicators, including abscesses, antemortem tooth loss, calculus, carious lesions, periodontal disease, and tooth wear, were evaluated in a regional, temporal context. Data were collected from 288 dentitions from eight sites in the southern Lower Mississippi Valley that range in date from 800 B.C. to A.D. 1200. The sample then was separated into Pre-Coles Creek and Coles Creek categories and statistical analyses were used to assess temporal variation in pathology load. Results indicate that pathology load in the Coles Creek sample is slightly heavier than the Pre-Coles Creek sample; however, the differences are not substantial. Furthermore, data suggest that regional differences in resource exploitation existed between the Lower Mississippi Valley and populations elsewhere in the eastern United States. Specifically, the presence of starchy native plants other than maize in the diet likely contributed to a high pathology load for early hunter-gatherers. Ultimately, data from this study complement the archaeological, botanical, and zooarchaeological records and indicate that Coles Creek subsistence was not based on maize agriculture.

Low Genetic Diversity in Several Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Populations in the Desoto National Forest, Mississippi

Gopherus polyphemus has experienced severe population declines, especially in the western portion of its range. As a consequence, G. polyphemus may have experienced population bottlenecks that resulted in a decrease in genetic diversity and an accumulation of deleterious alleles. The importance of genetic diversity has been well-documented for several fitness parameters (e.g., survival, disease resistance, growth and developmental rates, and developmental instability). Western populations of G. polyphemus in south Mississippi (USA) have lower hatching success (16.7–48%) than that found in eastern populations (67–97%). Even under laboratory conditions, approximately 40% of the eggs still failed to hatch, suggesting that intrinsic (egg quality) factors may be affecting development. Using nine microsatellite loci, we genotyped individuals from four populations in south Mississippi and one eastern population (Fort Benning, GA) and compared several genetic diversity indices (e.g., allelic richness, expected heterozygosity, and percent polymorphic loci) with published data from populations in the eastern portion of the range, such as populations east of the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers. We found significantly lower genetic diversity in the four Mississippi populations than in the eastern populations. However, these findings only demonstrate that these populations have low genetic diversity, and establishing any causal relationship between low genetic diversity (or other intrinsic factors; e.g., female condition) and reduced reproductive success should be further investigated.

Habitat use of age 0 Alabama shad in the Pascagoula River drainage, USA

Mickle PF, Schaefer JF, Adams SB, Kreiser BR. Habitat use of age 0 Alabama shad in the Pascagoula River drainage, USA. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 107–115. © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons A/SAbstract – Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) is an anadromous species that spawns in Gulf of Mexico drainages and is a NOAA Fisheries Species of Concern. Habitat degradation and barriers to migration are considered contributing factors to range contraction that has left just the Pascagoula River drainage population in Mississippi. We studied juvenile life history and autecology in three rivers within the drainage. We collected fish, habitat and physicochemical data in three habitat types (sandbar, open channel and bank) from June to October 2004–2006. Sandbar habitat was favoured by smaller individuals early in the year. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) decreased through the summer as larger fish began occupying bank and open channel habitat. The most parsimonious model of abundance included year and river variables, while patterns of presence and absence were best explained by river, habitat type and physiochemical variables. While all three rivers in the drainage contained Alabama shad, fish were less abundant and had lower condition values in the Chickasawhay River. Earlier work suggested the Alabama shad may gradually move downstream towards the Gulf of Mexico in their first year. However, we found no evidence of this and captured large fish high in the drainage late in the year.

IS LEPROSY SPREADING AMONG NINE-BANDED ARMADILLOS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES?

In the United States, nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) populations are derived from two sources: (1) a continuous range expansion from Mexico led to western populations, some of which, particularly along the western Gulf Coast and west side of the Mississippi River delta, exhibit persistently high rates of leprosy infection, and (2) a small group of animals released from captivity in Florida gave rise to eastern populations that were all considered leprosy free. Given that western and eastern populations have now merged, an important question becomes, to what extent is leprosy spreading into formerly uninfected populations? To answer this question, we sampled 500 animals from populations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Analyses of nuclear microsatellite DNA markers confirmed the historic link between source populations from Texas and Florida, but did not permit resolution of the extent to which these intermediate populations represented eastern versus western gene pools. Prevalence of leprosy was determined by screening blood samples for the presence of antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae and via polymerase chain reaction amplification of armadillo tissues to detect M. leprae DNA. The proportion of infected individuals within each population varied from 0% to 10%. Although rare, a number of positive individuals were identified in eastern sites previously considered uninfected. This indicates leprosy may be spreading eastward and calls into question hypotheses proposing leprosy infection is confined because of ecologic constraints to areas west of the Mississippi River.

Population size and incidence of virus infection in free-living populations ofCucurbita pepo

Impact assessments of virus resistance transgene introgression into wild, free-living populations are important for determining whether these transgenes present a risk to agriculture or the environment. Transgenic virus-resistant Cucurbita pepo ssp. ovifera var. ovifera L. (squash) cultivars have been commercialized, and may be cultivated in close proximity to cross-compatible wild, free-living relatives (C. pepo subsp. pepo vars. ozarkana and texana). Therefore, the potential impact of these virus resistance transgenes was studied by surveying the incidence and fluctuations of virus infection (as assayed by ELISA), virus symptoms (which may not be seen in an infected plant) and population size in forty-three free-living C. pepo populations in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Ten of these populations were studied over three consecutive seasons. Depending on the year, 61% to 78% percent of the populations had at least one individual infected by at CMV, ZYMV or WMV2, but the median incidence of infection within populations was 13%. The observed infection level in free-living populations was consistent with levels defined as "low" in field plot experiments conducted by others, leading to the conclusion that transgenic virus resistance should not provide a significant fitness advantage to the free-living populations examined. Viral symptoms were detected in only 2% of plants observed, indicating that severity of viral infection was low. CMV, ZYMV, and WMV2 were not the only viruses infecting these populations, further reducing the likelihood that resistance to these viruses would release populations from constraints imposed by virus diseases.

Housing Loan Patterns toward Minority Borrowers in Mississippi: Analysis of Some Micro Data Evidence of Redlining

We apply a cross-regional probit analysis to examine the existence or otherwise of the discriminatory practice of “redlining” in housing loan lending practices of banks in Mississippi. Data on loan denial rates across three Mississippi regions of Tri-County Metro-Jackson, Southern Mississippi Corridor, and the Northern district are studied to determine the pattern of bank lending activities regarding owner-occupied housing loan extensions to minority members of Mississippi's population. The purpose is to determine the degree to which the banks have or have not observed fair and equitable lending practices toward minority borrowers, relative to the members of the majority population. The results suggest that there is a consistently high denial rates against minorities. The results indicate strong evidence of redlining practices in housing loan decisions, which contribute to the growth of racial segregation in the state.